An Ancient Craft
In the age of Youtube
In a recent essay, I mentioned that I’m apparently geriatric now. “An old man in dotage.” As our ritualistic work here in Washington discusses. I had to reach this conclusion, because I ran across the following quote from a writer I enjoy:
“Now Gen X and geriatric millennials are shitting their pants because the medium shifted from blogs to video.”
I guess I’m just going to have to go out and buy myself a walker. I’ll look just like this dude in his awesome Tilley hat!1
Today I read an article in Ad Week2 that was discussing the future of media. There were quite a few interesting quotes within it, and lots of good information. The whole point of the article?
“The pivot to video has happened,”
I certainly believe that to be true.
Any quick glance at subscriber numbers on Youtube will tell us that.
Some Lodges continue to focus on static websites. A lot more of them on Social Media. It seems to me that U.S. Lodges focus pretty strongly on Facebook, while U.K. Lodges seem to have a strong presence on X.
But if we look at the metrics of these efforts, it’s really plain to see that they just don’t work anymore. They haven’t been effective for a long time now. Heck, I continue posting on Social Media from time to time in hopes that it will get better, but it just doesn’t.
The quote above is true. The pivot to video has already happened.
And as discussed in the article, smart, young, energetic folks are using their Youtube channel as their homepage now. Not a static website, not Social Media.
One of our regular commenters here on Emeth, Brother Chad wrote:
“there is a desire for interpersonal connection. The challenge is reaching those looking for it. We have to have online/web based presence to reach the people who are looking for it. The irony is the people looking for connection, only know how to find it online. The people who have it seem to avoid the digital wilds. Both miss their goals because of the missing link, a shared platform.”
Read that a time or two. Chad’s right. Young men (like him) are seeking real connection in the real world. Freemasonry offers that connection. But we are in completely different places, so these two groups can’t actually find each other.
The question is, what are we going to do about it?
Are our Lodges going to learn the skills necessary for video? Once we do, will we create compelling video content?
Are we going to start hanging out online where the men we are seeking actually are?
Or are we going to continue doing what we have been doing for years?
But those questions are easy. The hard question is, what form would compelling video content take? What aspects of Freemasonry could we focus on that would make a really positive impression?
Let’s discuss it…
Don’t take this as an endorsement of Tilley Hats and run out to buy one. Tilley was wonderful, when Mr. Tilley owned it. Not so much anymore.
https://www.adweek.com/media/future-media-youtube-onbackground/
The kids are using TicTok too which is a cybersecurity and national security nightmare. My husband is a cybersecurity guru and he and his cohort have been screaming for years about the problems of TicTok. It's not just who owns it - it's the datamining it does.
There has to be a way to use video without participating in the "you're not human anymore, you're just data to be harvested" horror.
MWB Bailey, thank you for the shoutout. I’d like to add a caveat to the shift to the digital realm.
Each of these platforms is a tool. Facebook, X, YouTube, or “insert platform here” all have their place in the tool bag. We just need to use them effectively and collaboratively. Just like there is a reason we still have faxes, phones, and email the same applies to media platforms.
If we use social media platforms to connect people with our video content, it becomes more effective. If we crosspost in multiple locations, we amplify our reach. If we backlink these sources to our websites, we can direct people to Brethren who can show them how to meet our Brethren, and visit our Lodges.
We personally pursue balance of mind, body, and spirit in our personal journeys. Think of it this as Digital Alchemy, one component is not enough. We must have websites, social platforms, and media content in balance.
The biggest hurdle is getting visibility, we should do our best to like, share, or comment on our Brethren’s platforms to help them rise into the light, and become visible to those audiences. Rising tides raise all vessels.
Apologies for the multiple edits, my motor skills are a bit rough today, and I kept hitting the post button when attempting to draft my comment on my phone.