beyond viral video – crafting a nonprofit video strategy

501 Tech NYC – July 2010

Crafting a Nonprofit Video Strategy

Beyond Viral

Michael Hoffman, CEO, See3 CommunicationsSara Fusco, Assistant Director for Online Communications, Refugees International

Let’s Talk About Video• About See3

• Crafting a Nonprofit Video Strategy

• Key Examples

• Measuring Success

• CASE STUDY: Refugees International

• Discussion

Visit: www.YouTube.com/NonprofitVideoAwards

See3 Communications• Interactive communications agency for

nonprofits and causes specializing in video, web, and outreach

• Results-driven online strategies

• Believe in leveraging technology and media to help organizations achieve their goals

Viral to Who?

Beyond Viral

Your Website is Your Channel

The Nonprofit Video Strategy

Think Strategically • Get your calendar out

• Evaluate your current video assets

• Align your organizational goals and messages

• Train your staff to be digital storytellers (shooting video, taking photos, blogging, social media)

• Find the people (“The Passionate Ones”)

Digital Storytelling Cuture• What skills does your team have?

• Storytelling• Editing• Social Media

• Who needs to be involved?• Who has the passion?

Planning Your Video• What is your objective?• Who is your audience?• What do you want to say?• How will you use the video?• How will you distribute the video?• What tools will you need?

11 Types of Nonprofit Videos1. The Dinner Video

2. The Founding Myth

3. PSA/Awareness Campaign

4. Conversation Starter

5. Vlog (Video Blog)

6. Educational Videos

7. The Solicitation

8. The Livestream Event

9. From the Field

10. The Interactive Experience

11. Behind the Scenes

11 Types of Nonprofit Videos

AVODAH• Smaller nonprofits supporting Jewish young

adults serving in social justice organizations

• Provide storytelling curriculum training for corp members

• On the ground footage mixed with professional editing and storytelling services

• Integrate videos into key sections of website

Video Centric Campaign

Acumen FundEven Better Campaign• Video shows how the money is used in an

engaging way - their “Theory of Change”

• Scripted messages from volunteers mixed with motion graphics

• Video integrated seamlessly into campaign landing page (www.acumenfund.org/evenbetter)

• Excellent use of YouTube Annotations using source code tracking

www.see3.net/making-strides-personalized-fundraising-video

American Cancer SocietyPersonalized Video Fundraising• ACS needed tool to encourage walkers to

raise money among peers• Each walker received email with link to

pre-personalized video• Over 4,500 donations sourced directly

from the video, resulting in a 10:1 ROI• Repeatable model for ACS event

fundraising

Expose Animal AbusersVideo Centric Advocacy Campaign• Petition campaign encouraging state legislators

to introduce animal abuser registry bills

• Hard-hitting campaign video featuring extreme animal abuser cases

• Video employed on campaign landing page, online editorial and blogs, shared among Facebook and Twitter

Measuring Success• Does it move the needle?

• Does it help your SEO strategy?

• Does it improve conversion rates?

• Does it help spread the message?

• Does it engage your constituents?

Measuring SuccessDetermine your metrics upfront

• Donations• Views/comments • Blog mentions • Website traffic • Shares

• Use YouTube “Insight” to measure how people are finding your content

Refugees International(And our viral agnosticism)

Refugees InternationalWho we are• Refugees International advocates for lifesaving

assistance and protection for displaced people and promotes solutions to displacement crises

Refugees InternationalOur communications objectives

• Position as the go-to organization among target audiences for solutions to refugee crises

• Improve overall name recognition and reputation among target audiences

Refugees InternationalWho are we trying to reach?• Policy-makers

• U.S. Congress• U.S. Administration• United Nations

• NGOs• Donors

Video DreamsJust because you build it…

Our Video Objectives• Support our advocacy priorities among target

audiences• Support initiatives and events to grow our

supporter base• Help develop stronger narratives for the human

story of our work

Pre-Pre Planning✓Funding?✓Internal capacity and expertise?✓Consistent organizational focus?✓Compelling message?✓Opportunity?

CASE STUDY: The View from Syria

• Pre-Production /Production / Post-Production

• Outreach andAdvocacy

• Outcomes

(Pre-, Post-, and Everything In-Between) Production• What’s our story?• Who’s our primary audience?• Who can tell our story?• How do we show it?• Permissions / security risks?• Existing work?• What’s our budget?• What’s our timeline?

Advocacy and Outreach• Three videos• Petition• Paid advertising• Paid search campaign• Google Grants optimization• Blogger outreach• Social network outreach

Outcomes• 4,300 new email addresses• 20% increase in web traffic• 35 blogs covered petition and videos• Growth of social network (+1,741)• Lasting assets

Advocacy Successes• The U.S. provided $328.7 million to UN

programs for displaced Iraqis, a noteworthy 60% of the UN’s request (up from 37% in 2008)

• House of Representatives passed legislation calling for stronger policies to protect and assist displaced Iraqis by the Gov’t of Iraq

• U.S. directly re-engages with Syria by appointing an Ambassador

Thank you! Michael Hoffman

Sara Fusco

• Email: michael@see3.net• Website: www.see3.net• Twitter: @Michael_Hoffman

• Email: sara@refugeesinternational.org• Website: www.refugeesinternational.org

Photo Credits• A Classic Cash Register - Heath Bar

• Blueprints, Typewriters and Gears - Traveling Steve

• Audience in 3D Glasses - Diamond Geyser

• Encyclopedias - Stewart Butterfield

• Hammer - Austin Camera Guy

• Annette Conway reads to children- Marine Corp News

All photographs licensed under Creative Commons