Net2 ThinkTank: How Can Nonprofits Use Online Video To Raise Money?

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Britt Bravo at NetSquared is asking for your best thoughts about this question:  How can nonprofits use online video to raise money online?

I don't have many good thoughts on this topic, but at the Making Media Connections conference in Chicago, Michael Hoffman did a workshop on incorporating video into nonprofits messaging.  He was presenting the same time as me, so didn't attend.  However, his post summarizing the resources and presentation are an excellent resource. 

I'd also point to Katya Andresen's "Constructing Your Call to Action" and while it isn't video specific, these are important guidelines about your ask.   

Share your thoughts in a blog post , or  over at the NetSquared Community Blog. Any registered user can post, here's how to post on the NetSquared Blog.

net2thinktank

Comments

[Nathan Ketsdever]

I think initiating a blogger relations campaign with 12 or so appropriate bloggers and perhaps a podcaster or two makes a ton of sense.

Great post as usual, Beth.

[Brad Bell]

I would suggest looking at how Avaaz are using video in campaigns. This is one of the best uses of video by a charity I've seen:
http://autoscopia.com/?p=58

I've also been thinking about a general approach: we should resist the temptation to treat video in the traditional TV and movies sort big budget, major development sort of way, and instead treat video like a video phone.

Actually, my original interpretation of EduPunk was simply about smashing things together with whatever communication tools were at hand because speed and the simple need to communicate was more important than producing something polished.

Traditionally, video is very expensive to create and distribute. With the internet, distribution is now free. Creation needs to move as close as possible to the free zone.

We have video cameras all over the place, but we don't always think of using them. Most digital cameras have video recording. Mobile phones record video. All Macs have web cams.

It's a huge topic, but with a general approach and quick and dirty experimentation we'll quickly learn what works and what doesn't in what contexts. Fear of amateurism will keep us from trying. We need to forget everything we know and start from scratch.

[Katya]

Great post Beth. I saw a really interesting video approach today - the Borgen project will be streaming live video of people trying to raise money. Very out of the traditional (video) box. More here!