Yes, Your Online Videos Must Change From One Channel to Another

The Basics

Emotion: Whether you're selling a mission or a line of sports clothing, it is clear that emotion is a critical element. But not just any emotion. As nonprofits we sometimes have a tendency to think that "sad" is the best emotion for getting consumers to engage with us. But in reality there are other emotions that can create that same reaction. Focusing on empowerment can be equally impactful. Empowerment creates an emotional reaction, but more importantly it creates a connection, because many of us can find examples of disappointment and yet ultimate success somewhere in our lives. So, don't just think of sad scenarios with sad music for your videos; think of the type of story and message that will not only get the wallet open but will also get the video moving from one friend to another. That is the key to today's marketing videos.

Conversation: It is critical to have viewers see themselves in your story. This is something offline marketers have tried to do for many, many years. It's as basic as not being about the brand—but about how the person connects to the brand. The beauty of social marketing and video marketing is that the connection creates a conversation. In the case of a nonprofit, the video should help the viewer feel like they are or can be a part of the mission of your organization. Or, perhaps more importantly, they can be a part of the solution to the problem or challenge that your organization's mission addresses. As nonprofits, we cannot assume that all of our prospects and donors have a personal connection to the issue within our nonprofit specifically, but in reality everyone can be a part of a solution to a problem. The key is to make our viewers believe it and feel it. If we are honest with ourselves, the video is simply the spark that creates the dialog that ultimately drives action. And speaking of action...

Action: In reality, the call to action is very important for a social media video. And, let's be very clear here, it is not a like that is the ultimate prize—it is the share. When consumers share a video, they are making a personal statement to their network of family and friends about the importance of the message. What is even better? To create a social video that is not just begging the viewer to share but also motivating someone to comment is what we should all be striving for when putting our missions into video for social consumption. And, perhaps of even greater value is the type of comment. I would challenge all of us to create videos designed to get someone's attention and have them share it with their personal network with their own story. This creates action and highlights the relevancy in someone’s life.

Now, go get busy and do some filming folks!