9 Keys to Using Online Video to Increase Your Nonprofit Marketing Impact

Video is everywhere these days.  Video can compel action in ways that no other medium can.  It allows you to tell your organization's in ways you simply cannot do in any other way.  Nancy Schwartz provides excellent advice (as always) on how you should approach your online video.  I would also like to add that your videos can be shown on the hundreds of Public access television channels across the country and certainly the Public access channel in your community.  And...if you need to find a video producer, let me know.  I know of several excellent and talented video producers that can deliver a quality video to your organization.  Bunnie

9 Keys to Using Online Video to Increase Your Nonprofit Marketing Impact

by Nancy Schwartz, Getting Attention

Online video is big and getting bigger. So much so that it’s rapidly changing the communications landscape. And we have some great models to work from.

Online Video is Getting Bigger – Fast

Here’s the proof, drawn from a recent ComScore study:

• Over 133 million Americans watched online video in July 2007 – or 74% of US internet users.
• They watched more than 9 billion videos, 27% of them on Google sites including YouTube.

There’s so much nonprofit video out there on YouTube, DoGooderTV and organizational Web sites. Here’s how distribution breaks out:

• YouTube captures 40% of the current market – This most popular video hosting site receives 50,000 video uploads and streams some 50 million videos to about 6 million viewers daily.
• MySpace, a social networking site, accounts for another 25%.
• The remainder consists of major Internet players like Google, MSN, Yahoo and AOL, and niche venues like the nonprofit-focused DoGooderTV, each of which capture a fraction of the overall market. My guess is that audiences for these niche players will grow fast and furious.

So online video is big. But what’s the best way to put online video to work to strengthen your nonprofit marketing?

Pros Share Online Video Guidelines for Nonprofit Marketers

Here are some critical guidelines for jumping into online video:

1. Online video is an expectation, not an option, for online audiences 25 and younger
   Higher ed marketing guru Bob Johnson suggests that online video is an expectation for most 30-and-under nonprofit audiences (definitely for prospective college students).
2. Keep videos short and sweet – 30 seconds to two minutes max
   Video length is a classic case of less is more, advises Alia McKee of Sea Change Strategies Direct. Obviously, a good edit is crucial.She also recommends that online video should complement – not replace – other communications channels.
3. Know your audiences
   This is definitely one of the ten commandments of online video production. You craft your messages and graphics to your audiences. Don’t forget to do the same with your video. The imagery, soundtrack and text you select must appeal to your target demographic. Video is more “in your face” than text or graphics so if you strike out, you strike out big.
4. Make sure your video is more than moving, talking delivery of traditional content.
   Bob Johnson warns against oh-so-deadly talking heads and other staged approaches. Use video to show, not to tell – that’s the beauty of the medium.
5. Tap that funny bone
   Most online videos that succeed in high pass-along rates (and viral distribution is a key strategy to increase views), usually include some humor or satire, say the experts at Online Video Services.Remember how Hillary Clinton grabbed attention when she spoofed the widely-viewed “Sopranos” finale on to motivate participation in her campaign song contest. Not only was she covered everywyere, she was credited with a seldom-seen-before sense of humor.But be careful in being funny. Humor is delicate. and the right timing and broad appeal have to be spot on. Testing humor is a good idea; a bomb can be fatal.
6. Don’t forget the call to action
   It’s great to build awareness and support but you’re stopping short if you don’t include a clickable call to action at the close of your video. This Greenpeace video offers engaged viewers the opportunity to act with a simple click at the very moment they’re processing this very powerful video. Grab ‘em when they’re hot.
7. Work it: Put your online video to work in multiple versions and venues
   Forget the stand-alone gala dinner video that never again sees the light of day. Your organization should milk your video productions for all they’re worth.Your videos, in some form or another, can be projected in your org’s waiting room, at a gala and during programs, as well as distributed online via video sites, your own site,and your blog and e-news. The possibilities are nearly endless, suggests See3′s Michael Hoffman.
8. Do-it-yourself is fine…for now
   As a matter of fact the authenticity of “amateur” video is au courant right now. Just take a look at this video Katya Andresen “produced” as her blog post response to my query.
   However, my guess is that amateur video will soon become tedious as the novelty of the medium erodes. Expectations for higher-end production values will begin to increase very quickly. I’ve watched this cycle before, most recently with blogging. Meanwhile, you can produce your own videos for almost nothing with a WebCam or video camera.
9. Budget $1,000 per minute of finished content for a professionally-shot and edited video
   The OVS experts feel strongly that quality counts, cautioning that you get what you pay for. OVS estimates the cost for a professional video shoot, including editing, at $1K for each minute of on-demand finished content. Live Webcasts are much more costly.Another firm – Charity Docs – produces online on-demand (e.g. not live) videos for a flat fee of $2,500.

