One of the hottest trends in the nonprofit industry is the use of video to attract volunteers and, today, we will be discussing how to capture the attention of your volunteers and audience through use of video content.
If a picture says a thousand words, a video can tell a whole story.
Why is video so hot in the nonprofit world? That’s simple; it’s not just a trend within nonprofit marketing, but an Internet-wide trend.
The statistics are clear: videos have conquered the Internet. In fact, more than 75% of online traffic now consists of video streaming.
Moreover, providers can confirm that video has become one of the most effective ways to distribute messages.
Here’s why video is so successful
- Videos on landing pages can increase conversion rates by 80% or more.
- Video vendors get 66% more qualified requests per year.
- 51% of video vendors say the video has a better return on investment.
- Video marketing professionals achieve 54% higher brand awareness
User behavior is the basis for this. For example:
- Spectators save 95% of the message when they see it (compared to 10% when they read it).
- Users spend 88% more time on a page with video than they do without it.
- Users also watch 5 times more video than static content.
What does this mean for you? Although CreativeVolunteer can present its volunteer opportunities to thousands of potential volunteers, we cannot make them pay attention to us. But, with video, we can. And you can, too, when marketing your mission.
Here are some tips to help you stand out and get the attention of potential volunteers.
1.You do not have to be a professional
A professionally produced high quality film is great, but don’t worry if it’s not in your budget! Currently, most of us carry cameras in our back pockets. Equally effective and fun can be live video recorded over the phone, which will take you backstage and show you what it means for a volunteer. And if you shoot with Instagram, you can also add filters, stickers and other fun effects of your choice.
2. Keep it brief
Studies show that 1-2 minutes of video is the best length for retention. Any shorter than that and you won’t be able to fully capture your message. Any longer, and the viewer’s attention will fade quickly.
3. Grab your audience’s attention
Since you only have two minutes, you must be sure that you will quickly attract public attention. If the first few seconds are boring, they won’t see the rest of the film.
4. Be authentic
People want to know what your organization is. This is your chance to tell them in your own words. The audience prefers even a relaxed or talkative tone ahead of a corporate one. So, be personal. Be human. Above all, stay true to your organization and your mission.
5. Have influence
According to a recent study, people choose to volunteer because (1) they want to contribute to what they are interested in, and (2) they want to improve their community. Use video to explain to those people what they can contribute, what it means to the community, and why it is important.
6. Add subtitles
More than half of the web’s traffic comes from mobile devices, which means they may be browsing your content in public without sound! Other viewers may have hearing problems. Think of subtitles for your video to keep the message available to all interested parties.
7. Add a Call to Action (CTA)
Don’t let the business cycle stop! After you’ve inspired potential volunteers for action and informed them about your organization’s work, introduce them to the next steps in getting involved. When you add a video to your volunteer work, make sure the CTA is clear: ‘click “I want to help” to sign up as a volunteer.’
Are you looking for inspiration? Check out these great examples of CTA videos that are educational and effective:
Habitat for Humanity
The organization’s “2018 in Review” is an example of how you can share side-effects of your organization. The film shows vivid images of volunteers building houses, convincing testimonials, and impressive figures about last year’s impact. Who wouldn’t want to participate!
Charity: Water
This is an excellent example of how to inform the public about your on-goings. With exciting illustrations and a simple, conversational tone, this charity video makes your message easy to understand and makes the audience act.
Making a Difference through the use of Video
It’s no secret that a well-done video has the power of a hundred blog posts. However, as mentioned above, you don’t need to be a professional videographer to introduce video to your organization. You just need to know how to connect with your audience.
CreativeVolunteer understands how to connect with organizational audiences and we are waiting to help you! If you are interested in hosting one of our volunteers so they can help share a phenomenal story for your organization, feel free to reach us at partner@volunteer-opportunities.org and we can discuss possibilities.