Nonprofit Digital Marketing: 5 Tips for Leveraging Video Content

Is your nonprofit leveraging video content? If not, you may be missing out! Here's how to best leverage video content for your nonprofit's digital marketing strategy. 

One of the impacts of the pandemic on nonprofit organizations has been the necessary reduction of in-person activities. For health and safety reasons, nonprofits have stopped the activities that gave potential donors an inside look at their inner workings. Tours, orientations, volunteering, events, and other in-person activities came to a screeching halt. However, those in-person events were great at getting people interested and motivated to participate and donate to a cause.

For the savvy, video has come in to fill the gap.

Video Can Help You Reach Your Goals

Video can help your organization share your mission, raise brand awareness, and convert site visitors into donors. The storytelling made possible by video is engaging for the audience. And that engagement can lead to improved metrics in several areas.

A compelling video hooks the viewer in, keeping them on your page and your website longer. And the more time someone spends on your site, the more likely they will become donors.

Video content makes it easy to share detailed and complex information. The combination of visual, audio, and text can help you share detailed information quickly and in a way that is easy for your audience to understand. And, you're more likely to get your point across than a long, dry whitepaper or a blog post, as people will likely stick around until the end.

Video is also great for conversions. Try leveraging video content for donation drives, donor outreach, volunteer signups, or anywhere else you're looking to improve engagement. Any area you're looking to improve, video can help make it happen.

Ideal Ways Your Nonprofit Can Use Video

Now that we've explained all of the many ways video content can help your nonprofit let's discuss some of the best ways to leverage video.

The top four types of videos your nonprofit should consider are:

Your Mission or Vision

Go one step further than a written mission or vision statement and say it with video. Quickly explain the need your organization is working to address, the ideal future you seek, and how you plan to get there. Use upbeat music and optimistic imagery that shows the future you envision.

Your Results

This type of video is an excellent accompaniment to your annual report or end-of-year fundraising. Take stock of the past year and all of your accomplishments and the impact you've had. Use a combination of storytelling and data for maximum impact.

Behind the Scenes

Everyone loves a peek behind the curtains! Instead of tours or other in-person activities, use this type of video to show your audience the inner workings of your nonprofit. It's also a great way to show faces behind your organization that make what you do possible every day.

Join Us

This type of video highlights the impact you're making and the people behind the scenes that make it possible. Invite people to join volunteer events or become a part of your nonprofit as an employee.

Please Donate

Donation videos should be a compelling and heartstring-pulling combination of imagery and soundtrack. Show the need you're working to address and the impact you're making while highlighting your mission and inviting your audience to help your cause.

5 Tips for Creating Impactful Video Content

1. Create a Multi-Use Video

We know that nonprofit budgets can be tight. If you have to pick one video to create, select the one you can leverage for multiple purposes. A brief one-to-two minute long video will fit most nonprofit marketing budgets. Choose a video that provides an overview of what your organization does, whom you serve, and showcases the impact you're making. Use this versatile video to raise brand awareness, increase donations and inspire volunteers. Having an all-around video like this should be considered a necessity in this day and age.

2. Remember to Tell a Story

Remember that storytelling is the most crucial piece of any video content. If you're planning a video, ensure a compelling story is behind it. If not, rethink your approach and go back to the drawing board until you've found the plot. Storytelling via video is the most impactful way to share information with your audience. And you shouldn't have to look too far to find emotionally moving stories to tell. Some easy-to-tell stories include the people behind your organization, your employees, and the individuals and communities you serve.

3. Put It Everywhere!

Use video content throughout your website and across your marketing channels. A common mistake nonprofits make is to put the video on the home page and not use it anywhere else. We know that video production can be expensive, so get your money's worth! People come to your site from many places and may not always land on your homepage. So, put the video on your home page, donation page, About or Mission page, and use it on social media. Every place you can share your video can lead to more conversions and engagement, so put it everywhere that makes sense.

4. Edit Wisely

Editing your video will keep your content focused and on topic. A well-edited video is also more likely to come across as professional and help your organization gain credibility. Each video you create should have a clearly defined audience, goal, motivation, and call to action. Anything that doesn't fit the plan should be left on the cutting room floor. However, a cost-effective way to create video is to edit the same content with different goals in mind. It can help you stretch your video footage to reach different audiences and achieve more goals across your organization.

5. Keep It Entertaining

Make sure your videos are interesting! Your video content should reflect your nonprofit's unique culture and brand. Don't be afraid to use humor or dramatic video footage to keep your audience watching and entertained. It may seem elementary, but videos can become rambling and, quite frankly, boring without good storytelling and a well-defined goal. Be sure to get to the point and be clear in what you want from your audience with a solid call to action.

How to Leverage Video to Build Your Nonprofit's Brand

By now, you realize how essential it is to have at least one video to share what your nonprofit does. But aside from the marketing and web uses, there are many other ways you can leverage your video to raise brand awareness.

You can use video to kick off in-person, online, or hybrid events as a way to amp up the audience and get them excited about what your organization is doing. They are an excellent addition to email newsletters or donation campaign emails. Well-made videos are also perfect for reusing in paid advertising and paid or earned media spots.

Whether your nonprofit is already using video or has just started to brainstorm video ideas, there are likely dozens of stories you could tell. Review existing videos for any content gaps and document stories that would make good video content. Then identify how video could help your nonprofit achieve specific goals. When you're ready, contact a professional for help creating the perfect video for you.