Online Outreach: Instagram

June 11th, 2025

Churches have always reached beyond their physical walls to meet people where they are. Having a warm and welcoming presence on the internet is essential to connecting with the broader community.

A person holds a smartphone displaying the Instagram login screen, with username and password fields visible, ready for user input. This can present a challenge for ministers just learning to navigate the virtual world. Here are six considerations to help simplify the process of online outreach:

Primary Purpose: what is the goal for the content you are planning to share? Is it education, inspiration, conversation, connection, entertainment, or promotion?
Target Audience: at whom are you aiming this content?
Primary Benefit: what’s unique about your church that could appeal to seekers?
Secondary Benefits: what other information or services can you provide?
Call to Action: What response are you hoping for? What exactly do you want the audience to do after consuming your content?
Branding: even churches must consider their brand. How will you make your content consistent with your ‘voice’ and values?

When you’ve answered these questions, it’s time to choose a platform for your content.

Instagram

Instagram (IG) is a popular option across age ranges. Because IG is a highly visual platform, churches can use photos and videos to quickly gain and retain a viewer’s attention. By showcasing excerpts of worship services and images of community events, both existing and potential members get a glimpse of your culture and message. Interactive features, such as stories, polls, and live videos, further encourage engagement.

Despite these benefits, IG does come with several limitations to be aware of:

Algorithm and Reach: Content is subject to Instagram’s algorithm, meaning posts may not reach all followers.
Short Content: Instagram limits video lengths and captions, so it’s not a place for your in-depth messages or sermon content.
Limited Interaction: While some interaction is possible through comments and DMs (direct messages), it’s hard to offer personalized care or have deep conversations through this medium.
Audience Demographics: Instagram tends to attract younger users, which may not represent a church’s full demographic.
Superficial Engagement: Engagement tends to be quick and shallow, making it hard to foster deep spiritual connections or community.
Content Demands: Regular posting requires significant time and resources, which can be a challenge for smaller churches.
Privacy and Security: Concerns over privacy and the risk of security breaches can complicate church presence on Instagram.
Financial Costs: Ads and advanced features can be costly, and smaller churches may struggle to afford them.
Limited for Discipleship: Instagram’s fast-paced, visual nature isn’t ideal for in-depth discipleship or long-term spiritual growth.

To overcome these, churches should focus on a mix of content types, encourage offline and in-person engagement, and balance visual appeal with deeper messages.

Considerations in Your Post Design

There are many design tools available that make it simple to create colorful and creative blocks of content to fit the IG format. Canva is a current favorite, and has a database of templates ready to customize.

Visuals are important to catch the scrolling eye. As a rule of thumb, we tend to focus on larger elements first, and then move on to the smaller bits. Colors are more eye-catching than black and white.

Stained glass window in a cathedral casts vibrant, colorful light rays across a dimly lit stone interior. Intricate patterns and detailed designs. Most users access IG on their smartphones, which requires special design considerations. You’ll want more pictures and less text, laid out in a zigzag ‘Z’ shape to maximize common eye-tracking patterns.

Be sure to leave plenty of space between elements to avoid the appearance of clutter. This will make it easier for users to read and understand your message.

Even your typeface or font family can influence how your design is perceived. For a modern feel, try a Sans-Serif font like Arial or Calibri. For a more classic style, consider a Serif font like Times New Roman. You can enhance the design by adjusting headings, using bold or italics, or adding a complementary font for variety. If you already have a chosen set of fonts for your website and other communications, be sure to use them on IG, too, for ‘brand’ continuity.

Next, draft a caption to accompany your post. For maximum impact, keep it short – no more than 150 characters. If appropriate, add a touch of humor. Captions are an opportunity to convey your brand personality and connect on a more personal level.

You’ll also want to add hashtags – a topical word or phrase preceded by the # symbol, which allows users to search for and find your post. Experts disagree on the optimum number of hashtags, from at least three up to the maximum allowable 30. Because more hashtags boosts the likelihood that your content will show up in related ‘hubs’ (sites that aggregate and share content), more is generally considered better. You can also add hashtags in the comments section. Just make sure they are relevant to your subject.

Finally, consider using a spell-checking tool such as Grammarly or Microsoft Word to catch typos and misspellings.

Now your creation is ready to make its debut. For long-term success, this will be the first of many posts. Keep these guidelines in mind as you develop your IG presence:

Be Consistent: Post regularly and use Stories and Reels for real-time engagement.
Show Authenticity: Share behind-the-scenes moments, personal testimonies, and real stories to connect with your audience.
Engage Actively: Respond to comments and DMs. Use polls, questions, and prayer requests to engage your community.
Use Video Wisely :Share sermon snippets, go live for events, and post longer videos on IGTV for deeper content.
Hashtag Strategically: Use a mix of popular and church-specific hashtags to increase reach and create a branded hashtag.
Create Visually Appealing Content: Post high-quality images, maintain a consistent aesthetic, and align visuals with your church’s branding.
Include Calls to Action: Encourage followers to join events, sign up, or share posts with clear CTAs.
Highlight Community: Share user-generated content and celebrate milestones like baptisms and new members.
Focus on Spiritual Content: Post Bible verses, devotionals, and prayer prompts to encourage growth and reflection.
Monitor and Adapt: Track engagement with the Instagram Insights analytics tool – available to every business account – and adjust your strategy based on what works.
And, don’t forget to have fun. Instagram can be a place for fun pictures and videos from church staff, VBS, ministry groups, and more.

By following these practices, churches can build a strong, engaged Instagram presence that fosters community and spiritual growth. And, don’t forget to have fun. Instagram can be a place for fun videos from church staff.