According to the Content Marketing Institute, the most effective nonprofits use video more frequently than their peers. It makes sense! Not only do videos grab people’s attention, they keep it. In fact, viewers remember 95% of a message told in a video (Social Media Week). That’s why video storytelling is such an effective tool to wake people up and inspire change. 

But what kind of video content should you actually be making? 

Types of Nonprofit Videos

There are a few types of videos we recommend for nonprofits: 

• Mission Video
• Impact Stories
• Campaign Video 
• Community Supporter Testimonials
• Asks for Donations
• Newsjacking and Reporting 

Let’s dive into each one. 

Mission Video

Mission videos are videos that showcase your organization's mission and the impact that you are making towards accomplishing it. Mission videos should be informative and inspirational,  clearly demonstrating the need for your organization by showcasing the problem that you work to solve.

Impact Stories

Impact stories are videos from those you serve, who share their personal stories and testimonies about the impact that your organization has had on their lives. Impact stories include things like statistics on program success, showcase the transformation someone experienced by getting involved with your nonprofit, and share the benefits your community has experienced from your programs.

Advocacy Videos

Advocacy videos showcase community members’ experiences and concerns in a first-person voice. These videos provide lawmakers with much-needed context about how certain issues impact the community. These videos can even be sent to lawmakers via email or leveraged on social media. (Don’t forget to tag those electeds!)

Campaign Video 

Campaign videos showcase the purpose of a particular campaign. These can be used to drive your audience to take action, whether it be to donate as part of a fundraising campaign or write an email to state officials as part of an advocacy campaign. 

Community Supporter Testimonials

Community supporter testimonials are a great way to create social proof and build authority for your organization. Consider featuring people and family members who have been impacted by your programs, local celebrities, and elected officials. Use these videos to speak directly to how your programs are benefiting the community and its members. 

Asks for Donations

One of the most obvious videos for nonprofits is the ask video. The ask video demonstrates an urgent need to raise funds to address a pressing issue. Ask videos can be used throughout your digital marketing efforts, but can also be used during fundraising events to inspire action.

Newsjacking and Reporting 

Finally, the last type of video we recommend is the newsjacking and reporting video. This type of video is crucial when responding to a crisis or pressing matter in your community. Think of it like a segment you would watch on the local news. Keep it informative and share the direct facts and impacts on your community. If you can, add in statistics and data that demonstrate your organization's authority on the topic.

Back to You

Storytelling is an effective tool to motivate people to make change. The most effective nonprofits regularly use video to communicate with their audiences. And viewers remember the message they hear in the video. Use mission videos, impact stories, campaign videos, community supporter testimonials, asks for donations, and newsjacking and reporting videos to grab people’s attention and keep it! And don’t forget, if you need help, Marketing Mission is only a click away!