With 5 easy steps and shared documents, churches can use real audience language instead of AI to master content creation.
And there you are, once again in front of that screen, trying to figure out how to talk about that men’s breakfast once again. Or how to describe the discipleship path in a way that is easy to understand. Or maybe create an ad for those that aren’t even in your church yet. They end up all sounding the same.
Deep inside you know some will just scan it. Many won’t even read it. But yet, you have to add it to the newsletter, social media and announcements by the close of business.
Creating content can be a lot of fun nowadays (hello, ChatGPT), but assuming you have an account and can access it, it’s still just content. Just info.
AI is surely a great tool, especially when it comes to explaining consubstantiation in a poem in old English, but what if you could tap into real words your audience is saying? (Wondering about consubstantiation? Check out this explanation from Got Questions.)
What if you could ask someone to describe that men’s breakfast to a friend? Or explain the discipleship path in their own words?
Introducing the audience language document.
- Have you ever been in the foyer and a newcomer asks a question?
- Have you ever been in a small group and someone describes what that group means to them?
- Have you ever heard the men talking about how awesome the breakfast was?
It’s time to start collecting those.
Keep reading to learn how. Let me introduce proven steps to creating an original, audience language document.
5 Easy Steps to Mastering Original Content Creation Without AI
1. Document Creation
Create the document as a living document many people can access (Dropbox Paper, Google Doc or similar).
Consider output and create the document accordingly. For example, create space to record as many details as possible about every piece of content. Those details will not be published, but they will be appreciated when you want to request that a commenter expands on a quote or you need permission to use someone’s name alongside their quote since it was given casually after church one day.
2. Comment Collection
Start collecting all comments about your church in this document. Consider the following sources of comments:
- Google reviews
- Social media comments
- Statements from baptism testimonial videos
- Lobby comments after church
- Small group conversations (nothing private, of course!)
In your document’s table, include a place to source each quote or comment if possible. This way, if you need clarification or expounding, you’ll know where to get it.
Social solutions: 10 Reasons Why Your Church Social Media Accounts Fail To Get Any Real Engagement In 2023
3. Open Your Document for Editors
When you open editing to anyone with a link to the document, content can be added in real time by real people. Simply share the document link with potential editors and explain the process and purpose.
Pro tip: Make the document extremely user-friendly and clear. If an editor has to scroll past two pages of instructions to get to the content, they’ll be less likely to use it in the future.
4. Invite Editors
Allow other people in your church to add to this document frequently. Small group leaders, pastors, greeters, and kids ministry teachers have heard your church or your events be described. Invite them to this document and ask them to contribute to it often.
5. Use Your Great Copy
Enjoy the amount of great content that means something to people. Goodbye, writer’s block. Not familiar with AI? Read this Quick Overview Of ChatGPT For Church Leaders
Samples of Content Creation
You’ll be surprised by how much of this content already exists. Here are some real, practical examples:
- “Awesome church that leaves you with a feeling that you need to go back.“
- Social media post after service: We already feel like we want to go back to church! How about you?
- “Before coming to this church, I felt like I was a bad mom, a bad wife and there was no grace in my life.”
- Email subject line: Do you ever feel like there is no grace in your life?
- “Since the first day I felt at home.”
- Website copy: Imagine feeling at home since day one.
- “For many years I rejected any sort of faith because I grew up with a distorted view of Christianity, so it was easy to just turn around and run away from God.”
- Video script on the website: Do you ever feel like the view of Christianity that was presented to you was so distorted that you found yourself rejecting any sort of faith by default?
- “I was just lonely all the time. I needed community more than I cared to admit.”
- Announcements script: We know sometimes we are more lonely than we care to admit, but what if…
So there you have it! Create this document right now and share below one thing you have already heard that will go in your document.
Pro tip: Check the comments on your live stream.
Stay informed: Top 10 Trends In Church Tech To Watch
Original content for your church’s promos and comms already exists all around you. Pay attention to your live stream comments, social media engagement, and face-to-face conversations, and repurpose for original copy. Click To TweetContent Creation Challenges Solved
Creating original content that truly resonates with your audience can be a challenging task for any church or organization. While AI tools can certainly be helpful, tapping into the real words and experiences of your community is even more powerful. By creating an audience language document and collecting comments from various sources, you can generate content that truly speaks to the hearts of those you serve. So go ahead and start collecting those testimonies, reviews, and feedback today. You'll soon discover that writer's block becomes a thing of the past when you have a wealth of meaningful content at your fingertips.
Generating content is always easier with smart prompts. Try these Top 3 Social Media Content Topics You Must Publish To Attract People Choosing A Church.
