Why your church should start podcasting

Podcasts are in an incredibly popular way of listening to audio content. In this video and blog post, we will talk about why churches should consider starting their own podcasts. One of the best things about starting a podcast is that it’s incredibly affordable to get started. Most churches already have high-quality audio systems in place to amplify the voice their speakers inside the church. The churches audio system can easily be used to record services audio and upload it as a podcast.

For members and nonmembers of the church alike, listening to a podcast is convenient. Many people subscribe to the podcast they’re interested in on their smartphones which they can use to easily play audio in their car, on a jog or while they’re shopping in the grocery store. podcasting is a form of Internet radio that does benefit from having a host and a moderator. Popular religious podcasts that I listen to regularly include world religion news and Christian today. These podcasts talk about important issues happening outside the church to keep members informed on the world at large.

Churches can use podcasting to reach new members in a variety of ways. The easiest way for a church to get started is to simply record the Sunday service with an audio program such as Audacity. Audacity is a free audio recording software available on both Mac and PC computers. Churches simply need to plug in their digital audio mixers into their computer with a USB cable in order to record the audio. If your digital audio mixer does not include a USB 2.0 output you can purchase an inexpensive USB audio interface that cost only $35 from Behringer. This equipment can be used to record the entire sermon but also the intro and outro segments for a higher quality production podcast. You can use your USB audio interface to capture audio from your larger audio mixer but also to bring in an XLR microphone into your computer for podcasting. You can start and end your podcasts with custom segments and paste in various parts or the entire recorded service audio.

For example, someone from your church in the media team may want to include an introduction to each podcast in order to explain some of the important information and context for the church service that has been recorded. Perhaps the podcast moderator will include the podcast title, the episode number, and some brief information about how podcast listeners can get in contact with the church. The amazing thing about church media and outreach programs is that church is a real place the people can reach out to you when they are so compelled. Reaching new members and people who need the message of God with live streaming and/or podcasting can be the simple push people need to reach out to the church.

Once your church has recorded a podcast, it’s time to post your podcast to the world using a podcast hosting service. There are free podcast hosting services available such a SoundCloud and there are premium podcast hosting services such as podbean. Here at StreamGeeks we use podbean because it also includes the ability to host podcast video. Once your podcast is available via a hosting service it can be automatically shared with the world’s largest podcast delivery networks such as iTunes, Stitcher radio and more. This is a powerful way to connect your churches podcast to the world in a very simple, easy to manage workflow. Each week when your podcast is ready you can simply upload it to your hosting service and within minutes your podcast is available to all of your listeners.

Here at the StreamGeeks we are always interested to know who our podcast listeners are and if our content is important to them. We regularly remind podcast listeners to reach out and let us know what they find most interesting. You would be surprised how effective simply asking podcast listeners to follow you on social media is. Consider asking your listeners to reach out to you with a phone call. Here are a couple tips you can use to increase the effectiveness of your church’s podcast.

First of all, always introduce the title an episode of your podcast. As you introduce your podcast content this is a great chance to thank those who donate to your church and potential sponsors. If your church has a program that you think podcast listeners may be interested in this is a great time to review your current offerings with listeners. Depending on how much production your podcast requires you may want consider using sound effects and breaking up the service into specific bite-size chunks. Maybe your podcast moderators like to reflect on certain portions of the church service throughout the podcast. This is a great way to provide additional value for listeners and even members who attended the church service canal benefit from additional reflection. It’s always important to put yourself in the shoes of the listener and imagine where the podcast listener might be. Many podcast listeners like to listen to podcast as they drive to work. Using this perspective can help your podcast moderator prepare content that is more engaging and relevant to listeners. Finally consider a call to action at the end of each podcast. This is your chance to ask your listeners to take action. Perhaps you’d like to suggest listeners donate to your church. Whatever your churches goals are, a podcast is a great outlet for delivering value and promotion action.

In conclusion:

In conclusion, podcasting is an easy way for your church to deliver your sermons online. Every year there are more and more podcast listeners, looking for local personalized audio content that can help them feel part of their community. The great thing about podcasting for houses of worship is the fact that most churches already have all the audio equipment they need to produce a high-quality experience for listeners. Podcasting is a great segue into live streaming and podcasting can be available via video as well. Adding video to your Podcasts can create a window into your church and help people connect visually with your message and the people in your church who are delivering that message. Whether you choose to add a visual component to your podcast or not this is a great opportunity to provide an additional reflection in context for your service. You may find dedicated church members are able to get even more each week out of your services and potential members are able to better understand their open invitation to your church. Podcasting is a great way to connect your community and build your online presence in a modern convenient way. Podcasting is a fun and creative way to share your churches latest programs and offerings with the world. Finally with a little thought your church can craft a podcast that furthers your core mission and increases donations. If you are interested in starting a podcast at your church download our free guide below…

Why your church should start a podcast 3 minutes

1. Easy way to Deliver your sermons to members who couldn’t make it or potential members online
2. You already have the equipment
3. Podcasting is an easy way to provide additional reflection and context for your sermon
4. Great way to connect your community and build your online presence
5. It’s a fun creative platform to share your latest programs and offerings with the world
6. Finally, increase donations with a simple call to action reminder at the end of each episode

Learn more about Church Communications

• Here are tips for using Zoom meeting for worship services and spiritual sharing sessions here.
• Learn how to move beyond one-way worship live streams and use video meetings as well here.
• Learn how to use Zoom at your church to communicate with remote congregation members here
• Get a free copy of Helping Your Church Live Streaming here.
• See why your church should consider starting a podcast here.