What’s working best with your online video production? Please share your tips with me as a comment below and I’ll pass them along to Getting Attention readers.  Contact Nancy Schwartz

Brainshark Awards Technology Grants to Six Outstanding Non-Profits as Part of the Company’s Non-Profit Program

It's always great when business teams up with nonprofit and I especially love it when business steps up to the plate and provides grants, especially technology grants.  Additionally, while the nonprofit community is often slower to adopt newer technology than the business community, so much can be gained by nonprofits modeling their business counterparts.  See how six nonprofits will be using technology to enhance their worthy missions.  Maybe some good ideas for you and your organization?  Bunnie

Brainshark Awards Technology Grants to Six Outstanding Non-Profits as Part of the Company’s Non-Profit Program

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, DAMMAD, FSG Social Impact Advisors, Hope Foundation, Road Runners Club of America and Summer Advantage USA Use Brainshark to Strengthen Training Programs and Promote Their Missions

Brainshark, Inc., the leader in on-demand multimedia for business, recently announced the six latest grant recipients in its Non-Profit Program. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS); Dads and Mad Moms Against Drug Dealers (DAMMAD), Inc.; FSG Social Impact Advisors (FSG); the Hope Foundation’s eLearn initiative; Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) and Summer Advantage USA have received a free one-year Brainshark software license – letting them harness the benefits of on-demand multimedia to cost-effectively increase their reach and impact.

With Brainshark’s Web-based platform, organizations can communicate faster and more effectively than ever before, cutting training time in half and reducing the costs associated with previous communications methods – including face-to-face meetings and Web conferencing – by up to 90%. Through its Non-Profit Program, Brainshark awards one-year technology licenses on a quarterly basis. This enables non-profit organizations to use Brainshark’s enterprise-class solutions to create, edit and distribute high-impact, multimedia content – incorporating voice narration, video, survey questions and more – that can be viewed online, on demand. Using Brainshark’s tracking capabilities, these organizations also get deep visibility into the impact and effectiveness of their communications.

The latest grant recipients plan to use Brainshark as follows:

• The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: LLS is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. Its mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life of patients and their families. The organization plans to use Brainshark’s audio and visual capabilities to deliver high-impact communications that galvanize potential partners and donors, help fund cancer research, and spread awareness of blood cancer and LLS’ mission. Brainshark will also be used to promote LLS’ “Light the Night” fundraising walk and its “Team in Training” charity sports training program.

• Dads and Mad Moms Against Drug Dealers: DAMMAD is an anti-drug organization committed to addressing drug trafficking, prescription drug abuse and illicit drug use in the state of New Hampshire. The organization plans to use Brainshark to educate students, parents and local communities on the dangers and consequences of drug abuse. DAMMAD has created the following Brainshark presentation to educate the community on the dangers of methamphetamine: http://www.brainshark.com/dammad/vu?pi=zHEzEHbboz1PaUz0 . Overall, this education and community awareness campaign will reach approximately 130,000 students and 891,000 residents across New Hampshire.

• FSG Social Impact Advisors: Through its work with leading foundations, corporations, governments and non-profits, FSG helps to accelerate social progress by advancing the practice of philanthropy and corporate social responsibility. The organization will use Brainshark to engage, educate, inform and motivate key influencers, funders, clients and other stakeholders. FSG also plans to use Brainshark to enhance and expedite the creation of professional development and training presentations. In addition, FSG will leverage on-demand presentations for marketing and training activities associated with its subsidiary division, Community Foundation Insights.

• Hope Foundation: The Hope Foundation’s eLearn initiative is working to alleviate poverty in rural and semi-urban districts in India by providing education and training to the local communities. The foundation plans to use Brainshark to provide on-the-job training to working adults across India so they can improve their employment prospects and obtain higher wage jobs. Brainshark will also be used to train the foundation’s 5,000 accredited partners – who are responsible for training approximately 100,000 adults enrolled in the program. To learn more about the program, view the following Brainshark presentation: http://www.brainshark.com/hopefoundation/vu?pi=zGuzbYUDFz1sBdz0 .

• Road Runners Club of America: The RRCA is the national association of running clubs, running events and runners whose mission is to represent and promote the sport of running through education, leadership, programs and other services. The RRCA has more than 1,100 running clubs and events annually, and represents more than 175,000 members. The organization plans to use Brainshark to develop and administer a comprehensive race director certification course, complete with testing. As part of these efforts, the RRCA will develop narrated Brainshark training modules, based on the book Organizing Running Events by Phil Stewart. The RRCA will also use Brainshark in its development of an online training course for adults interested in leading/coaching youth running programs and in the development of free orientation modules for volunteers. RCCA has created the following Brainshark presentation to educate certified coaches about the organization’s general and professional liability insurance program: http://www.brainshark.com/rrca/vu?pi=zGvzWM7NSz1sTqz0 .

