10 tips for producing your own church welcome videos

Now that we’ve hit the end of the church year, it is a great time to start thinking about whether you would like to add a welcome video to your website in the Fall.  Start thinking now so you can move forward with filming in late July or August.  If you wait until September you’re going to get to busy.

If you want to grow, video is key
A welcome video featuring your minister, staff or lay leaders is a great way to personalize your website.  A video on your home page can help turn web visitors into Sunday visitors. People are looking for personal connections and a spiritual community.  Relating to the congregations leadership is a huge part of the decision to visit.  Make it easy for people – put your minister from and center.

Tips for producing your own video

Producing a web welcome video doesn’t need to be complicated, time consuming or expensive.  Below are some tips for those of you planning to produce your own video.

It is important that you stay focused on the purpose of the video — to have a representative of the congregation, the minister if you have one, connect personally with visitors.  That serves to remove any anxiety about visiting.

1. Keep it short – 120 seconds
2. Avoid busy backgrounds
3. Better lighting equals crisper image – set up extra lights
4. Don’t stand flat against a wall – step forward a few feet or film at an angle
5. Use a simple outline that doesn’t require a script  — don’t read, relate
6. Rehearse until you can deliver it naturally – write it on an index card and keep it in your pocket for week
7. If it doesn’t come across as natural, warm and friendly, do it again and again and again
8. If you can’t deliver an inviting message have someone else offer the welcome
9. Don’t put extra content in front of the message, get right to it — keep intro content to 3 seconds max
10. Don’t forget to smile!

Here is one possible outline to get you started.  Remember, keep it short, friendly and natural!

• Introduction: Welcome!, say who you are, the name of the congregation, your role and that you are glad they are interested
• About your congregation: Give a quick “This is what we’re all about…” A quick Your elevator speech.
• Visiting in person: Encourage to explore website, contact so and so for questions, and offer tips for visiting in person.

I mentioned keeping videos short above.  But what about all the great info you have to communicate?  Make more videos! Its better to have a bunch of short videos versus one big long one.

A few videos you might make…

• Introduce staff
• A tour of your facility
• About your faith development offerings for children
• A more detailed description of our faith
• Overview of programming for the upcoming season
• Invitation to join a small group
• Other tips for getting involved

Assistance getting started

I’ve encountered many UU leaders who have wanted a welcome video, have intended to make one, but it just hasn’t happened.  Chances are if it hasn’t happened yet, you need a little help.  That’s where I come in.  We can script out your video, figure out the best location on site to film your video(s), and do the first one.  We can use my equipment or, if you’re interested, I can help you decide what to buy for your own in-house video production.  Once we do the first together the rest will be a snap!

– Peter