Get Your Media Team in Order for the New Year
Can you feel the excitement in the air? A new year is here, and with it comes a world of possibilities for your church's media efforts.
At Church Media Squad, we're pumped about the potential for growth, creativity, and impact that 2025 holds for you and your team. Whether you're a solo creative wearing all the hats or leading a team of volunteers, this is your year to shine.
We've seen firsthand how a few strategic tweaks can transform a church's media game, and we can't wait to share some of our favorite tips with you.
Think about it—what if this was the year your media efforts helped even more people connect deeply with Jesus? What if your graphics and videos made complex biblical truths more accessible to your people? What if you had a system that freed up your time to focus on discipleship and community outreach? What if your social media became a powerful tool for sharing hope and encouragement throughout the week?
It's all possible, and we're here to help you make it happen!
We've put together this guide to help you and your media team start the new year strong.
These are practical, tried-and-true strategies that we've seen work for churches of all sizes. They're designed to help you work smarter, not harder, so you can focus on creating impactful content that connects people with God's message.
1. Time for a Process Check-Up
First things first, let's talk about your current processes. When was the last time you really looked at how you do things? In our experience working with hundreds of churches, we've found that some teams have a "it ain't broke, don't fix it" mentality. But here's the thing—just because it's not completely broken doesn't mean it can't be better.
Take a day (yes, a full day, we promise it's worth it) to really examine your workflows.
What tasks eat up most of your time? Where do you consistently hit snags?
Maybe it's the approval process for graphics, or perhaps it's the handoff between filming and editing.
Whatever it is, identifying these pain points is the first step to fixing them.
Pro tip: Get your team involved in this process. They might have insights you've missed. And if you're a solo act, consider asking a trusted friend or colleague to give you an outside perspective.
2. Who's on First? Clarify Your Roles
"But we're the only one doing media!" we hear you say.
Even if that's true, stick with us here. Clarifying roles is just as important for a one-person show as it is for a larger team.
Why? Because when you wear all the hats, it's easy for things to slip through the cracks. By clearly defining your different roles (graphic designer, video editor, social media manager, etc.), you can better organize your time and make sure nothing gets overlooked.
If you do have a team, clear role definitions are a game-changer.
No more "I thought you were doing that" moments. Everyone knows what they're responsible for, and more importantly, what they're not responsible for.
3. A Style Guide Will Be Your New Best Friend
If you don't have a style guide, stop everything and make one now.
Seriously, it's that important.
A good style guide is like a trusty map for your church's visual identity. It keeps everything consistent, saves time on decision-making, and makes it way easier to onboard new team members or volunteers.
Include things like:
Your church's color palette (with actual color codes, not just "blue")
Fonts for different uses (headers, body text, etc.)
Logo usage dos and don'ts
Guidelines for photo styles
Voice and tone for written content
Trust us, future you will thank present you for putting this together!
Here’s what our Squad Church’s Creative Director says about a style guide:
“A Style Guide isn't just about making things look pretty—it's about bringing clarity to your message, setting the standard for your creative, and aligning your vision with your church's mission. When you have a consistent style that's identifiable in your community, it can help you create a seamless & welcoming experience that assists you in pointing people toward Jesus.”
4. Project Management (Because Post-it Notes Don't Cut It)
If you're still trying to keep track of everything in your head (or with a mess of sticky notes), it's time for an upgrade. A good project management system can be a total game-changer.
Now, we know what you're thinking.
"But those fancy project management tools are expensive and complicated!"
Good news—they don't have to be either of those things. There are tons of user-friendly, affordable (even free) options out there.
Start simple with something like Trello. Set up boards for your recurring tasks (weekly graphics, social media posts) and larger projects (sermon series, special events). Or if you’re able to try a paid service, use ClickUp, like us!
Being able to see everything in one place is incredibly satisfying, and productive!
5. Checklists Help You Work Smarter, Not Harder
Creating checklists for your most common content is like giving yourself the gift of time.
When you start a new sermon series, take note of everything you need for it: title slides, Instagram carousel graphics, sermon bumper video, and anything else.
This way you’re not having to reinvent the wheel for every new event or series.
6. Content Calendars are Game Changers
Wouldn't it be nice to know what's coming up months in advance, instead of constantly playing catch-up? That's the magic of a content calendar!
Sit down with your leadership team and map out as much as you can for the coming year. Sermon series, major events, even regular content like weekly devos or volunteer spotlights. Get it all in the calendar.
This bird's-eye view will help you spot potential content bottlenecks before they happen. Plus, it gives you time to really dream up creative ideas instead of just churning out last-minute requests.
We’ve got an in-depth blog here to show you exactly how to get started.
7. Strengthen Your Skills
Here's the thing about church media—it's always changing. What looked cutting-edge last year might feel dated now. That's why ongoing learning is so crucial.
But we get it, time and budget for professional development can be tight.
The good news?
There are tons of free or low-cost ways to keep your skills sharp. YouTube tutorials, online courses, even just setting aside time to experiment with new techniques.
Consider setting a goal to learn one new skill each month. By the end of the year, you'll have 12 new tricks up your sleeve!
Want a place to start? Our friends at Church Circle have great courses available!
8. Talk It Out: The Power of Feedback
Last but not least, make sure you're creating space for regular feedback.
If you have a team, this might be a monthly check-in to discuss what's working and what's not. If you're flying solo, consider finding a mentor or peer in another church to bounce ideas off of.
Remember, the goal here isn't just to pat ourselves on the back (though that's important too!). It's to constantly refine and improve our processes and our content.
Alright, we know that was a lot to take in.
But here's the thing—you don't have to do it all at once. Pick one or two areas to focus on first. Maybe start with creating that style guide, or setting up a basic project management system.
Small steps can lead to big improvements over time.
Remember, the goal of all this organizing and streamlining isn't just to be more efficient (though that's a nice bonus). It's to create more space for creativity and impact.
When we're not constantly putting out fires, we have room to dream bigger, to try new things, to really make our church media shine.
So, what's your first step going to be?
Here's to making 2025 your best year yet for church media. You've got this!
P.S. Feeling a bit overwhelmed by all this? Remember, you don't have to go it alone. TheSquad is always here to save you time and help you look awesome. Whether you need a hand with graphics, videos, or just some friendly advice, we've got your back. Let's chat about how we can support your media goals this year!
