---
title: Sermon Migration Best Practices
description: Below are key practices we’ve refined over time to ensure a smooth migration process. Note that some of the tips in this guide are specific to Planning Center.
---

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# Sermon Migration Best Practices

## Key steps to ensure a smooth and successful sermon migration

Below are key practices we’ve refined over time to ensure a smooth migration process. Note that some of the tips in this guide are specific to Planning Center.

### **Before you Begin**

Before starting your migration, make sure:

- **Planning Center Publishing access** is granted to anyone involved in the migration process
- You're subscribed to the **Custom Pages & Sermons** tier in Planning Center, which enables sermon management features

Completing these two steps upfront helps prevent setup delays and ensures your team has access to the right tools.

### Start with a 6-Month Migration

We recommend starting with the **most recent 6 months of sermons**. This provides a focused, manageable batch that:

- Ensures your new system is launched with fresh, relevant content
- Allows time to refine your workflow
- Avoids overwhelming your team with a full archive all at once

Once the initial migration is complete, older content can be added incrementally over time.

### Your Video Hosting Platform

We generally recommend YouTube as the default sermon video manager.  After you upload videos you'll get a link that you'll include in your sermon archive platform. Here are the three most common video storage solutions for churches:

- **YouTube** – most widely supported and easy to manage
- **Vimeo** – clean player and branding control
- **SoundCloud** – audio-only option, ideal for podcast-style content

### **What information should be Migrated**

Sermon visibility relies heavily on accurate and complete information. Before migration, make sure you have the following for each sermon:

1. **Message Title:** Include the sermon title, speaker, and scripture reference.  We recommend formatting like this: "What is Faith? | Nick Kidwell | Hebrews 11:1-3, 6"
2. **Series Title**
3. **Scripture**
4. **Date**
5. **Speaker**
6. **Cover Art** - A graphic representing the sermon series or individual sermon.
7. **Audio File** - Typically an MP3 format; these will be uploaded to your new sermon hosting platform.
8. **Video Link** - A public YouTube or Vimeo URL that can be included for each sermon.

### **Training & Handoff**

Once migration is complete, **train your team**—especially those responsible for weekly sermon uploads. A simple internal guide or checklist can help your team stay aligned and confident in their role.

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