March 02, 2021

In 2013, Google tracked consumer search patterns, talked to nonprofit researchers, and analyzed nonprofit donations to better understand online donations. The results were predictable yet astounding. Researchers found that 57 percent of people who watch a video from a nonprofit proceed to donate. Video was deemed the most influential source in driving donations. About 79 percent of donors surveyed reported that video was the most useful online marketing to which they were exposed.

Video is useful for more than encouraging donations, which is why we compiled a list of ten reasons why authentic video is the best marketing content for your organization.

1. Spice Up Your Social Media

People will spend more time browsing your feed if your social media includes video. Users tend to share social videos more often than text and images combined and are more likely to spend money on your cause after watching branded social videos. Adding authentic video to your social media is a great way to spice up your followers’ newsfeed and share your impactful work.

2. Communicate your Mission

We are entering a post-text future, according to the New York Times. Photos, graphics, and video are taking over the digital experience. Creating videos that share your mission are more effective than hoping someone reads it on your website and remembers it.

3. Present Annual Reports

Annual reporting is a common way for nonprofits to inform your supporters about the work you’ve done and the measurable impact their contributions have had. Adding a video to your annual report helps readers stay engaged and retain the information. After all, viewers retain 95 percent of a video’s message compared to 10 percent of the text they read.

4. Show Your Impact

Video is more efficient because you can share more in a shorter amount of time. According to a Forrester study, How Video Will Take Over the World, a sixty-second video is worth 1.8 million words. It would take you over 2,000 hours to write something with the same effect.

5. Stay connected in a virtual world

Nonprofits who cannot host in-person events need to find ways to stay connected with their virtual donors. Video allows nonprofits to replicate face-to-face encounters so they can build relationships and keep individuals inspired by the work you’re doing. Whether sending a pre-recorded video or inviting a donor to a Zoom call, these personalized virtual experiences can keep everyone connected.

6. Increase open and click rates

Organizations who leverage video in email campaigns can increase click-through-rate by 96 percent and reduce subscriber opt-outs by 75 percent. Simple video testimonials from donors or beneficiaries of your cause will enhance your digital fundraising campaigns. It takes only a few minutes for someone to record their story into their phone and seconds to share it.

7. Prevent Donor Fatigue

Donor fatigue is a genuine phenomenon and a significant concern for many nonprofits. Fatigue sets in when donors feel disconnected from the mission, often due to a lack of consistent communication. Consistent engagement can help your organization, but it can be difficult to deliver it authentically. Sharing short self-recorded videos, to show the work you are doing, can re-engage and re-inspire your supporters.

8. Strengthen Web Presence

Videos increase traffic to your website. Research shows that companies who use videos on their websites have 41 percent more web traffic from sites that do not. When someone shares your video, either from your website or social media account, it creates an inbound link. Inbound links improve your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) ranking, and a high SEO ranking means an increased flow of visitors.