Video marketing has become a marketing necessity, even in the nonprofit sector. Videos can help you share your story and promote your services to a broader audience and vary the content delivery your audience might be tempted to tune out in a noisy environment.

But what makes a good video? How do you create a strategy for ensuring success? And, what kind of videos should you even be making?

Take note of a few must-answer questions before you start recording your video, and use one of these creative video ideas to get started!

Make a plan before you shoot your video

Video marketing might feel more accessible than some other marketing tactics. After all, everyone is telling you to just your iPhone, a tripod, and a ring light and go for it, right? However, this accessibility doesn't mean the work should be taken lightly or done without proper planning. 

Before you begin making videos and sharing them publicly, answering a few questions and incorporating video planning into your larger digital marketing strategy is essential.

• Where will you share the video?

• What format does your video need to be saved in?

• How long should your video be?

For example, short videos will be best if you plan to use the footage informally on your social media channels. And, if you're using the video for Instagram stories, you'll need vertical footage instead of horizontal, which works best on Facebook. So, depending on the type of video you’re planning to create, you should get to know the best video marketing software platforms to showcase them effortlessly on your social media accounts or website.

If you're using video for more formal events, on your website, or other digital campaigns, plan for a longer video that you can edit to share snippets and short clips.

It's also important to know early on if you need to include video production costs in your budget. Informal, iPhone videos aren't likely to cost much other than investing in a tripod and lighting. However, longer and more professional videos require more resources.

Creative ways to use video in your nonprofit

Record an event introduction or closing

If you're back to hosting in-person events, give up the mic for boring event intros, sponsor thank you messages and housekeeping items; no one is listening to these anyway. Instead, record a video introduction ahead of time to play at the beginning of your event. 

Or, if you're planning a big announcement in the middle of your event, try a video announcement instead. Set the video to great music to make it more entertaining. And have a small clip ready to share on your social media channels once the event is over. 

Spotlight a corporate partner (and post on your blog)

Offering generic "logo placement" for corporate sponsors does very little for businesses these days. So instead of sticking with this lackluster sponsorship perk, offer to record a 30-second "corporate partner spotlight" video and post it on your website (blog, event page, etc.) (If you need other ideas for what to include for corporate sponsors, there’s a great list on this post!)

Interview board members and share with your email list

Creating new, compelling content for your email newsletters can be challenging. After each board meeting, spend 5-10 minutes interviewing one board member. Ask questions about why they support your mission, how it impacts them personally, or ask them to issue a challenge to others. 

Then, share the videos with your email list each month. 

Introduce a new program and issue a challenge

If you're introducing a new program or service, launch it via video. Get your staff together to break the news, involve a client, volunteers, or just go it solo in great lighting. For some great social media content, include a hashtag challenge in your video and ask others to make and share their own video on the subject, too. 

Final Thoughts

Regardless of how you use the video, ensure your content is relevant and of good quality. Poor-quality videos can do more to harm your cause than help. It's also critical to stay on brand. If you're known for fun, light-hearted content, doing a take on the latest TikTok video is excellent and makes perfect sense.

However, if you're typically on the more serious side and usually stick to educational or informative content, explainer videos and more documentary-style content will likely resonate better with your audience. 

If it all feels too daunting to tackle in-house, use video production services to help you create high-quality videos for your marketing campaign. As long as you're budgeting for the expense and have a plan to measure the impact of the work, it's an investment worth trying. 

How is your nonprofit using video? What do you know now that you wish you'd known earlier? 

Until next time,

Andrea

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