Nonprofit Video Blog

What Kind of Videos Should Nonprofits Make?

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If you're a nonprofit, you probably know you should be making videos and posting them on your website and on YouTube. 

But you may not know what kind you should be making, and that can be a sticking point.  All of the following guidelines come from one single perspective, and if you are able to see your work from that perspective, you'll make great videos that do the job you want them to do. It is, simply, the perspective of current and potential donors and supporters. Here's some questions you can ask yourself: What do they want to see? What video stories will move them to become involved? What videos will they want to pass on to their friends and family members?

1. Tell compelling and authentic stories that are hard for people to forget. In order to get people to become donors and supporters, you need to create an emotional reaction to the work you do. Why? Because the decisions to donate and to become involved are not rational decisions. They're emotional. And video is the best medium on the planet for telling a story that creates an emotional response. So... what kind of emotionally-compelling stories should you tell? Nonprofits have all kinds of unforgettable stories to tell, from lives they've changed to new enterprises they've started to the impact of legislation they've gotten passed to the ecosystems they've saved and the animals and plants that are a little safer because of their work.
2. Show us your work in action. How do you feel when you see, up close and personal, the direct impact of your work? That's exactly how your donors and supporters feel. So don't only talk about the fragile ecosystem you're in the process of protecting, or the children you're providing lunch for, or the beautiful paintings you're protecting. Show us.
3. Use your video to tell stories that offer hope and optimism. There's a lot to be depressed about these days, from vanishing species and habitats to hungry and homeless people. But potential donors and supporters will find it much, much easier to get involved if you offer hope. Even if you're raising emergency money because there's a critical need, don't forget to include that element of hope. Why? Because if people feel there is no hope, then they have no reason to donate or get involved.
4. Connect viewers with the direct impact of donations. Why? So they understand that the good work you do - that they care about - happens because people like them send money. Don't overdo it - the point of your video is to tell compelling stories. But it should be clear that you're able to help people or animals or ecosystems because of your donors.
5. Keep your videos relatively short. People are used to watching short videos (two to four minutes). If you make your videos longer, you make it harder for people to take the time to watch them. And, people will be reluctant to impose on friends and family members by sending them a long video to watch. A short video is easy to watch and easy to spread.

Another way you can understand what stories your current and potential donors want to see is to ask them. Use your videos to engage, and ask for people's comments. This will hlep you understand how to tweak your videos to better deliver your message and get people excited about helping you and spreading your stories.