Community Outreach

Tip #1: How to Make Media that Matters - Non-Profit Video

October 28, 2008 Every communications director I meet from the nonprofit sector needs one thing, and fast: a video. And it's no secret why. Second only to face-to-face contact, video is arguably the most powerful way to communicate.

In our web-centric world, videos provide fresh content for a website and spark new interest via online social networks. Videos engage new donors and offer immense fundraising potential. Video in hand, non-profits are in a position to fill a big event and can even find themselves at the forefront of a film festival. These days, videos are required components for most major grant applications. No matter the forum, if you can tell your story well with a video, you'll stand out. 

It's no question that the benefits of a video are vast. The real question is: once you have a video, how do you get results? Every time our team completes a video production for a non-profit partner, these are the questions we hear:

• Now that we've got fresh online content, how do we drive traffic to our website? 
• How do we make sure that we're not stuck with a stack of DVDs collecting dust on a shelf?
• Now that we've made the investment to tell our story, how do we make it pay off?

Luckily, See3 Communications just released a few great resources for non-profits that help answer these very questions. 

Check out See3's Guide to Online Video, a 7-part video series to help you make video work for you.

For more inspiration, visit See3's new project DoGooderTV. DGTV is a powerful platform that allows non-profits to present their videos, accept donations and increase membership. Be sure to watch the winners of DGTV's 2007 Non-Profit Videos Awards.

Hungry for more? Check out TechSoup's guide to promoting your video with free online services.

There are many tools out there to help you get your story told. Just don't forget that the story itself is above all else. Says See3 Founder Michael Hoffman, "If you want your audience to identify with your mission, you need a compelling story that connects your work to real people. If a story moves you, it will likely move others as well."

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