7 Social Media Video Ideas Nonprofit Supporters Will Love

April 18, 2019
7 minutes

Your next fundraising campaign is around the corner and your nonprofit is putting together social media content to support your campaign, right? Of course, you are! Social media has become one of the best ways to share your message and get your ask in front of new audiences.

We shared some ways you can use social media to supercharge your year-round campaigns, but there’s one type of social media content that deserves to be at the top of your list–you guessed it, video! A 2013 Google survey showed that 57% of online donors made a gift after watching a video? Keep in mind this data is some years old (ancient in Internet time) but since then, video has become a content goldmine.

If you want to amplify your nonprofit's social media presence and increase donations, here are seven ideas to make you a bonafide social media video maven.

"Why I donate"

"Why I donate" videos from donors are the ultimate social proof and great to use during year-end fundraising. You could work with donors ahead of time to create a produced video or you could ask them to create their own live videos that you can repost.

For some inspiration, check out this video from the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Not only does it talk about why people donate, but it also features Parkinson's patients and people affected by the disease talking about why and how they give back. This one is #AllTheFeels.

Another video that might inspire you is this one from Denver Rescue Mission that shares why their volunteers give back.

Client or beneficiary interviews

One sure fire way to drive donations is to show donors their impact through interviews with the nonprofit's clients or beneficiaries. This helps them see exactly how their donations make a difference. The Greater Boston Food Bank put together a video like this as a part of their holiday campaign, complete with a solid call to action at the end.

Bonus: Funraise customer Barbells for Boobs showcases the organization's impact via an inspirational video of someone who's been positively impacted by their work. Maybe we're a bit partial, but this video rocks! 

The why

Another type of video you can share with your supporters is your organization’s “why” video. This video is an opportunity to talk about the why behind your mission. Here’s a great example of this from UNICEF USA.

Not sure how to talk about your organization’s why? Check out Simon Sinek’s book Start With Why.

Board member interviews

Board members are a super passionate group of individuals. Harness their passion in a short video where they talk about why they care about the cause. Their story might be one that your audience and donors connect with. Here’s an example from the Rosenberg Fund for Children. 

Live giving day updates

Giving Tuesday is really rooted in social media, so it’s a no-brainer to use video on that day.

Here is an example of a Giving Tuesday update video from WAVAW Rape Crisis Center. This video uses Facebook Live and is a great example of a short, sweet, and engaging update video.

P.S. This is not a strategy just reserved for Giving Tuesday. Try it out during any of your fundraising campaigns that are tied to a specific goal/time/day.

Behind the scenes

Like interviewing a beneficiary of the work, a “behind the scenes” video allows you to connect donors with their impact. This doesn’t have to be an overly produced video. In fact, there are lots of nonprofits doing great behind the scenes looks on Instagram Stories. Check out the James Beard FoundationCatskill Animal Sanctuary, and Oxfam America's Instagram for mucho inspiration.

Year-in-review

For year-end giving, share a video to talk about your nonprofit’s New Year’s resolutions. You know the last days of December are prime days for giving. To engage and inspire your audience, share a video that has a seasonal tie. Year-end is the perfect time to talk about your nonprofit’s New Year’s resolutions or share a year-in-review video.

Check out this year-in-review video from charity: water for a little inspiration. 

Moral of the story? People connect with people, so load up on personal stories to share. Getting face time with your audience and sharing a variety of perspectives will engage your supporters and ultimately drive donations.

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