Fundraising videos are powerful additions to any campaign. But if you aren’t a videographer, it can feel daunting to know where to start! In this article, we’ll walk you through the types of videos your nonprofit should create, some tips to make stunning fundraising videos, and five examples of successful campaigns that used videos.
A picture is worth a thousand words, so what is a video worth? With people’s attention spans getting shorter and shorter, fundraising videos have become a must-have for every nonprofit.
Whether your organization has the funds to hire a videographer or chooses to do it yourself, a video fundraiser is an excellent way to draw attention to your cause and reach a new audience. Read on for different fundraising video types, tips on how to make one, and examples of powerful fundraising videos from other organizations.
Adding a video to your campaign can be helpful for several reasons, including:
Pro tip: Donorbox lets nonprofits create customized donation pages for any campaign and add fundraising videos to ensure a greater response from donors. Check out how Horses for Heroes created their donation page to feature their compelling video –
Fundraising videos are an excellent way to share your organization’s story, but how you share it will depend on your goals and abilities. The following list of fundraising video types only includes some of what you can do with videos. Nonprofits are coming up with new and creative video types every day.
Your nonprofit’s story is one of your most significant assets. This tale can share the passion behind your organization’s founding and more about those who worked to make your organization happen.
Founders’ stories can be inspiring, but they also have limits. If you choose to make a video about a founder’s story, ensure it’s something your donors want to hear. If not, there are other ways to share your organization’s mission that may work better.
All fundraising videos should include a call to action, but there is a popular fundraising video type that focuses on this. Call-to-action videos can be compelling when combined with a fundraising campaign or event. A call-to-action video can work well if your audience already knows your organization and is ready for solicitation. Those nonprofits that want to reach more people online with their videos must include information on who they are and why they’re making the ask.
Fundraising is all about relationship building, and the best way to do this is by saying thank you. Nonprofits can use thank-you videos to show appreciation for their entire donor base, a specific group, and even individuals. If you want to make your recurring donors feel special, a thank-you video sent to their emails can help strengthen relationships and build long-term support.
Beneficiary stories are a compelling way to share your organization’s mission. People communicate through storytelling, and stories from the source have authority. That’s why many organizations share these stories in mailed and emailed appeals. Fundraising videos that show interviews with the actual people who use your services will automatically connect with donors. It’s hard to ignore a person telling their own story.
360-degree videos were a popular trend years ago. While they don’t get as much press anymore, these videos can be an excellent way for worldwide nonprofits to show the reality on the ground. Donors may be unable to visit the nonprofit’s locations in Sub-Saharan Africa or East Asia, but a quality 360 video can help them feel like they’re there.
Don’t let your lack of technical expertise scare you away from creating a fundraising video! Even if you’re filming the video on your phone, you can do a few things to make it look professional.
The Fibonacci sequence or Golden Ratio is a well-known mathematical and design rule. The actual sequence means the number is the sum of the two preceding ones. In design, that means don’t center the subject of the picture. The idea is our subconscious is attracted to specific layouts. When filming a fundraising video, experts advise you to film horizontally and split your screen into thirds, with the primary subject on the side. This is specifically effective when filming interviews.
Nonprofits have many ways to reach their audience when filming videos. Interviews and 360 virtual tours can give one perspective, but adding graphics to your fundraising video can also help prove a point. This is especially true if you add graphs and other images to explain complex details or data points.
Many nonprofits can’t afford to hire professionals for their fundraising videos, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do it yourself. With enough preparation and practice, organizations can create beautiful videos that appeal to their audience. Learning your lines, ensuring the lights and audio work, and purchasing a tripod for your camera can make amateur videos look more professional.
Transparency and honesty are crucial when building donor relationships. Your donors are used to seeing fundraising videos, which can be good, but it also means they’re harder to trick. Viewers can tell when you’re not being honest and won’t react as you want if they feel you’re trying too hard.
Sincerity will go further than anything else in your videos. So, if you can’t afford to hire a professional, remember to share your message from the heart.
We mentioned this as a video type, but it’s important that nonprofits also include a call to action in every fundraising video. Videos have the same goal as fundraising appeals, and even though it’s a different medium, you can still tell viewers what you want them to do.
A call to action does not have to be asking for a donation. Sometimes, you may want viewers to volunteer, call their representative, share your video, or make their own.
Thousands of nonprofits have created fundraising videos that helped tell their story and raise funds. We’ve picked five videos that stand out for their creativity and ability to encourage action from their audience. Read on to see what we love about them and what we think could be improved!
Sentient Media has a unique mission to create public awareness of the agriculture industry’s impact on the climate crisis through critical commentary, investigative journalism, and more. They’ve done an excellent job sharing their mission and successes in their fundraising video. The narrator’s voice and the video’s visuals are compelling and make you want to learn more.
While they do include a call to action at the end of the video, their appeal is vague. This can benefit the organization since it means they can use it with various campaigns, but without additional commentary and links, viewers don’t entirely understand what to do next.
The National AIDS Trust’s Rock the Ribbon Campaign is an excellent example of peer-to-peer campaigning via video. The actual video is simple and didn’t take a fortune to create. With short testimonials from various people about why they “rock the ribbon,” National AIDS Trust is able to share their mission with viewers and encourage them to take action.
One way this organization could use their video to increase donations is by adding an actual peer-to-peer campaign to the appeal and ask people to rock the ribbon and spread word to their friends and family.
Pro tip: Be sure to add social media links to your campaign page and video to help spread the word.
PEN America works to ensure that people everywhere have the freedom to create literature and express their views. During this new age of book burning and censorship, videos like this can draw a lot of attention. The visuals are enticing and their use of Margaret Atwood will appeal to PEN America’s donors.
The text does disappear quickly though so there is a chance viewers may miss what to do next, but they won’t miss the overall message.
Peak Encounter’s video is an example of an excellent idea that doesn’t fully meet its goal. The video is beautiful and enticing, which is exactly what you want when encouraging people to sign up for a mission trip.
The problem is that the appeal does not ask people to sign up for a trip. It asks for a donation. Viewers may get discouraged by the bait and switch and not only not donate but refuse to give them another chance.
The other issue is with the sound. The music overtakes the voice over so you can’t entirely understand. With only a few tweaks, this video could do exactly what PEAK Encounter wants to achieve.
Video is a powerful medium. You don’t have to break the bank to create a video that tells your story and helps you raise money. Nonprofits can hire professional videographers or record a sincere message on their phone and see an immediate response from donors.
Donorbox lets nonprofits customize donation forms and add videos to donation pages for every fundraising campaign and event. Plus, captivate donors with seamless mobile giving, text-to-give, and QuickDonate™ features that help them give again and again.
Visit our website to learn more about Donorbox’s features, and sign up to receive more tips and resources to help your nonprofit reach your donor base and raise more funds.
Kristine Ensor is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience working with local and international nonprofits. As a nonprofit professional she has specialized in fundraising, marketing, event planning, volunteer management, and board development.
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Kristine Ensor