Let’s say you’re browsing through your timeline. One day amid the memes, the recipes, the celebrity gossip, there is this short, dramatic video. A girl in rural India walks for miles to reach water. The video isn’t fancy. It’s not a blockbuster production. You can tell it’s real, and it breaks your heart. You stop scrolling. You’re hooked. That’s the magic of video storytelling.
For nonprofits, video storytelling is a powerful platform to mobilize and affect change. In India, with complex and entrenched social issues, video is the medium that tells powerful, personal, human stories. The use of mobile internet and rising rates of access to mobile devices are leading people to consume more video content than ever. This makes it the perfect tool for nonprofits who want to educate, rally the troops or drive funds.
But the thing is, producing a video that your audience is actually excited about isn’t easy. It is not about filming and mixing up shots. It’s about telling an emotional story and at the same time making the cause stand out. Whether it’s a small NGO in a community or a multi-national nonprofit, telling inspiring stories is essential.
How then can nonprofits in India leverage the medium of video to create narratives that get people to take action? Let’s explore.
How Video Benefits Nonprofit Organizations in India?
We are a story-telling nation and storytelling is ingrained in our society. From fairytales to Bollywood films, stories have always been an avenue for interacting, teaching and enlightening. Now that you have the internet, YouTube, Instagram and WhatsApp at your disposal, video is the best way to tell these stories.
- Impact: India is the second largest online market in the world with over 700 million internet users. On low-cost data bundles such as Jio, video is a huge part of our life, especially on our phones.
- Touchpoint: Video gives nonprofits the power to show, not just talk. Watching a child attend a nonprofit school, or farmers enjoying the benefits of sustainable agriculture, is a more powerful emotional resonance than words can provide.
- Shareability: Videos are highly shareable. A good, well-told story can go viral and reach thousands (and millions) of people outside the nonprofit community.
- Real-World Example: Akshaya Patra Foundation
The Akshaya Patra Foundation, which provides a school lunch, uses video to demonstrate the power of one simple meal for the entire life of a child. In their videos, they frequently show children enjoying healthy food and explaining how the lunch programme has given them the opportunity to study rather than starve. These powerful narratives not only display their impact but make it relatively accessible for people to identify with and do something.
Crafting a Story That Resonates
If you’re creating video for nonprofits, you don’t just need a camera and a cause. Storytelling is the key to making a video. But why does a narrative appeal to the public?
1. Know Your Audience
Knowing your target audience is extremely important. It is an audience that can range from urban millennials to the rural masses in India. Every community has its own values, vocabulary and media tastes. A video targeted to urban donors, for instance, might speak to the long-term impact of their gift, while a video targeted at rural donors might highlight how the nonprofit is addressing immediate, local challenges.
2. Focus on the Human Element
Humans are connected to people, not numbers. Statistics are nice, but stories made with people are what’s most memorable. For example, rather than “We gave 5000 water filters,” show a woman in a village opening her first filter and drinking clean water. Let her tell her story. Let the audience see the relief, happiness and gratitude on her face.
3. Keep It Simple and Authentic
Don’t overcomplicate the message. Charities generally target squeamish causes such as poverty, education and sustainability. The message must be unambiguous. Authenticity is key. Do not use over the top production methods that throw you off-track from the narrative. A direct, raw story will generally be more successful than a budget-crunchy, mass-produced video.
4. Advanced CTA (Call to Action)
It’s important that your video contains a very specific CTA. Whether it’s a call to action for people to give, volunteer, or spread the word, the CTA should be specific and practical. As an illustration, “Give 500 to feed a child for a month” works better than “Give us food for kids”.
What Kinds of Videos Can Nonprofits Make?
You don’t need to have exactly the same video. Depending on the mission, nonprofits can experiment with video formats to get people’s attention.
1. Impact Stories
These videos highlight the people whose work benefits the nonprofit. They showcase real-life individuals whose lives are remade. This format is great for establishing attachments and inspiring donations.
For instance, Goonj, a rural-urban resource redistribution NGO, often deploys impact story videos to highlight the transformational impact of their projects, such as cloth donation and recycling of trash.
2. Behind-the-Scenes
They like to see how an organization works behind the scenes. A Behind the Scenes video allows your audience to understand what goes on at your nonprofit, what challenges you’re dealing with, and what inspires your staff.
Example: Pratham Education Foundation, an organization committed to education improvements has published behind-the-scenes footage of their teachers and volunteers at their rural schools to show how dedicated and focused they are in their work.
3. Event Highlights
If you run fundraisers, awareness campaigns or volunteer drives, producing a highlight video will help to establish trust and show others how involved and engaged your nonprofit is.
4. Testimonial Videos
Ask donors, volunteers or beneficiaries to come on camera and tell their story. This is also a way to inject a sense of trust and credibility into your cause, as people are inclined to believe those who know something about your organization from their first-hand experience.
For instance, Teach For India likes to include videos from their fellows and students as testimonials about the effect of their programmes in order to engage potential donors and volunteers.
Production Tips for Nonprofits
Making a video can be intimidating, especially for a nonprofit with limited resources. But with some preparation even a small team can produce engaging content.
1. Start with a Script
Make sure you have a script or outline written down before you start filming. Know your narrative, the characters and the message you’re trying to convey.
2. Leverage Low-Cost Tools
You don’t need a pro camera to produce an interesting video. These days, phones have great video features. Video editing apps such as InShot or Adobe Rush will help you edit video on a budget. It is about content, not production.
3. Keep it Short
Attention spans are limited, particularly online. Seek videos of 2-3 minutes that are straight to the point. Extended videos can be used for deeper stories, but they should be compelling enough to capture the attention of your audience.
4. Use Subtitles
In an Indo-European country such as India, subtitles are mandatory. Even if your video is in Hindi, Tamil or English, subscribing will ensure that users from different places will be able to grasp and consume your video.
Soft Pitch – Why Work with Reset Media?
At Reset Media, we know what it’s like for nonprofits to create effective videos. We’ve engaged with institutions in India to help them use narratives that resonate, motivate and drive action. Whether you’re looking for scripts, production or editing, we’ll do our best to turn your ideas into change-makers.
Conclusion – The Force of Video to Motivate Change
Video is no longer an optional commodity in our digital age. For Indian nonprofits, it is a means to tell their stories, reach donors, and get people to take action. If you’re sharing the story of one beneficiary, or demonstrating the bigger picture of your impact, the right video can make all the difference.