Video Marketing For Nonprofits

Video marketing is an essential tool for nonprofits. Not only does it have a number of benefits, but it’s also the preferred content type for much of your audience these days. 

However, effective video marketing for nonprofits requires a plan. Dive into our post today for everything you need to know.

Why Video Marketing is Important for Nonprofits

In today’s digital age, video content is more popular than ever before. In fact, according to a study by HubSpot, 81% of businesses already use some form of video as a marketing tool. While this may not come as a surprise, the study also shows that a full 85% of consumers say they want to see more video content from brands.

This makes video marketing an effective way for nonprofits to tell their story and connect with their audience. In addition, video marketing for nonprofits helps create emotional connections. That’s because video can display many more emotions than just text. 

The result? A quicker way to both convey important information and inspire action. 

Here are a few more reasons why video marketing for nonprofits is so essential:

  • Showcase your work. What is it that your nonprofit is doing, and what kind of results are you getting? Video is great at showing it all.
  • Increase your reach. With more and more people consuming video content, video marketing is where your audience’s attention is. Conversely, if you are only running a blog, you are not getting in front of nearly as many people as you could be.
  • Attract new donors. Looking to increase your total number of donations? Video marketing builds trust like nothing else, which naturally results in more people willing to donate to your cause.

Video marketing, as we can see, is one of the most beneficial things for nonprofits to invest in. Done right, it can be a major component of your marketing strategy.

As for how you actually approach it for the most success? Let’s move onto the next section…

6 Tips for Video Marketing for Nonprofits

1) Define Your Goals

Before starting any video marketing campaign, nonprofits must clearly define their goals. What are you trying to achieve? Do you want to raise awareness about your cause? Maybe attract new donors? Or perhaps you simply want to showcase the impact of your work? Regardless, clear goals will help nonprofits create a more targeted and effective video marketing strategy.

2) Know Your Audience

Who is actually watching the videos you make? This is an important question you need to answer before getting started, because it will help you create videos that speak directly to your audience. The result? Videos that create more personal connection and action.

3) Create Engaging Content

The holy grail of effective content marketing is content that your audience actually likes. For nonprofits, this rule is the exact same as for private businesses: you simply must create videos that people actually want to consume. This means videos that are engaging and emotionally impactful. You might, for example, include stories of people who have been impacted by your work. 

4) Keep it Short

Attention spans are short – especially online. Nonprofits must create videos that are short and to the point. This means capturing the audience’s attention quickly, and if it’s a video that is longer, maintaining that attention. Be sure to check out video best practices for length.

5) Optimize for Search

Good search engine optimization is important regardless of the content you are making. This ensures you are being found by people that are looking for you, and that your videos are being shown to an audience that actually finds them relevant. How nonprofits can be sure they are actually optimizing their video content for search? By including relevant keywords in the title, description, and tags.

6) Tell a Story

A video isn’t enough in and of itself to connect to an audience – you actually have to connect with the people watching it. That’s where storytelling comes in. Whether about the people you serve or the results that you’ve seen, storytelling is a powerful technique when combined with video marketing. Be sure to implement it in your videos when appropriate for the best results.

The Best Video Marketing Platforms for Nonprofits

While there are various platforms you might choose when creating and publishing videos, there are a few that will usually bring the best return on the time and effort you invest. Here are some of the best that nonprofits should consider: 

1) YouTube

No surprise here. As the second-largest search engine after Google, YouTube is an excellent platform for nonprofits to share their videos. This is where your audience is, and the platform provides a great way to increase your reach.

2) Vimeo

This is another popular video platform. Vimeo offers a range of features, including customizable players and analytics tools, and is a great option for nonprofits trying to increase their video output. 

3) Facebook

If you implement a decent amount of social media marketing, Facebook can also be a good option for your nonprofit’s video strategy. With over 2.9 billion active users, the platform is an excellent option for nonprofits to share their videos and reach a wider audience.

4) Instagram

Just like Facebook, Instagram can be a great platform if you are trying to reach a large number of users. Consider Instagram if you are a nonprofit focusing on short-form videos, as the platform makes it easy to showcase this length.

5) Wistia

This is a video hosting platform that is ideal for nonprofits looking for more control over their videos’ branding and distribution. That’s because Wistia has numerous features that put the power in the hands of the creator. Check out more details here.

Are you an enterprise, nonprofit or small business looking for help on your website? Give us a shout! We provide a free consultation. Email us at info@lughstudio.com or call us at (718) 855-1919!

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