Video FAQ's
Frequently Asked Questions
- What format should I submit my video in?
- Any common video file is acceptable (.mp4, .mov, etc). The video submission form notes that regardless of the format, you will submit a public sharing link to the video through the form. When you upload your video, it’s important to denote whether the video is in landscape mode (horizontal) or portrait mode (vertical). Please note that at this time, portrait/vertical video series are not fully supported.
- How many videos should my series include?
- Your Series must include at least three (3) videos, which is our minimum. It can be as long as 365 days! We are accepting fewer series in English, but are actively high-quality, Scripturally-focused videos in languages besides English.
Great content trumps length. Your content should be as substantive and as consolidated as possible, and we believe those two work in harmony in a great Video Series.
- Your Series must include at least three (3) videos, which is our minimum. It can be as long as 365 days! We are accepting fewer series in English, but are actively high-quality, Scripturally-focused videos in languages besides English.
- How long should each video be? Is there a limit?
- For Scripture-focused videos, we recommend that each video is less than ten (10) minutes. Beyond that, people are more likely to experience interruptions and disengage with the content.
- What about promotional CTA's or links in the video?
- To maintain focus on Scripture and avoid distractions, we ask that no CTAs appear in the main content of the video. During the closing credits or fade out screen, it’s acceptable to include a relevant website with a text-based CTA to learn more. For example, “This video is a collaboration between ORG and ORGNAME. To learn more or support this organization, visit www…”
- Do I need to give you the entire video series all at once?
- We request all videos in a series prior to publication in app. This helps our team to review the content and ensure it is a match for our audience. We recommend reviewing the six key elements we look for before submitting every video series. You can review these items by clicking ‘Video Series’ and selecting ‘Get Started’ in the navigation at the top of this page.
- Can I make changes to the series after it's on YouVersion?
- We can only make minor updates, including: video description, video title, series description, or series title. We cannot update the video thumbnail, video link, or video type once the video is live. We encourage you to make sure the Series is finalized and has been reviewed by your team before you submit it.
- Once I submit my series, how long before it is live?
- Currently, we request three (3) to four (4) weeks of lead time to allow to full review. Please note that a submission for review is not a guarantee of publication in the app. If your Series needs to go live by a certain date, or is a season-based Plan (like Christmas, New Year’s, or Easter), then we highly recommend allowing six (6) weeks from submission to live date for processing. Please include any timeline restrictions in the original meeting or contact for the Series.
- How will I know my series is live?
- You will receive an email once your Series is scheduled to go live. You can always check by using the in-app search tool and typing your organization name or title of videos in the series.
- Is there a limit to the number of Scripture references per video?
- Every video should have at least one (1) reference, but we recommend including any Scripture that is referenced or quoted in the video. We use these references to link the video to the Bible text, allowing app users to see the video any time they are reading a related passage of Scripture.
- What about licensing? Do I still own my content?
- We have a very straightforward licensing agreement that we can provide you at the time you submit your file. You will still fully own your rights and content.
- Once I have a live video series in the app, can I get data about engagement?
- Yes! Reach out to the team member who is onboarding you to request more details about data.
- I have video series in more than one language. How do I share these in the app?
- First of all, TERRIFIC! Our app is fully translated in several languages, and we love providing great content for multiple language communities. The submission process is exactly the same across all languages. We strongly recommend that all video titles, descriptions, graphics, etc be fully translated in each language. This directly impacts SEO results for this content.
- Are there specific times when video series are not published?
- Yes. Additionally to not publishing videos during the weekends, we have a list of dates when you may experience a delay in video launch times:
Easter Observed (USA)
July 4th (Independence Day, USA)
Thanksgiving Week (late November, USA)
December 21-January 3 (Christmas Holidays Observed in the USA)
- Yes. Additionally to not publishing videos during the weekends, we have a list of dates when you may experience a delay in video launch times:
