You ideate, strategize, and spend precious time gathering and creating content.
You have meeting after meeting, process after process, that get you from nothing to something.
Maybe you’re a lead pastor trying to make it happen. Or you’re a communications director with a team of specialists. Maybe you’re the lone social media manager wondering if anyone will help you move your social media forward.
Whoever you are, you’ve felt the frustration of posting content you care about, only to get mediocre results.
Your post barely reaches anyone. That one weird guy who likes all your content likes your post and leaves an off-topic comment. You start to wonder, “Do these numbers even mean anything?”
While many factors lead to a thriving, engaging social media presence, a frequently overlooked item is post optimization.
What is post optimization?
Post optimization is what it sounds like: optimizing your posts to perform as well as possible. Specifically, it means adjusting all aspects of your post to best utilize the platform it’s being shared on.
It’s not so much what the content is but how it is presented and what is pulled out of it.
Let’s do a little quiz to highlight what this can look like:
You shoot a promo video inviting your community to an upcoming event. What format(s) does your audience want to receive that promo video in?
A) 16:9
B) 4:5
C) 9:16
D) All of the above
The answer is … it depends. The main factors include these: What channels are you posting to? Why are you posting to those channels? What are you trying to achieve with this content?
And besides the aspect ratio needed for your video on each channel, what about video length? Or captions? What’s the first thing someone will see—a thumbnail? A screengrab? The video itself?
While a holistic mindset will certainly go furthest in helping guide you toward what content to post and how to present it, there are general, concrete best practices for each platform.
Why optimize your posts?
Now, you may be thinking something like: “So what if I don’t know the answers to these questions? Our video/graphic is awesome/dope/bangin’. Isn’t that all that matters?”
To a certain extent—yes. If you have a fantastic piece of content, that can overcome a lot of obstacles. However, think about it this way:
Let’s say there’s a brand new ice cream shop in town. A friend tells you about it. You see a picture of their decadent ice cream on Instagram. The shop has five-star reviews.
You’re all in. You’re ready to get this dairy delight.
You get there, and there’s a line out the door. Must be worth waiting for. You finally get to the front and order your ice cream … but they take only cash.
What? Why didn’t they say anything? There’s a Post-it note on the register that you didn’t see until you reached the front of the line. You have only a credit card. Now what?
Well, there’s an ATM in the building next door, so you can just run over there. When you arrive at the ATM, there’s a line for it because so many people don’t have cash.
You finally get to the front of that line, get your cash, and head back to the ice cream shop. They had to throw out your melty ice cream because it’s been so long, and guess what? You have to wait in line again because everyone wants this amazing ice cream.
There are a lot of obstacles here. And sure, they can be overcome. And the ice cream is good. But do you really want to be in such a chaotic environment again?
Do you really want to come back to an environment where you have to overcome multiple obstacles to get something great? What if you try a new flavor next time and it’s not that good?
There are only so many times you can have dark chocolate peanut butter ice cream each week (or maybe … not? ).
The point is this: You want as few obstacles as possible between you and something awesome.
And let’s add another layer in: What if you were just walking home and the store had a guy at the door yelling, “Hey, you! Come try this ice cream! It’s really good. Man, everyone loves it.”
Unless you see someone holding the ice cream, you probably aren’t going to just drop your normal routine to try something new, even if in actuality it’s awesome.
Add even one more layer. There are hundreds of ice cream shops right next to one another, all screaming the same thing. So, which one are you going to try, if you try even one?
This is what you’re up against on social media: thousands upon thousands of high quality voices, with great content just like yours (or maybe even better).
So who’s going to get the attention? Among the hundreds of pieces of content people scroll through every day, which pieces of content will get people’s attention?
One of the most consistent factors across the majority of high performing content is this: The content is easy to consume.
You don’t have to overcome an obstacle. The post grabs your attention right away. You see what it’s all about. After a few seconds, you’re invested and want to check the whole thing out, or maybe even take a meaningful action.
This is because that piece of content leverages the format and opportunities the platform it is on provides.
OK … so how do I optimize my content?