• Summer Advantage USA: Summer Advantage USA provides rigorous academic programming and enrichment activities to children in grades K-8 during the summer months to prepare them for success in high school, college and beyond. Launched only a year ago, Summer Advantage USA is already serving more than 3,000 children in Indiana and is expanding its efforts across other states. The organization plans to use Brainshark to train thousands of educators – helping to reach its goal of serving more than 100,000 students during the next five years. Summer Advantage USA will also use Brainshark’s software to educate parents, school leaders, government officials and policymakers about its mission, results and partnership opportunities. For more information about the organization and its mission, view the following Brainshark presentation: http://www.brainshark.com/summeradvantageusa/vu?pi=36716846 .

“We’re excited to announce the next round of non-profit grant recipients and applaud their plans to implement far-reaching and well-thought-out communication campaigns,” said Brainshark CEO Joe Gustafson. “In providing access to an easy-to-use, compelling and trackable communication solution, we look forward to helping these organizations spread awareness of their missions among key constituencies and achieve their communications goals.”

In addition to awarding grants, the Brainshark Non-Profit Program also provides the Standard Edition of the Brainshark platform at a 40% discount for eligible non-profits. These include registered 501(c)(3) organizations (or their equivalent outside the U.S.). Other eligibility requirements apply. For more information, please view the following two-minute Brainshark presentation, which provides a program overview and a link to the grant application: http://www.brainshark.com/brainsharkinc/NPOGrant .

Interested non-profits can also take advantage of Brainshark’s free website, myBrainshark.com, which allows anyone to create multimedia presentations that are search-engine optimized and can be shared via e-mail or embedded within a website or blog.

About Brainshark, Inc.


Brainshark is the leader in on-demand multimedia for business, transforming static business content into high-impact communications. Delivered via Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), Brainshark enables audiences to access and engage with business content when and how they want. More than 1,200 companies – including a third of the Fortune 100 – rely on Brainshark software and services to help sales, marketing, training and HR experts cost-effectively deliver measurable results. In addition, organizations and individuals use the myBrainshark site to create, share and track multimedia presentations for free. For more information on these offerings, visit www.brainshark.com.

Social Media IS Effective for Nonprofits and Small Business

I always enjoy the insights of Debra Askanese of Community Organizer 2.0.  And this article is a great one to give the naysayers in your membership or on your board of directors who may not be using social media tools and may not understand why you should be using Twitter or Facebook to market your nonprofit.  One thing Debra points out, which I have heard elsewhere, is that fundraising using social media is not that successful.  However, that being said, I think social media helps you identify potential donors or members and also helps you keep in touch with those potential donors or members.  It's also a great way to educate people about what it is you do. Bunnie

Social Media IS Effective for Nonprofits and Small Business
by Debra Askanese, Community Organizer 2.0

Two new data sets about the value of social media came across my laptop recently: Idealware’s “ Using Social Media to Meet Nonprofit Goals” survey of nonprofit staffers using social media, and the State of Small Business report from Network Solutions and the Center for Excellence in Service.


The results are so similar to the nonprofit survey results that the conclusion is hard to ignore: social media actually is an effective tool for customer retention and attraction.

Social media is actually perceived by those doing it to work! In particular, the top benefits are seen as reaching new audiences and enhancing existing customer/audience relationships.

Here are some highlights from the Idealware survey of 459 nonprofit staffers using social media:

1. Nonprofits believe that social media is helping them to enhance relations with their existing audience and reach new audiences through the top platforms.

Most organizations feel that most social media channels are effective for enhancing existing relationships and reaching new supporters. The least effective platforms are MySpace and Linkedin. Blogs, video-sharing, Twitter, and Facebook are felt to be the most effective tools. The surprise to me is that video-sharing is perceived as highly effective for enhancing relationships.

2. Most nonprofits are using a combination of Facebook, Twitter, video-sharing and blogs to reach out and enrich relationships online. The data shows that there isn’t a relationship between the size of the organization and the number of channels it is using. The responses show that, in general, nonprofits are using and regularly updating one to three social media channels.

I’m not surprised that Facebook is the most popular channel used, but I am surprised that 56% of nonprofits are using Twitter and 80% of them update Twitter regularly. Two other points to consider: the blog is not dead (45% of nonprofits have one) and video sharing sites once again prove to be popular (49% have them).

Conclusions: Nonprofits are finding value in Twitter, Facebook is widely adopted and “known to work.” These platforms must be seen as engagement tools to be taken seriously at this point. The blog, though time consuming, is the long form to express your message and enhance relationships with existing supporters. Video-sharing is the crouching tiger. Regularly maintaining one to three platforms is an industry standard.

