Short-Form Video & Why Your Church Should be Using It

Short-form video is the latest social media phenomenon. And since our attention spans aren’t getting any longer, short-form videos provide the best opportunity for viewers to engage with high-quality content in a short period of time. Short-form video is designed to be viewed and consumed quickly and its primary goal is to be short in length.

Most major social media platforms have carved out a space in the short-form video world. TikTok led the way a few years ago when first launching as a platform devoted to sharing short music videos, but has since, quickly evolved into a platform for showing and sharing some of the funniest, albeit, ridiculous moments in households (and other venues) across the world. Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube have also, in the recent year or so, found their footing in the short-form video world with Reels and #Shorts respectively. Here are 2 reasons and 1 idea on why and how your church should be using short-form video.

2 Reasons

The Algorithm is built for short-form video!

Make no mistake about it, social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, want you to use their platforms. And because they want you to use their platforms continuously, the more you use the latest feature available on their platform (in this case short-form video such as reels and shorts) the algorithm is going to place your content in front of as ​many people as possible. With this is mind, it makes sense for your church, organization, ministry or non-profit to discover how it can most effectively create short-form video that can thrive in the benevolence of the algorithm.4. USB-C/Lightning to SD card reader

For those who capture Sunday services, mission opportunities, outreach engagement, etc. on professional grade DSLR camera, you will benefit from having a portable SD card that you can connect to your mobile phone and gain instant access to your images. The ability to instantly share high quality photos with your online audience is always a plus. You can get one specific to Apple devices here or a universal one here.

Less is more!

As the saying goes, “less is more.” This is the foundation that short-form video has been built on. It’s the idea of getting more content in front of viewers in less time; and it is the reason why short-form video performs so well on social media platforms. While it provides viewers the opportunity to engage with high quality content in a short period of time, it is also easier to create. Facebook and Instagram Reels, and YouTube shorts, can only be 60 seconds in length. Given the length of the videos, you (or someone on your tech team) can take a few hours, or less, out of the week and batch create 5-7 short-form videos to be distributed on your platforms throughout the week.

Utilize short-form video to promote your ministry, encourage your congregation and followers, share the latest information about your non-profit or business venture. Whatever you do, take advantage of it!

Here’s an idea…

One of the primary ways churches, in particular, can easily create and post short-form video is by using the content they already have at their disposal. There is not always a need to create new content, but utilize what you already have. Most churches have at least one service every week that has been recorded. That one Sunday service, teen Bible Study, concert, prayer service, revival, fellowship, etc. can provide you with endless content for short-form videos. Take one of your worship services and pull out 5-7 pieces of content from it. This can be portions praise and worship, the sermon, etc. Yes, some people watched your Sunday service when it was live streamed, but the thousands of others that the algorithm wants to show it to, didn’t!

For other organizations such as schools, non-profits, restaurants, etc.; tell your story through short-form video. Is your academic institution offering a new degree track? Tell us about it in a 60 seconds reel. Do you offer the best burgers in town? Tell us why and how to get it in a 60 seconds #short. Be creative and do it in high quality! Tell us in 60 seconds and format it to 1080x1920. You’d be surprised how far your short-form video can and will travel.—

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