With more than 4 billion videos being streamed each year on Facebook, ample opportunity exists for nonprofits and political groups to utilize their library of videos for fundraising efforts on the social network.
Nonprofits are no stranger to using video to tell a story and further their mission. As we approach planning for end-of-year solicitations (when donors are eager to donate last minute tax deductible contributions), video should be the first thing nonprofit fundraisers think of.
And, to help ensure that your videos are as effective as they can be, we at Total Apps have introduced Video Checkout for Facebook, the first interactive video platform that embeds a secure payment form into any video posted and shared on Facebook.
Charities and political groups are adept at sharing their message through Facebook video posts. But when it comes to fundraising, organizations are limited to placing links to other webpages where donors enter their payment information.
Now, with the Total-Apps Video Checkout for Facebook system, any group or political figure can add an interactive element to their Facebook video to accept donations directly in the Facebook news feed. Viewers can make a contribution without ever having to leave Facebook — even on a mobile device.
Videos are popular with fundraising campaigns because they can tell a story and capture the attention of supporters. No other media can evoke such strong emotions. Studies show that fundraising with videos are 41 percent more likely to reach their fundraising goals than campaigns that do not use videos.
The Total-Apps Video Checkout for Facebook will increase viewer conversion by eliminating the friction that occurs when clicking to another web page to make a donation. With the Total-Apps system, the viewer stays engaged with the video and its message, even as they enter their payment information.
We’ve established that video is crucial to any fundraising effort. But how can you maximize its impact over your end of year campaign as well? There are 5 key reasons why nonprofits should use video as a main asset in their end of year arsenal.
1. Video Performs Better
According to Simply Measured, video posts perform extremely well on “shares.” Sharing is a valuable way to spread your content to viewers you may not necessarily follow your page or understand your cause. Engagement is key when trying to spread your video, and video receives twice the engagement compared to average posts. You’ve probably seen it happen in your timeline. Your friend engages with a viral video and you are now exposed to the content. You shouldn’t underestimate video engagement.
2. Donors Are Willing to Give During This Time
Giving Season occurs during the last few months of the year. As the holiday season approaches, people tend to feel encouraged to give more than the rest of the year. A recent study concluded that 50.5 percent of organizations receive a majority of their contributions between October and December. Understanding this fact will illustrate just how important having a strong strategy is for your end-of-year efforts.
3. Built-in Network Effect
Have you ever noticed how easy it is to deliver content to your friends and family within Facebook? You can simply tag a friend, post to their wall, or message them a link – all without leaving the Facebook platform. This built-in network effect is an opportunity for your content to be seen with ease. Encouraging your fans to “tag a friend” is a simple, yet effective way to get your video in front of a large audience.
4. Engagement Increases Visibility
As we mentioned earlier, video posts outperform any other type of post. This is largely due to the engagement video receives. Facebook engagement is defined as any comment, like, or share for a particular post. Facebook’s algorithm rewards posts with higher engagement. Because video tends to perform better overall, your campaign has a higher chance of getting in front of a large audience.
5. Easy Targeting
Facebook makes targeting an audience extremely simple, especially with Facebook Ads or Promoted Posts. You can target a group based on education, interest, behavior, and other factors that will determine if they are a likely candidate to donate to your cause. For more information on targeting an audience with Facebook Ads, check out Ad Basics from Facebook.
By now, it should be a no brainer that your nonprofit should include video as part of its end-of-year fundraising campaign. Facebook makes it extremely easy to deliver your content to a large audience, and the ability to donate within the Facebook feed makes video a winner. And, be sure to sign up for Video Checkout for Facebook so that you can start collecting now.