Video Marketing for Nonprofits: Using Video to Engage Volunteers & Donors

First things first, define the messaging and goals for your video. Understand the audience you’re trying to reach and leverage storytelling to connect with them. Choose the video type, pick a location, and create the script. For instance, if you’re trying to raise funds, you can create a testimonial video that showcases the stories of the people your nonprofit has been able to help because of donations.

Whether you’re asking for donations, promoting an event, or seeking volunteers, include a clear call-to-action in your video. This way, viewers that watch your video know what steps to take to get involved with your nonprofit. Your call-to-action in the video can come in the form of narration, an end screen with informational text, or an interactive button.

As a nonprofit with a tight budget, you may be tempted to produce and edit a video without professional help. While this may save you some dollars, it is also likely to dull the impact of your video. A poorly shot video with amateurish editing may fail to resonate with your audience and inspire them to take action.

Video production does not have to cost your nonprofit an arm and a leg. You can often find a company that has experience in nonprofit marketing and offers services that fit your budget. A professional video team can take care of lighting, set design, voice over, animation, and much more, to deliver a polished and well-edited video that is more likely to engage your volunteers and donors.

It’s important to promote your video across multiple channels to meet your audience where they prefer to consume content, whether it’s your website, social media, or email.

And, don’t underestimate the power of social media. 55% of people who engage with nonprofits on social media end up taking some sort of action, whether it is donating or signing up to volunteer. Secondly, people share content on social media that they connect with. In fact, 84% of Facebook users share to show their support for a cause and highlight issues that are important to them. So, if you create a video that resonates with your audience, they are likely to share the video with their followers and help amplify your message.

75% of people watch short-form video content on mobile. This is especially true for social media content. For instance, more than half of YouTube views come from mobile devices So, when creating your videos, consider how people consume content on their phone. Many times, viewers may start watching a video with the sound turned off. So, make sure your video is designed to convey the message even without audio. Other things to pay attention to when optimizing your video for mobile include the aspect ratio, thumbnail, and length.