Videos

Remember doing show-and-tell when you were a kid? Well, today we live in a new age of show-and-tell. From viral Tik Toks to How-To tutorials on YouTube, videos are everywhere.

Many nonprofits have been slow to adopt video communications. That's a missed opportunity, especially since technology has driven down the cost of using video so much.

That doesn't mean that one size fits all when it comes to using video and it certainly doesn't mean nonprofits should jump into making videos without a strategy. But here are a few examples of how videos can fit into nonprofit communications:

Low Dollar: Quick videos are great for social media posts, and a little bit of production and graphics can really make them stand out. A short, personalized thank you video is a high impact way to show gratitude.

Medium Dollar: A short, well-produced video about your mission and programs can show something that is very hard to convey in writing: Impact! On your website or in emails, it can be the hook that turns strangers into supporters and volunteers.

For A Few More Dollars: When you create a special video to show at your events, you accomplish a number of things:

It tells attendees that you are a polished, professional organization.
You control your message. Through your pictures, your soundbites and your narration, you tell your story the way you want it told.
It really, really, really keeps your program from dragging. It is amazing how much an introduction from the chairman or executive director, followed by a four-minute video, improves the event experience.

The Next Frontier - VR: Imagine sitting down with a donor and having him or her put on a virtual reality headset. Suddenly the donor is transported to your daycare center or overseas food distribution or underwater coral restoration project. Cutting edge nonprofits have been experimenting with using virtual reality to immerse their donors in their missions for a few years.

Now VR is ready to go mainstream. The costs of producing virtual reality videos have plummeted. When Facebook adopted the name Meta, it signaled that it is going all in on a virtual future. Is your nonprofit ready to take the plunge?

< Back