Video content is rapidly increasing in popularity across such social media platforms including TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Although the thought of creating video content for the first time might seem daunting, the tips below can guide you in creating thoughtful video content that is sure to make a lasting impression on your stakeholders, increase engagement, and help users feel connected to your mission.

Here are some video content tips that are relevant to the nonprofit, education, healthcare, and animal health sectors:

Don’t overcomplicate it and add the human touch

Videos will ultimately help increase the amount of time that people spend on your social media profiles. Social media users see a wide variety of video content daily, so it is important to be authentic and creative. An overly produced video can look too polished, while a more organic approach can peak stakeholder interest. While it seems counterintuitive, spending less and shooting video in-house, even on a high-quality smart phone, can generate more engagement than a professional video production.

Consider using video to communicate organization updates, highlight staff members and their work, provide relevant industry updates, and share testimonials from people and companies who have been impacted by the work you do. This type of content adds a personal touch and helps social media users learn about the impact of your work. Keeping followers updated helps build a connection with stakeholders who may be inclined to share your content with their personal and work-related networks. Additionally, providing useful and important information will help build trust and get people to tune into your messages.

Stay consistent and produce thoughtful content

Regularly producing content is important. If you are new to creating videos, setting a weekly or monthly goal is helpful and can ensure you reach your marketing and communications and objectives. One way to help keep video content fresh is to share a video message from a different staff member each week or on, say, the first business day of the month. This will humanize your organization and showcase things like upcoming events, webinars, speeches, interesting projects, or fun facts. As a bonus, your followers will begin to look forward to this content and come back for more! Keep in mind that your videos don’t need to be long. In fact, short videos of 20-45 seconds, are better for social channels and email marketing campaigns. To keep the interest of your viewers, create videos that are straight-to-the point, offer novel information and visuals, and do not have a built-in sales pitch.

Rosica has specific tips on creating video content and has identified beginner-friendly editing apps you can readily access here.

Know how to circulate and promote your video content

The algorithms of social media apps can at times be tricky to navigate. To make sure your content is reaching your intended audience, it’s important to strategize how to distribute it wide and far. To effectively share your videos, take advantage of the story feature on Instagram and Facebook. This will help make your posts visible to followers who might have missed your post on their timeline. Posting on stories is also interactive and can ensure stronger engagement. Don’t be afraid to circulate your video content in other ways. An Instagram video or reel can also be shared on TikTok, or a TikTok video can be repurposed on Instagram or Facebook.

Key takeaways

Video content is here to stay, and now is the time to assess how you can best communicate your mission, differentiators, and value through video. Take the time to experiment and see what works best for your organization. There is a plethora of free apps and resources for video creation and editing, so it’s easier than ever before to use this medium for storytelling and to showcase your people and your best work.