The briefest way to approach optimizing your content is through one mindset shift:
You know the amount of time you spend trying to make sure a piece of your content is centered around a cool concept, looks visually appealing, or sounds witty?
Spend an equal amount of energy thinking about how someone will read or watch this content on the platform you’re posting it on.
First, regardless of platform, remember this: Most online content is viewed on mobile devices.
That wide-screen, anamorphic 4K video you shot? It definitely looks cool … but it’s going to take up about one-sixth of a phone screen, unless someone actually bothers to turn off their screen orientation lock and hold their phone sideways, forgoing the ability to continue browsing or engaging with other comments.
The majority of the time, it’s best to optimize photos and videos for vertical viewing.
Your really crispy 16:9 4K video of your lead pastor inviting people to the next sermon series will most likely not perform as well as a cell-phone selfie video of that same pastor in the same environment. The selfie video may even perform better in front of the church or the pastor’s house.
Here’s another factor to consider: Most people consume video without sound on.
Want that 30-year-old male and his family to even take the time to check out your church? Make your video consumable for when they can’t (or don’t want to) turn on the sound.
Whether in the restroom, at the dinner table, in a work meeting, or in bed with screen orientation locked, people watch videos on their mobile devices all day.
If you’re fortunate enough to grab people’s attention but they need to turn the sound on, then guess what? They keep scrolling. At best, your most die-hard advocates will save the video for later.
Adopt this rule as quickly as possible for anything with an audio component: Videos must communicate effectively with the sound off and delight with the sound on.
This allows anyone to watch your content. Plus, it trains people to recognize the value of giving full attention and time to your content when they use sound.
Per-platform optimizations
OK, let’s get into the nitty-gritty, per-platform optimizations you can make, on platforms most churches use.
Images and graphics
– Aspect ratio: 4:5 is best practice because it takes up the most screen real estate (and the same format is used by other key platforms).
– Runner up: 1:1, aka old faithful. Squares are what social was built on and can still go a long way. Sometimes, depending on the assets you’re using, squares may leverage your content in a more visually pleasing manner.
What’s seen first: Copy
Therefore, make sure your copy is short and intriguing and complements the visual content (and doesn’t replace it).
– Example: Don’t list every single topic your upcoming sermon series covers when the cool, vertical bumper video you’re posting shares what those topics are. Instead, ask a question that hits on the pain point the series solves.
– Content: Faces of real people involved in your community will grab more attention than a graphic. Fewer graphics, more people!
Reels
– Length of video: 90 seconds or less
– 10–30 second reels tend to perform best, but experiment to find what is engaged with most by your unique audience.
– Aspect ratio: 9:16
What’s seen first
– News feed: A 3-second 9:16 preview of your video in a side-scrollable reels section.
– Scrolling through the reels tab: If your video gets served through the algorithm, it will start playing full-screen from the first frame. Make sure that first frame is interesting.
– Use in-platform editing tools like audio clips, on-screen text, captions, and special effects.
– Facebook has indicated that reels are the best way for users to discover new content. Keep people engaged by creating reels that are entertaining, interesting, or educational.
Other video content
– While Facebook is prioritizing reels, there are still many styles of video content you can post on the platform.
– Length of video: Up to 240 minutes
– As with reels, focus on keeping people engaged throughout the duration of the video. Test what performs best for your audience.
– Aspect ratio: 9:16 is preferred by the algorithm, but you can post in 4:5, 1:1, or 16:9 as well.
What’s seen first: In the news feed, the video itself
– The video autoplays unless the user has low power, has a bad connection, or has autoplay turned off (almost no one does).
– If Facebook indexes your video and someone watches a related video by tapping into it, your video may be next up in the queue. In this case, the user will see the thumbnail of your video below the one they’re viewing.
What’s seen first: The visual content
– Make sure your image or video is easily digestible and grabs attention immediately. For video, aim to keep attention for at least three seconds; usually at that point, people decide whether they’re in.
Images and graphics
– Aspect ratio: 4:5
– Bonus points for carousels. These are some of the highest performing pieces of content on Instagram because of view time, value, and shares and saves.
– Want to see some good carousels? We have a few.
