7 Creative Church Instagram Story and Reel Ideas
Instagram is a buzzing platform, so use the stories and reels function to give people a snapshot of what being a member of your church means. When used correctly, they can perfectly balance personalization with education, creating content pieces that inform and excite.
But if you’re not used to using Instagram to its fullest, this can all feel a bit much. Maybe you’ve just switched to church social media but aren’t ready to dive in as the church reel director. We have devised a list of seven creative story and reel ideas that any church can adopt, making reels easy to tackle.
Church Social Media Strategy
First things first, set a social media plan for church. Will you mainly post on Instagram? Will you develop a professional LinkedIn page to add your pastor’s profiles? Envision your social media presence as a whole so you can formulate the overarching plan.
Setting a timeline will ensure you stay on track. And you can use it to reflect on your account’s progress over the months and identify which kinds of content appeal to your audience. For more tips on how to use Instagram effectively, check out this blog.
How to Make a Reel on Instagram
But posts and pictures are only one side of the coin. When you enter the territory of reels and stories, things become a bit more tricky as they take some planning, knowledge, and creative strategy.
Step-by-Step Guide:
- First, tap the camera icon in the top left of your home feed and choose ‘reels’.
- Next, record. You can either hold the button to record or tap it to start recording before tapping again to end it, or you can add a video from your camera roll by tapping your camera roll in the bottom left.
- Edit the video by tapping on the left-pointing arrow that allows you to watch, trim or delete the previous clip you just recorded.
- Download your reel or add fun decorations like stickers, drawings, or text by clicking the right-pointing arrow. Use the slider to choose when you want the text to appear in your reel.
- Tap the right-pointing arrow and select ‘Cover’ to pick the still image you want to appear on your page.
- Write a fun, SEO-optimized caption and add trending hashtags.
- Share!
Church Instagram Post Ideas
1. A Day in the Life of a Pastor
Take an average day at your church and turn it into an informative and fun reel or series of stories by shadowing your pastor. Doing this will make them seem more approachable as a leader, reminding your audience that they are a real person who is here to serve their people.
2. Shout Out to Your Volunteers
Up your volunteer appreciation while spreading awareness about your church with a two-in-one post about your helpful workers. Follow a small team as they embark on a project with a story-telling style reel, or shout out a star of the week on your story. This makes your valued volunteers feel good and may inspire others to join them.
3. Sunday Message Recap
Fill your church Instagram page with a summary of the sermon or message of the week each Sunday to keep everyone connected. That way, members of your community who couldn’t make it stay in the loop, and potential attendees can see what they are missing.
4. Jump on Current Trends
Use trends to find your inspiration but add a ministry twist. When you use trending songs in your videos and reels, your content will be prioritized by Instagram’s algorithm, helping to extend the reach of your church videos. However, these trends change daily, so you’ll have to be quick to jump on!
5. The Time Lapse
Take a standard part of your church’s weekly activities and transform it into an educational reel that gives people an insight into what being a member of your church is like. Something simple like your kids at the children’s ministry doing activities becomes a sweet and touching video sharing a soft side of your church.
6. Introduce Your Church’s Mission
Make an educational-style reel that introduces your church’s central mission and the main areas where you serve. Do you support homeless people in your community, or are you involved in an international education project? Let it be known, so people are inspired to join your church and become a part of the movement.
7. Short Quote Reel
Transform a short quote into a reel and paste it onto an inspiring background, and people will feel inspired to save it. And saves are one of the best forms of interaction to boost engagement, making the Instagram algorithm prioritize sharing it. This way, you get a chance to share all your favorite Bible quotes regularly too.
Churches should post at least one reel per week, but Instagram recommends posting as many as 4-7. So get into the swing of it, let your creativity run wild, and invite people to see a more personal side of your church with a consistent church social media plan.
Remember that people are drawn to stories, so create a narrative for your church and supplement it every day with your church Instagram stories and reels.