The last time you logged into your fave social account, did you watch a video?

Whether you were on Facebook, X (Twitter), Insta, TikTok, YouTube, or some other social platform, chances are you probably watched a video. Video content is engaging, educational and just plain fun to watch. ...So fun that people spend 1 billion hours PER DAY watching video content on YouTube. And that's as of February 2020, so you know the quarantine shot that number through the roof.

Does hearing that get you amped to hop on the social video train? You absolutely should be. Video is a growing part of social media and online content, and it’s likely to increase your reach and engagement. Who doesn’t want those wins for their social strategy??

Whether you’re just getting started with video or you’re looking to optimize your strategy, here are four easy tips to help your nonprofit win at social video.

Just Hit Record

Being in perfectionist mode is no way to approach social video. In fact, we’re all getting used to watching video that's less produced and more authentic because of platforms like Snapchat and Instagram. That’s right, no need to spend hours trying to get just the right shot or spending forever scripting that Insta story. Make "Just hit record!" your nonprofit’s motto going forward. Turn on your smartphone’s camera and get rolling. The more you hit record, the more comfortable you’ll be creating social video.

(Editor's note: Looking for ideas for video storytelling? Check out these getting started tips from our very own Vanessa at The Storytelling Non-Profit.)

Consistency is Key

If you really want to see results from social video, it can’t just be a one-off post. You gotta keep showing up and sharing video, and you gotta go where your audience is. Commit to a weekly Facebook Live or a daily Instagram story, but make sure to pick the platform that allows you to hangout with your audience on video. Want to take it a step further? Put a regular reminder in your calendar to keep you accountable.

While you may not be able to predict every video’s content, there are plenty you can (and should!) plan. Build an editorial calendar by creating a place where you can plan your social videos and collaborate with your team to make sure it gets done.

Need some help getting an editorial calendar together? Kivi Leroux Miller has some great tips for you.

Leverage Your Analytics

There's soooooo much power in analytics. Every social platform offers admin analytics—publish time, audience reach, engagement with the content, and more. By looking at the total number of views, average watch time, and engagement metrics, you can quickly learn what kind of video content resonates with your audience. Regularly reviewing your analytics will give you the opportunity to identify these what's working and roll those insights into future content.

Create Custom Ad Audiences Based on Views

If social ads are a part of your fundraising strategy, one audience that you’ll definitely want to target are people who watched your videos. Why? They're a warm audience that're more likely to engage with ads you serve them. Each time you post a video, add it to the custom audience you set up in your ad platform—this is gonna continuously add good prospects to the custom audience you're building. This is, of course, an optional strategy, but one that can definitely help you take video to the next level.

There's so much opportunity for nonprofits to win with video. Be bold, hit record, and get sharing this year. Your donors and your community want to hear from you—video is the perfect medium to build relationships on social so you can make social fundraising a naturally successful strategy.

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