TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Step-by-Step Video
• Step-by-Step Visual Guide
• Step-by-Step Written Directions
  • Purpose
  • Tools & access needed
  • Procedure
    • Phase 1 — Start a new sermon
    • Phase 2 — Title & transcript
    • Phase 3 — Add the media (video / audio / PDF)
    • Phase 4 — Open the Settings panel (right side)
    • Phase 5 — Featured image
    • Phase 6 — Set the publish date to the PREACHED date
    • Phase 7 — Taxonomy (very important for search + SEO)
    • Phase 8 — Preview (optional)
    • Phase 9 — Publish
    • Phase 10 — Verify on the front end
  • Outcome
  • Quick checklist

Step-by-Step Video

Step-by-Step Visual Guide

Click here to view the Step-by-Step Visual Guide

Step-by-Step Written Directions

Purpose

Publish a sermon to the website's sermon library correctly and consistently — with the media (video / audio / PDF), the right taxonomy (book, speaker, topic, series, tags), the correct preached date, and a featured image — so visitors can find and engage with sermons and each sermon page is set up to rank in search.

The taxonomy fields (Books, Speakers, Topics) do double duty: they power the front-end filters that let a visitor search sermons by book, speaker, or topic, and they strengthen sermon SEO. Filling them in is the difference between a searchable sermon library and a pile of pages.

Tools & access needed

• WordPress dashboard — logged in with rights to add/publish sermons
• Media Library — where video/audio/PDF files live (PDFs must be uploaded here first)
• The sermon media — a video link (e.g., YouTube), and/or an audio link, and/or a PDF (e.g., a bulletin)

Procedure

Phase 1 — Start a new sermon

1. Log into the WordPress dashboard.
2. In the left black side panel, click Sermons.
3. At the top, click Add Sermon — this opens the sermon editor.

Phase 2 — Title & transcript

1. Enter the sermon title (type it or paste one you already have).
2. (Optional) Add a transcript in the body. You can add a heading, then paste text straight from an outside document (e.g., a Word doc) into the content area.

Phase 3 — Add the media (video / audio / PDF)

1. Scroll to the middle sermon media section. If the Yoast SEO box is expanded and in the way, scroll past it or collapse it.
2. Add any combination of video link, audio link, and/or PDF— a single sermon can carry all three.
   • Video: choose an existing file from the Media Library, upload a file (Choose video → Select file), or paste a link.
   • Audio: same three options.
   • PDF (bulletin, etc.): must be uploaded to the Media Library first — choose PDF → upload/select it there.
3. Example used in the video: open the YouTube video → Share button, copy the link, come back, and paste it into the video link field.

Phase 4 — Open the Settings panel (right side)

1. Go to the Settings panel on the right. If you don't see it, click the settings icon to the left of the Publish button to open it. Make sure you're on the Sermon tab, not the Block tab.

Phase 5 — Featured image

1. (Recommended) Set a featured image (shows at the top of the sermon page): click the featured-image button → upload from your computer or pick one from the Media Library → Set featured image.

Phase 6 — Set the publish date to the PREACHED date

1. The publish date defaults to "immediately" (today). Change it to the date the sermon was actually preached — especially if you're uploading a day or more later. This keeps the library in true chronological order.

Phase 7 — Taxonomy (very important for search + SEO)

1. Topics — optional; add one if it helps.
2. Books — essential. Check off the book(s) of the Bible the sermon was preached from.
3. Series — optional; add it to an existing series, or create one (Add series → type the title → Add series).
4. Speakers — very important. Select the speaker, or add a new one (type the name → Add speaker; it auto-checks).
5. Tags — optional; add a tag for what the sermon is about (a little extra search help).

Phase 8 — Preview (optional)

1. To check before publishing: top-right View icon → Preview in a new tab. Confirm everything looks right; come back and adjust anything if needed.

Phase 9 — Publish

1. Click Publish → it asks to confirm → click Publish again.
2. Close the confirmation.

Phase 10 — Verify on the front end

1. Click the View sermon icon (the small square with an arrow) to open the live page on the front end. Test the video/audio/PDF and confirm everything displays the way you want.

Outcome

A published sermon page in the website's sermon library containing:

• The sermon title (and optional transcript)
• The media — video and/or audio and/or PDF
• A featured image at the top of the page
• The correct preached date (not the upload date)
• Complete taxonomy — Book and Speaker at minimum, plus any Topics, Series, and Tags

The sermon is discoverable through the site's front-end filters (by book, speaker, topic) and is set up to help the church's sermon SEO — verified live on the front end.

Quick checklist

Create

• [ ] Dashboard → Sermons → Add Sermon
• [ ] Entered the sermon title
• [ ] (Optional) Pasted the transcript into the body

Media

• [ ] Added video (Media Library / upload / pasted link e.g. YouTube Share)
• [ ] Added audio if applicable
• [ ] Added PDF if applicable (uploaded to Media Library first)

Settings panel (right, Sermon tab)

• [ ] Set a featured image
• [ ] Publish date = the date the sermon was preached ⟵ don't leave it on "immediately"

Taxonomy

• [ ] Book(s) checked — essential
• [ ] Speaker set (or added) — very important
• [ ] (Optional) Topic / Series / Tag added

Publish & verify

• [ ] (Optional) Previewed in a new tab
• [ ] Clicked Publish → confirmed Publish
• [ ] Opened View sermon on the front end and tested the media