There are more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations registered in the U.S. And those organizations are using content marketing at impressive levels.
According to the Content Marketing Institute, 76% of nonprofit marketers are using content marketing to help them acquire new donors, engage with their community, build brand awareness, and retain donors. Unfortunately, research shows that not many nonprofit marketers are effective at content marketing (just 26%).
The problem is that nonprofit content marketing is an entirely different beast. The tactics another B2B or B2C organization would use to garner results need to be modified to work well for an NGO, but they can work if you know what you’re doing.
The key is to pay attention to what the top nonprofit organizations are doing well and then follow their lead. One great example is video marketing—57% of people who watch a video for a nonprofit go on to make a donation and 79% of donors surveyed report that online video ads are the most useful online media.
So, what makes a great nonprofit video?
We’ve gathered four examples from top NGOs.
1. Brighton Housing Trust: “BHT’s First Base Christmas Appeal 2018”
This video from the Brighton Housing Trust immediately evokes strong emotions and relatability by using a common experience—such as a school classroom—to tell their story. The video starts out slowly, but then quickly builds suspense by focusing on a single character, who appears to be struggling and sad. This keeps the viewer drawn into the story and connected to it.
Then, the video shocks you by changing the expected. This immediately draws the viewer into the video with an emotional surprise that is then paid off with a powerful CTA at the end.
2. The Pillion Trust Charity: “F*** the Poor”
The Pillion Trust Charity took a unique approach with their video. First, they grab viewer’s attention with a shocking statement, particularly for a charity video. This is so unexpected that viewers can’t help but continue watching to see what will happen next. At the same time, the realism of the video—it feels like a homemade camera phone video on the streets—gives the viewer a sense of sneaking a peek at something they wouldn’t normally have access to. This makes it personal and compelling.
Then, the payoff comes halfway through when the video reveals the secret behind the initial shock. Suddenly, the viewer realizes that the true story was how they responded to the initial statement, not the statement itself. This creates a powerful and surprising message that forces the viewer to reflect on their own viewpoints and responses to messages about the poor. It’s a true conversation starter that asks you to examine your own motives.
Watch the video here.
3. Breast Cancer Now 2050 Ad
This video from Breast Cancer Now offers great storytelling with absolutely no dialogue. Instead, it relies on a slowly revealing story—you don’t know what the little girl is doing for a long while—to hook viewers and keep them watching until the end so they can figure out the payoff.
This potent format offers a poignant look at breast cancer through great music and visuals that help the video feel like it could be about anyone you know. It also offers a very personal feel because it represents the relationship between a mother and child, which almost anyone can relate to. Finally, it establishes a need for a resolution to the breast cancer problem, which drives viewers to take action.
4. Give Me a Heart Campaign Video
The “Give Me a Heart” video from DonateLife uses a combination of raw footage, interviews, and formidable statistics to make their point and encourage organ donor registration. It’s an enormously authentic, real, and personal video that drives home the good that comes from organ donation.
Some of the most influential aspects of the video are the interviews with real individuals waiting for heart transplants. This straightforward approach gives context to a real-life situation that most people don’t think about too often. The video then provides the tools and steps viewers need to take to participate in the campaign.
Conclusion: How You Can Achieve This!
NGOs often have limited budgets and manpower, but you don’t need a huge budget and team to make great videos. A video platform that anyone can use and doesn’t require a video production team can help you create powerful videos and raise money.
All you need to get started is a little creativity—your marketing team members are your best storytellers—and a video platform with a few powerful capabilities such as:
- Storyboards that allow for easy creation and consistent brand feel also give you the ability to produce videos quickly and easily. Look for a platform that offers several versions to tailor to different platforms and audiences.
- Licensed media assets that include images, videos, music, and social media can help you create videos quickly.
- Social media integration that offers easy sharing with all your audiences.
To get started creating powerful videos to drive your cause, contact Wochit today.
