6-Second Fundraising How to Charm Online Donors Digital Storytelling

By Jim Lynch

With digital storytelling, like all social-media marketing, it's a good idea to to begin outreach to the audiences you already have, perhaps on Facebook and Twitter. Try posting and tweeting about your new super-short video there, and ask what people think. It will take some time to develop an audience directly on Instagram or Vine. Use the apps to create and post the super-short video, and then take the links to your existing audience wherever it may be.

Engage with your social-media audience in an active conversation — retweeting and commenting on what they share. And, of course, don't forget to ask your community members to share your charming video with their networks — ask them via social media and also your organization's website, phone, email or e-newsletter.

TechSoup Storymakers 2014 Contest

Another great way to get some serious attention for your super-short story is to submit it to the TechSoup Storymakers 2014 Contest.

We're giving away $13,000 in cash prizes to YouTube videos and photo sequences for super-short visual stories. Just submit your nonprofit video or photo series and join the #Storymakers2014 conversation on Twitter.

The contest deadline is Sept. 26, so if you try out this new media, by all means send us your short video! Six-second fundraising?

Jim Lynch is a staff writer for TechSoup.