5 Places to Leverage Video on Your Nonprofit Website

June 7, 2023

1. Homepage 

A website’s homepage often receives the most traffic. As such, it should leave a lasting impression on users and inspire them to learn more about your organization. One way to impact site visitors is to add an organizational video to the page. 

According to Tectonic’s guide to video storytelling, organizational videos provide a general overview of your nonprofit’s mission, impact, and beneficiaries, helping to raise brand awareness and improve your reputation. 

When filming an organizational video to feature on your homepage, keep these tips in mind: 

• Choose the right location. Scout various filming locations and choose the best one to represent your organization. For instance, you may center the video in your CEO’s office or take viewers on a journey through the communities that you serve. 
• Highlight your core values and approach. Explain how your organization stands out from others in the field and define the principles that guide your work. This helps differentiate your brand and build trust with viewers.
• Provide real-life examples of your work. Showcase the communities you serve, the people you help, and the projects that exemplify your organization’s mission. 
• Keep it short and sweet. Keep your video under 2-3 minutes. The attention span of online viewers is short, so you need to effectively introduce your organization before losing the audience’s attention.

Choose a prominent and visually appealing location on your homepage to feature this video. Consider placing it above the fold, where visitors can easily see and access it without scrolling. A noticeable placement ensures maximum visibility and increases the likelihood of visitors watching the video.

2. Upcoming Events List

If you maintain a running list of upcoming activities, fundraisers, community engagements, workshops, and other events on your website ensure that this list is as informative as possible. NXUnite’s guide to nonprofit event planning recommends including event details, such as the date, location, and theme, as well as a registration link.

Consider adding videos throughout this list to tease exciting events and show supporters what they can expect from attending. Doing so will generate greater interest and boost event turnout.

The video content in your website’s events section should: 

• Highlight the event’s purpose. Get specific about the reason for your event. For instance, you might explain that you’re hosting a live auction and gala to finance the $100,000 construction of a new facility. 
• Showcase previous events. Capture the energy, excitement, and unique atmosphere of past events. Include footage of attendees mingling, interacting with your organization’s representatives, and participating in activities. 
• Explain how viewers can get involved. Give clear instructions on how viewers can get involved with your event, whether that be through filling out a registration form or signing up to volunteer at the event. 

Choose compelling images for the video’s thumbnail to grab people’s attention. For instance, if you’re hosting a raffle, you could use a screenshot of a former winner holding their prize.  

3. Programs and Services Page

A programs and services page provides detailed information about your nonprofit’s initiatives, outlining the goals, eligibility requirements, and processes related to each project. If your programs and services are particularly complex, consider adding an explainer video to the page to answer frequently asked questions and build credibility with visitors. 

For the best results, use these tips to create an explainer video: 

• Leverage storytelling techniques. Frame your explainer video as a compelling story that introduces a problem and presents your nonprofit’s solution. For instance, you might begin your video with a statistic about food insecurity in the community, explaining its long-term effects. Then, discuss how your food delivery service has provided free, nutritious meals to 500 families in the area. 
• Use clear and concise language. Avoid jargon and complex terminology to make your message easier to understand. Using the example above, you should define the term “food insecurity” rather than assuming viewers know the meaning. 
• Add visual aids. Use animations or graphics to illustrate concepts, processes, or statistics. Visualizations will add a dynamic and engaging element to your explainer video.

Use descriptive titles for your event videos and include relevant keywords like “homeless services” or “animal rehabilitation programs.” Descriptive keyphrases help search engines understand the purpose of the video and improve the video’s visibility in the search results. 

4. Donation Form

Your donation form should include information about your donation options, a secure payment gateway, and a compelling campaign video. With the right approach, this video will effectively convey your nonprofit’s need for donations and inspire an immediate response. 

Follow these best practices to film a fundraising video that adds value to your donation form: 

• Summarize all campaign-related information. In 2 minutes or less, explain when the campaign will take place, what your level of need is, and how you will use the funds. For instance, an animal shelter might need to raise $5,000 by the end of the month so they can provide lifesaving healthcare to a litter of sick puppies. 
• Keep your target audience in mind. Who is most likely to watch your fundraising video and commit to your cause? Keep these individuals in mind as you film your video to tailor it to their interests. 
• Include a call to action. Add a donation button to the final scene of your video, so you can collect donations while emotions and interest are high. 

If possible, set the video to automatically play when users open your donation form. By eliminating the need to press play, viewers are more likely to watch your video until the end, resulting in a higher level of engagement.

5. About Us Page

An “About Us” page is your opportunity to introduce potential supporters to the history, leadership, and expertise of your organization. Add testimonial video content to this page to build trust and spark an emotional connection with visitors. 

Testimonial videos include personal narratives of those involved with your organization, helping to affirm your impact. To curate testimonial content for your “About Us” page, you should:

• Amplify diverse perspectives. Introduce key personnel, such as founders, board members, staff, or volunteers. Showcase their unique experiences with your organization. 
• Plan thought-provoking questions. Prepare a set of questions to guide the testimonials. These questions should prompt respondents to provide specific details about how your organization has grown and evolved, demonstrating its credibility, experience, and commitment to success.
• Edit for impact. Select the most compelling parts of each testimonial and arrange them in a way that maintains viewer interest. 

If the process of planning, filming, and editing testimonial videos seems overwhelming, consider partnering with a nonprofit video production company. Their teams will find the right people to interview and create high-quality content that captures the essence of your mission. 

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These tips should be used as a starting point for your nonprofit website’s video strategy. Be willing to adjust the placement of each video as you collect engagement metrics, gather feedback, and get to know your audience on a deeper level. With a willingness to adapt, you can harness the full potential of video and take your online presence to the next level.