The holidays are one of the best times of year for churches to connect with their communities. People are more open to invitations, spiritually curious, and looking for meaningful experiences to share with family. In the latest Smarter Church Communications webinar, host Zack Esgar shared a practical November Christmas checklist for churches to help you prepare for a powerful and high-impact Christmas season.
This post breaks down the webinar’s key takeaways—covering website prep, Google Ads, and Facebook and Instagram strategies—so your church can be ready to reach more people for Christ this Christmas.
🎄 Why Christmas Outreach Matters
Zack opened with a powerful reminder: his wife’s entire family came to know Christ because someone invited them to an Easter service years ago. Holidays like Christmas and Easter are unique open doors—times when people who might never think about church otherwise are open to attending.
“There are hundreds of families in your community that, if invited, just might say yes.”
— Zack Esgar
The goal of the November christmas checklist for churches is to help your church get ready now—so that when Christmas comes, you’re not just celebrating but actively reaching people.
The Ultimate Christmas Checklist for Churches
1. Build a Winning Christmas Landing Page
✅ Key Elements to Include:
- Photos from past Christmas Eve services – help guests visualize what to expect
- Service details – date, time, length, childcare info, and service style
- Map + “Get Directions” button – make it easy for people to find you
- Plan a Visit form – lets you measure engagement and plan follow-up
- SEO optimization – use keywords like
“Christmas Eve candlelight service in [Your City]”
If you don’t have past Christmas photos—no worries! Use your existing branding graphics or take new ones this week. Authentic snapshots inside your church make a big impact.
Want your Christmas page to rank higher in search? Check out our Church Website SEO Strategies guide to optimize every headline, image, and keyword for local visibility.
💡 SEO Tip:
Include these keywords and updates directly on your page:
- “Christmas Eve Candlelight Service [City Name]”
- “Family Christmas Worship”
- “Plan Your Christmas Visit”
And make sure your page includes the current year (e.g., 2025) in the title or body text. This helps Google rank your content above other pages that look outdated.
You can even grab the Christmas Landing Page Copy Generator Template mentioned in the webinar to build your page faster.
2. Be Ready to Run Google Ads
Once your landing page is live, it’s time to take advantage of free church advertising through Google Ad Grants (for qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations).
Google Ads help your church appear when people search for terms like:
- “Candlelight service near me”
- “Christmas church service [City]”
- “Where to go on Christmas Eve”
🔍 What to Know:
- “Candlelight service” searches often outperform “Christmas Eve service” in volume.
- People start searching as early as mid-November—so start your ads now.
- Consider creating multiple ad sets for different keywords and pushing them to specific supporting pages or blog posts.
If you’re building out your own campaigns, begin simple: concentrate on one strong Christmas landing page. For churches on a growth plan or working with a digital team, consider creating additional keyword-targeted pages to improve Google’s “quality score” and boost your ad performance.
Ready to reach more people for free? Learn how to set up your Google Ad Grant for Churches and start promoting your Christmas services today.
3. Plan Your Facebook & Instagram Campaigns
While Google helps seekers find you, social media ads help you find them.
People in the U.S. spend, on average, 2.5 hours per day on social media—making platforms like Facebook and Instagram prime tools for holiday outreach.
💰 Recommended Ad Spend
Budget depends on your area:
- Rural or small town: $300–$500
- Suburban or metro area: $700–$1,500
- Multi-campus ministries: budget per location
📸 Creative Ideas to Use:
Stack multiple kinds of content so the algorithm can test which version connects best:
- Pastor video invite (“We’d love to see you this Christmas!”)
- Family testimonials or short personal invites
- Children’s ministry highlight reel
- Festive photos from a previous service
- Custom graphic for your Christmas sermon series
The goal is frequency—seeing your ads multiple times builds comfort and credibility. Someone may need 7+ interactions before they click or visit.
Not sure where to start with church social media? Our Social Media Tune-Up Guide helps you refresh your profiles and post content that draws families in this Christmas.
4. Capture Authentic Stories & Footage
Don’t overthink production quality—authentic moments often perform best. Ask a volunteer or youth with an iPhone to capture clips during December. Candid moments often connect more deeply than perfectly filmed videos.
And if you don’t have last year’s photos? This year is your chance to start. Record for next year, too.
Want to capture your Christmas services with impact? Grab our Ultimate Shot List for Church Photography to plan every photo before the first candle is lit.
5. Don’t Forget: FAQs Help Both Google and AI
More people are using AI tools—like ChatGPT—to find local services, including churches. Having an FAQ section on your landing page helps both Google and AI systems understand and recommend your church.
Sample FAQ Ideas:
- “What time are your Christmas Eve services?”
- “Is there a candlelight service near [City]?”
- “What should I wear to Christmas Eve service?”
- “Is childcare available?”
In your answers, include your city name and service times naturally—it helps your search ranking and improves your discoverability through AI search.
Want to rank higher in local searches? Follow our Church Google Profile Optimization Guide to help families find your Christmas Eve service faster.
6. Keep Advertising After Christmas
After Christmas and into the New Year resolution season, people are still spiritually curious. Launch new ads inviting them to a “Start Fresh Sunday” or a January sermon series. You’ll reach those seeking deeper meaning or a new community at the start of the year.
And yes—it’s not too late for Thanksgiving ads either! Even a simple invite like “Join Us for Gratitude Sunday” can help your church get seen in local feeds.
Don’t let momentum stop with Christmas! Explore our Digital Discipleship Strategies to keep engaging visitors all year long.
🗓️ Church Growth Calendar (Free Resource)
Use the Church Growth Calendar Template shared in the webinar to track what your church marketing should focus on month-by-month.
✨ Final Thoughts
Christmas is one of the most powerful seasons to invite people into your church’s story—and ultimately, into Christ’s story.
Here’s your quick November checklist to stay on track:
- ✅ Build and optimize your Christmas landing page
- ✅ Start Google Ads early
- ✅ Plan your social media ad creative
- ✅ Capture authentic church photos and videos
- ✅ Add an FAQ section for SEO & AI visibility
- ✅ Prepare follow-up ads for New Year invitations
When done intentionally, your efforts this month can create a ripple effect that lasts far beyond Christmas Eve.
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