3. Nonprofits are not yet satisfied with the results of social network fundraising. I don’t think this is any big surprise, as both social network donors and donation strategies are still in their infancy. The survey reveals that, of all the social networks, 41% of respondants believe that Facebook is most effective for raising money. (And that is the highest percentage of approval of any network channel.) I suspect respondents mention Facebook because it has an affiliated fundraising platform, Causes, that is simple to use and easily accessible. Let’s see what next year’s survey results bring: I’m guessing that they will bring higher satisfaction and a stronger sense of nonprofit social network fundraising effectiveness.

This is also the only platform where Linkedin is rated on par with Twitter, video-sharing, and blogging, at 30% effeciveness. The Idealware study remarks that this is surprising, but I don’t find it surprising at all: Linkedin is an incredibly effective channel for targeted donor research and deeper interaction with potential donors and foundations within Linkedin Groups.

Here’s one more set of similar survey results: the performance of social media tactics for US small businesses in December 2009.

According to “The State of Small Business” report, small businesses are also using social media to successfully attract new customers, increase awareness, and stay engaged with existing customers.

Two data sets, two different user groups, same results: social media is effective for reaching new customers and strengthening existing relationships. Irrefutable evidence of the power of engagement.

Read more of Debra's thoughts on all things marketing at http://www.communityorganizer20.com/

Launching a New Program: Savvy Geek Chix Case Study

Jerri Barrett, from the Anita Borg Institute, is back to tell us about a new program they have launched. What? A new program in this economy? Yes, because if you are not constantly examining your programming and figuring out new ways to serve your members, your organization will quickly become obsolete. Especially in this economy. Managing cost is a key theme in this article. Enjoy! Bunnie

Launching a New Program: Savvy Geek Chix Case Study

By Jerri Barrett, Director of Marketing, Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology

In early 2009, Deanna Kosaraju, the VP of Programs for the Anita Borg Institute, called a meeting to discuss a new idea. How do we take all of the great information we’ve gathered from our other programs: the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing and TechLeaders and create a series of affordable programs? We were all keenly aware of the impact the economy was having on our community – both the fact that travel and training budgets were being slashed and that many of our constituency were either experiencing layoffs or were worried about being laid off.

After doing some research on what else was being offered in the marketplace, the decision was made to offer a low cost program that would address directly some of the issues that people were facing. Our first step was to come up with a name. After much debate and many versions the name Savvy Geek Chix was arrived at – savvy because our program attendees are smart, Geek because we work with technologists and Chix because we work with women and the word Chix is often used in the tech world.

Once we had a name we started working on content for our first event. Given what was top of mind for most of our constituency – layoffs and job security we knew that "Weathering the Economic Storm" would strike a cord. We wanted to not just focus on what happens at a layoff but what you could do to better position yourself in your company before a layoff and what you should do after the layoff takes place.

After the name and general topic were established, many different activities around launching the program began to take place simultaneously. Kim McLeod, Program Manager for Savvy Geek Chix, began the process of recruiting panelists and building content for the program. Early on we decided to repeat a very successful activity from our 2008 Grace Hopper Celebration, the Resume Clinic. For the Resume Clinic I recruited a wide range of recruiters from tech companies and recruiting firms to provide 15 minute resume critiques. Sort of a speed dating for resume review. Attendees could sign up for a 15 minute slot with one of the 15 recruiters. This would be the first hour of SGC. At the same time a networking reception was taking place in another room. Kim built a diverse panel made up of people who could speak to the list of topics we’d developed for the program.

Our VP of Business Development, Jody Mahoney, simultaneously had to go out and find a host company for the event. The host would provide the space for the event and the refreshments for our attendees. SAP agreed almost immediately and a date and time were set for the event.

Once we had all everything in place recruitment of attendees became our number one priority. Given the low admission price ($25 for the first event) we realized that we couldn’t do expensive outreach. We focused mostly on promoting the event through our newsletter, our communities and through our personal networks. We encouraged everyone who registered for the event to announce it to their own networks on Facebook and Linked In – helping us carry the word as far as we could. And of course we worked with other non-profits as well.

The actual event itself took place on March 24, 2009. We had 87 paid attendees, 15 recruiters and the ABI Staff in attendance. Measurement is a critical part of every program the Anita Borg Institute offers. We found that 70% of the attendees had not attended one of our events before, showing us that these low cost programs opened a new niche for us. 97% of the attendees said the program met or exceeded their expectations and 98% agreed or strongly agreed that they learned useful skills, concepts and techniques to retain jobs or survive layoff.

These results clearly indicate that there is a strong desire among our constituency for shorter and low cost programs that focus on skill development in key areas. Planning will begin soon for our next Savvy Geek Chix program.

Contact Jerri at http://www.anitaborg.org/