We want to set you up for success on Instagram, so we have come up with some great Instagram ideas for your church to use it well. Note that some of these ideas are perfect for large churches and others set up for small ones.
1. Promote a Sermon Series
One of the best uses of Instagram is the ability to promote sermon series through graphics or 15-second video bumpers. If you have a graphic that is used for Sunday sermons that is put onto the projector slide, why not post that on Instagram a week or two before you start the series. If you have the video capacity (i.e. everyone with an iPhone/smartphone), then go shoot a quick 12 seconds inviting people to your church, give soft background music, and post the same graphic from before at the beginning and end of the video. Need some inspiration? Visit The Creative Pastor site for a few videos.
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2. Crowdsource Videos With a Hashtag
One of the best ways to engage with your congregation is to have them directly interact with the content using the medium as the communication tool. A crowdsourced video starts with you posting a video onto Instagram asking a question or giving a challenge. It can be fun and playful or deep and theological. Then ask your congregation or youth group to respond with their own video and a predetermined hashtag. Take several of the responses and create a quick two-minute video as a great opener to your sermon next week as you introduce a new topic.
3. Inspiring Images With Scripture or Quotes
You see those images all over the place where someone has posted a quote or Bible verse as an image and shared it on a social network. Create your own set of ten or twenty of them, put your church’s logo in the corner of it, and put your website in the description so people can get more information. Compelling and visually creative posts like these do not have to blast a, “Come to our church” message but can be passive and allow the content and a link there for those that would like to know more information.
4. Instagram Youth Ministry Games
Social media and youth ministry go hand-in-hand and youth groups are finally figuring out that the best way to get teens to connect online is to get them connected in person. One of the best ways to improve engagement on your Instagram account is through youth ministry games. There are several out there that you can do, including Instahack and Scattergrams or an Instagram version of a scavenger hunt.
5. Print Most Favorited Instagram Photos
While taking pictures of people and posting them on your Instagram is a great way to share moments online, printing them and featuring them in rooms or giving them away as presents are perfect ways for people to engage and then connect the online network with your congregation. Challenge event attendees to go favorite what they believe to be the best image on your gallery and then you can print the top one or two pictures to use as you wish. (Need a service to print your photos? Try PRINSTAGRAM.
The links for the social media eBooks are deactivated and can’t be accessed. Do you all have another way to attain the books?
Thanks for the catch! I just updated the links in this article. Also, all the ebooks are on one page for the finding here: https://churchtechtoday.com/2013/07/01/ebooks/