Today’s internet is dominated by video, thanks to the rise of TikTok and YouTube commanding 2.7 billion monthly active users. For nonprofit organizations and advancement teams, this means that video is now a key tool for connecting with supporters online. 

When it comes to fundraising, video can power a range of strategies. From testimonials to showcases of your organization’s impact, video can help bring your mission to life. To help earn more support through the power of video, we’ll share five ways you can incorporate it into your fundraising strategy. 

1. Experiment with video storytelling. 

Storytelling is a powerful tool for building donor relationships, creating a memorable message, and stirring your audience to take action. Thanks to the combination of visuals, sounds, and your message, video storytelling is a particularly effective format for connecting with supporters.

A few video storytelling strategies include:

• Consider the filming location. Clutter-free backgrounds and clear audio can go a long way toward creating a strong video, even if your nonprofit doesn’t have professional video equipment on hand. 
• Get specific. Specific details are what make a story shine. When deciding what stories to tell, consider your specific audiences. EverTrue’s guide to donor segmentation stresses the importance of considering donor affinity and engagement history when creating outreach materials. For example, if a donor showed support for a specific program, they are likely far more interested in receiving video updates about that initiative than a general organization update video. 
• Be authentic. Heartfelt, honest messages can help your nonprofit cut through the noise and make real connections. When writing scripts for videos, ensure they show off your nonprofit’s values rather than simply stating them. 

When creating video stories, consider the emotional journey you want to take your supporters on. Present a problem that your audience can get invested in, showcase how support from donors can make a difference, and present next steps that viewers can follow to get involved. 

2. Create video campaign updates. 

As your team develops your digital storytelling approach, consider these ideas for leveraging tech that both honor the subject anMaintain momentum during your fundraising campaigns by providing regular video updates. These check-ins have an extra spark that can’t always be easily communicated through a blog post, email, or text update. Plus, hearing a message directly from your team will help supporters see your entire staff’s passion for your cause, making them feel like part of something bigger. 

Video updates can be on anything related to your fundraising campaign. For example, you might film an office tour, share footage from a recent event, or host interviews with donors, community members, and staff. For short updates, your videos may just be a member of your team speaking directly to supporters and answering a few questions. 

Use your marketing tools, fundraising platform, or donor management software to track which of your supporters are watching your videos. This can help you pinpoint highly invested individuals who may be interested in doing more for your campaign, like volunteering, becoming a mission advocate, or increasing their gift size.  

3. Try new video types.

Most often, video is used for marketing. However, organizations can get more out of their video creation process by expanding their use of it beyond promotional materials. 

A few unique ways nonprofits can incorporate video into their fundraising strategies include:

• Donor appreciation messages. Personalized video messages can help add an extra personal touch to your displays of gratitude, making each supporter feel like their individual gift matters. Reach out to donors to thank them for their gifts, celebrate their giving anniversaries, send them birthday wishes, and more.
• Educational content. Purely educational content may not directly solicit funds for your nonprofit, but it can generate interest in your cause, spread awareness of key topics, and help create stronger advocates for your mission. For example, an aquarium might make educational videos about each of its exhibits that can be displayed online or on-site. 
• Instructional videos. If your organization offers unique ways to get involved, consider creating instructional videos that walk supporters through the necessary steps. For example, a corporate matching gift video might explain what this giving method is, how it helps nonprofits, and directions for how to get involved. Or, a volunteer training video could help streamline your onboarding process. 

Once you have a video creation process down, experiment with new ways to incorporate video into your other outreach efforts. Doing so helps you maximize your resources and can lead to new supporter connections.

4. Livestream fundraisers. 

Get supporters excited about your fundraisers by livestreaming them. This could be a livestream of an already planned fundraising event or a dedicated livestream where your nonprofit’s volunteers, staff, and community talk with, entertain, and educate an online audience. 

For a successful livestream, ensure your nonprofit plans for the following:

• Livestreaming technology. Ahead of your livestream, thoroughly test all of your technology. This includes microphones, cameras, your livestreaming platform, and any other software you plan to use. If possible, have a member of your IT team on hand in case any malfunctions occur mid-stream. 
• A full content schedule. While it’s normal for long livestreams to have breaks now and then, your nonprofit should strive to create an active, engaging experience for the entire time you are live. If you’re livestreaming an event, plan to show off your most interesting activities. If you plan to host a livestream, create a schedule full of content like interviews, educational presentations, Q&As with your live chat, and more. 
• Chat moderators. Effective moderators can elevate your online audience’s experience. Along with ensuring your live chat is a safe and respectful environment, moderators can answer questions, highlight interesting comments for your livestream’s hosts to answer, and post polls and other activities. 

Livestreams are opportunities to build authentic connections with your audience, even when they’re engaging from home. Interact with your viewers throughout your livestream by responding to their questions, letting them make choices that impact the livestream’s content, and sharing activities they can do from home while watching your livestream. 

5. Add video to peer-to-peer fundraisers. 

Video can elevate all of your fundraisers, including ones run by your supporters. Bonfire’s guide to peer-to-peer fundraising emphasizes how these campaigns’ effectiveness comes from giving supporters the ability to leverage and make personal connections. Additionally, Bonfire also advises nonprofits to try adding photos and event videos to their peer-to-peer strategy. 

Many of your peer-to-peer fundraisers, particularly ones who are Millennials or Gen Z, will likely already be familiar with the ins and outs of video creation and social media sharing. For these supporters, giving them tools and guidance on how to create effective videos will empower the strategies they were likely going to pursue anyway. 

While many supporters will be able to record videos on their phones, look for fundraising software that provides video creation tools at scale. These platforms can provide supporters with the editing and recording features they need to create stronger, more effective videos.

Video is a powerful tool for connecting with your audience. Start leveraging video to power your fundraisers by exploring video creation tools, brushing up on video storytelling best practices, and experimenting with all the ways you can add video to your current strategies. 

About the Author:

Hannah Davis,
Senior Manager of Growth Marketing

Hannah Davis is the Senior Manager of Growth Marketing at EverTrue. She works with nonprofit advancement teams to help fundraisers connect with more donors in meaningful ways. Before joining EverTrue, Hannah worked in higher education advancement at the University of Connecticut Foundation, leading annual giving communications and donor engagement efforts. Her experience in fundraising fuels her passion for helping nonprofits modernize their outreach while staying donor-centric.