Reels
– Length of video: Three minutes or less
– Aspect ratio: 9:16
What’s seen first
– Main feed: A 4:5 crop of your 9:16 video—make sure that crop communicates clearly
– Explore: 4:5
– Scrolling through the reels tab: 9:16
Instagram Head Adam Mosseri recently specified that Instagram’s AI chaining automatically determines what appears in users’ feeds by predicting what users are most likely to engage with. Content is ranked based on how likely a user is to do each of the following:
– Comment on a reel
– Follow the creator of a reel
– Share a reel outside Instagram
– Use audio from a reel
Stories
– Length of video: 15–60 seconds
– Standard image-based stories are 15 seconds in length, but you can also record video content that is up to one minute long.
– Aspect ratio: 9:16
– What’s seen first: The visual content
– Posting stories is a key way to nurture your current audience. Use in-platform engagement tools like polls, stickers, and question boxes to encourage user participation.
YouTube
Video player (standard YouTube)
– Aspect ratio: 16:9
What’s seen first
– In general, your thumbnail is seen first. But think Facebook for mobile feed here. Videos can autoplay, and you may be surprised how many people will watch silently for three, 10, or 30 seconds before tapping into the video.
– Make sure the video is intriguing from the start and utilizes captions. Often, a graphic isn’t the best thing for people to see first. Instead, try having a real person address the camera head on.
Shorts
– Length of video: Up to 60 seconds
– If your video is longer than 60 seconds, it will be considered a “standard video” by the platform. This means it won’t show up in the shorts tab, making it less discoverable by new viewers.
– Aspect ratio: 9:16 (preferred) or 1:1
What’s seen first
– One more thing: Besides the thumbnail or opening frame, there’s actually another item to consider that people see first on YouTube—the title.
– Use an interesting title that makes people intrigued about your content. For example, “How to overcome guilt,” “Three ways to cultivate healthy relationships,” etc.
TikTok
– Length of video: 10 minutes or less
– Aspect ratio: 9:16
What’s seen first: The visual content
– Watch time is heavily ranked by the TikTok algorithm, especially in the first three seconds. Start with a strong hook to boost retention.
– If you’re using still imagery to create a slideshow, include something captivating in that first slide to ensure people continue to swipe through.
– The TikTok algorithm favors content that aligns with specific niches (think #BookTok), so instead of chasing trends, prioritize finding your niche and creating content that resonates within it.
What actually makes sense?
This can seem like a lot. If social media isn’t your everyday thing, or if you’re just getting started, all these little details can seem overwhelming.
Depending on your bandwidth, it may not make sense to try to optimize every little thing on every platform. And, in case you didn’t notice, we didn’t even talk about X (FKA Twitter)!
You need to consider the amount of time you’re investing in optimization. Remember, you want to invest as much energy into optimization as into content creation—not more.
And that’s because there are a few things to consider for your team’s health in relation to the amount of work put into your content.
First, you don’t need to use every platform. And not every platform will be equally important to your audience.
Don’t spread yourself thin. Focus on one platform, maybe two. Get really good at those, and then, if it makes sense, branch out.
Work smarter, not harder.
Did you notice some crossover in all the details listed above? For example, think mobile first. That way, you can make sure all your content is optimized for every platform. Chances are, that means cropping to 4:5 or 9:16 for the most part.
Also, you can create your assets (videos, photos, etc.) with a “vertical-first” mobile mindset. If you take a video or photo in portrait orientation, you’re a step ahead. Otherwise, make sure your subject is centered with breathing room around it.
Listen up! No one’s listening.
Remember that most people scroll through content without sound. Every platform can generate captions for your videos automatically. Use that tool to keep people engaged even when the content is muted. Bonus: Include an intriguing, easily readable title somewhere on the video.
Do the best with what you have.
At the end of the day, God has entrusted you with certain resources. Be thankful for that.
Whatever it is, large or small, high-end DSLR or cell-phone camera, you have something. You’re positioned to reach people.
Lean in. Do the work. Be healthy. Execute your mission.
You can do this. We can help. Fill out the form below, and we’ll be in touch to schedule a free 30-minute consultation.
