So, you're eager to dive into Instagram Reels for your church but wondering how to keep those creative juices flowing, right?

Here's the secret: you don't have to reinvent the wheel.

Let's explore how to come up with engaging Reels without the pressure of being 100% original.

Table of Contents:

1. Search The Reels Tab And Recreate Other Trends
2. Explore The Audio Tab To See How Other People Use Music
3. Follow Churches And Christian Accounts
4. Keep A Reel Idea Bank
5. Find A Reels Template In The Library

Why Your Church Needs Instagram Reels

Instagram Reels is one of the best tools at the moment to reach new people.

Reels discovery algorithm attempts to put your Reels in front of new people who may be interested in your posts.

Let's take a peek at my account. In the last 30 days my posts reach 93.6% non-followers and most of those non-followers were reached because of Reels.

Your regular posts and Stories will mostly go to your current followers, whereas Reels will be shown to new people.

Pretty interesting, huh? 

If you want to increase your reach, you need to post Reels.

If more people see your Instagram through Reels, they are more likely to visit your church’s Instagram profile and more likely to get to know your church.

The best part? You don't need to be a pro. Encourage folks in your church to jump in, make mistakes, and learn. Quantity leads to quality, so don't wait for perfection!

It’s better to try, than to not, and then wish you did years later. 

How To Keep The Reels Ideas Coming

Alright, let's get into the fun part. Here are six tried-and-true tips to keep those Reels ideas flowing, no originality required!

1. Search The Reels Tab And Recreate Other Trends

Spend 10 minutes scrolling through the Instagram Reels tab. See something catchy? Hit that save button!

When you're ready to create, you'll have a treasure trove of ideas waiting for you.

Remember, there's no shame in riding a trend, especially when time is of the essence.

Save posts that perform well and look easy to recreate.

I don't mean lip syncing or dancing trends. Here's an example of a "trend" you might see and want to re-create.

2. Explore The Audio Tab To See How Other People Use Music

Did you know there's an Audio Tab on your Instagram search page? It's a goldmine! Just like you can search for accounts, tags and places, you can search audio.

Search for specific songs or themes and see how others are using them. It's like having a behind-the-scenes peek at creativity. Save the ones that spark your interest and get inspired.

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3. Follow Churches And Christian Accounts

Don't hesitate to follow other churches or Christian creators.

They're a great source of inspiration.

When you do this, more similar posts will start to show up in your Explore feed and suggested accounts. This way, you'll easily find more creative post ideas with a curated Explore feed.

And if you're looking for more, I've got a post recommending 11 churches worth following on Instagram and another one with 16 top church accounts to follow.

4. Keep A Reel Idea Bank

Last but not least, keep a running list of ideas. It's a simple yet effective way to ensure you never run out of content. Use a project management system or a good old Google Doc to keep track. Share it with your team so everyone can chip in!

This is how you never sit down to make Reels and just “have nothing”.

Another great way to do this is to create a shared "save" folder in your Instagram where you and your team can add posts that inspire you as they come up.

When you save a post, toggle the slides that says "Collaborative" and add the people you want to share it with.

5. Find A Reels Template In The Library

A Reels template on Instagram is a pre-designed layout or video structure that creators can use as a starting point for their Instagram Reels content.

These templates often include placeholders for text, graphics, and sometimes even specific actions or movements to follow. They're designed to make it easier for users to create engaging and visually appealing Reels without starting from scratch.

Instagram has a great template library where you can browse Reels Templates recommended for you or see if someone has already created a Reels Template for any of your saved posts or saved music.

All you need to do is tap, new Reel and scroll over to "Templates". See the picture below.

Conclusion

There you have it!

Embrace Instagram Reels as a powerful tool for your church, and keep the creativity flowing with these handy tips.

Still struggling to come up with what to post? You need a framework that you can rinse and repeat, every week.

There are 5 Instagram posts every church should know how to make.

Want step-by-step tutorials to create them in just 2 hours a week?

Click here to get on the waitlist for my new tutorial-based program coming soon, The Church Instagram Accelerator.