"We can't wait to see you at church on Sunday! It's going to be amazing!" Sound familiar? While the enthusiasm is appreciated, let's be real; this caption isn't exactly catching any eyes.

With endless scrolling, your church's social media captions need to be more than just an afterthought—they need to be compelling invitations.

Uncompelling captions are kind of like the unseasoned chicken of the communications world—bland. And no one wants to eat unseasoned chicken.

Say it with us: 👏🏽 No more unseasoned chicken, 👏🏽 and no more bland captions! 👏🏽

Let’s dig into why your captions aren’t working and stick around to learn how to fix them.

Make a Bland Caption More Flavorful

Let's dissect an example:

"Can't wait to see you at church on Sunday! It's going to be amazing!"

What's wrong with it?

First, it's vague. "Amazing" could mean anything. What’s going to be amazing? Why will it be amazing? What do you mean by amazing?

Second, it gives no compelling reason for anyone to engage with the post, much less attend the service. It's the equivalent of saying, "We exist! Come if you want!"—which, let’s face it, doesn’t really illicit a stirring in someone’s spirit enough to leave a comfy bed in the morning on the weekend.

We know some people out there love God and His people and genuinely want to be at church—they get it. They understand the purpose of corporately meeting together and don’t need to be convinced to come to church.

But for the lukewarm Christian or person who hasn’t come to the faith yet, words can move them to take action! Writing captivating captions not only can grab attention, but it can also move hearts.

Now, let's consider a more engaging example:

"Did you know you were called to be a farmer? 🤔 Not of corn or cattle, but of the seeds you've planted in faith! This Sunday, we’ll be exploring our roles as spiritual harvesters—diving into how our faith, actions, and prayers work together to produce a bountiful spiritual crop. So grab your flannel and dust off your work gloves, and join us Sunday at 10am at Grace Fellowship!"

It works because:

1. There’s intrigue: The concept of being called to be a 'farmer' sparks curiosity and makes you keep reading.

2. It provides specificity: It tells you exactly what the sermon is about—being a "spiritual harvester" who can “produce bountiful spiritual crops.” I want to know how I can do that!

3. The language is engaging: It uses everyday language and mentions objects (like flannels and work gloves) to make the spiritual concept approachable and fun.

4. It’s informative: It gives you a time and place so you know where to be and when to be there. This is especially important for people who randomly come across your post and don’t yet know about your church.

The Recipe for a Great Caption

So how do you write an effective caption? Here’s a recipe you might consider:

1. Throw a Hook: Capture attention with a question or an unexpected statement.

2. Add Specifics: If you are promoting a sermon series, a Bible study, or an event, let people know what they can expect to gain from it. This is your chance to move beyond, “You’ll have lots of fun!”

   What can they gain spiritually? What do you hope they leave your event with? That could be a deeper understanding of God’s grace, practical action steps on how to pray more, or how to find peace when anxiety strikes.

3. Speak Normal: Use conversational language and write like you speak. The tone should be welcoming, not formal or corporate, or using big theological words only some people understand (like propitiation, reincarnation, or transfiguration… maybe just avoid all the -ation words 😅).

4. Take Action: Whether it’s to attend a service, join a group, or volunteer, or click a link, make sure to direct your audience on what to do next. Adding a “call-to-action” should be kept as simple as possible. The more hoops you make a reader jump through to take the next step, the less likely they are to move.

   For example, don’t have them manually type in a website on their phone or computer in order to find a sign-up form. Instead, you could say, “click the link in our bio to sign up,” and change your link in bio to fit that specific purpose.

   An even easier way to get your audience engaged in taking a next step is by having them type in a specific word in the comments and direct messaging the link straight to them so they don’t have to hunt for it. (To avoid manually sending messages, you can use an app like ManyChat that will automatically send them.)

5. You Gotta Have Fun: Adding a touch of fun is never a bad idea! Emojis, humor, or puns can make your captions more engaging and memorable. But remember, always keep it appropriate and aligned with your church's brand tone and mission.

Try It Out

It seems as if attention spans are becoming shorter than a TikTok video—which means captivating captions are a must-have for effective digital outreach. So the next time you’re tempted to dash off a quick “See you Sunday!”—think back to this tasty recipe.

T - Throw a Hook

A - Add Specifics

S - Speak Normal

T - Take Action

Y - You Gotta Have Fun

Don’t want to cook alone?

If you're ready to make your church's social media as compelling as your Sunday sermons but could use a bit of help, reach out to TheSquad. Our Communication Squad is here to support your ministry in connecting with your community in authentic and impactful ways. 🙌