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Slide Deck

  • Videos are a way for the leaders and staff of news organizations to connect their news coverage with personalities and stories that resonate with the audience. This is particularly important when asking something of the viewer — such as financial support, in any form.
  • Video and Livestream Tips
    • Fundraising campaigns that feature personal videos raise 150% more than those that don’t. Video testimonials with personal stories make viewers feel emotionally connected and help them understand what their money or time will accomplish. 
    • Choose the right type of video – Think about your audience and goals—what is the story you want to tell, and what action do you want viewers to make? You may want to make a video that articulates the stories of the impact you’re having in your community.
    • Will there be a call to action? A direct ask to donate to your campaign? Will you include several voices or testimonials, or just one?
    • Doesn’t have to be fancy
      • For making online videos, the camera on most smartphones will often do just as well as a fancy camera
      • Adding subtitle captions is an online video best practice for accessibility and ease of watching for everyone in your audience.
      • Add an emotional punch to your video by simply adding music.
    • Feature your people – Show the faces of your community in your Giving Tuesday videos. Including your reporters, staff members and/or community members in your videos will make them feel even more connected to your cause and encourage them to share them with their larger networks.
    • Write a script – Write your video script beforehand to ensure you don’t end up with awkward pauses or cut-off sentences. This will also ensure that you get impactful, well-articulated statements from your participants.
      • Keep it short and sweet – Most people don’t watch videos over 60 seconds. Keep your viewers’ attention by keeping your video between 30-60 seconds. If you have more content than that to share, split your story into a few videos to break things up. 
      • Section it out – Whether you’re knocking it out in one take or editing together a few pieces, make sure you have a beginning, middle, and end. Determine which key points you want to make and when you want to make them.
        • Allow space for ad-libbing  Writing out a script offers the speaker support and ensures you articulate your message well. But some of the best content can come from giving your speaker the space to contribute anecdotes or feelings. In your script, include a section or sentence starter for speakers to share a brief story or a personal reflection of why they are joining your Giving Tuesday campaign.
        • Share at least one statistic While people and their stories should be the central component of your Giving Tuesday video, back up your storytelling with some data or a piece of quantifiable information that viewers can walk away with about your impact or issue. 
        • Clearly state your call to action—and end on it Every viewer should know exactly how they can support your cause when your Giving Tuesday video ends. Asking for a donation? Share the URL verbally and with text in your frame. And don’t forget to have a clickable link to the donation page in your caption!
      • Promote it
        • Add to your Givebutter page
        • Add to Giving Tuesday email blasts
        • Send in text messages to supporters
        • Share directly on social media 
      • Note: Videos uploaded to Youtube, Vimeo, Facebook, Twitch can be embedded into your Givebutter page. 
      • Source: https://givebutter.com/blog/giving-tuesday-video-livestreaming
  • Video Examples
    • Manchester Ink Link
      • Raised over $16,000 promoting their 2021 year-end campaign
      • The daily “asks” were framed in various ways, from examples of our reporting to heartfelt appeals.
      • The publisher produced a promotional video which was posted on their website, eNews and on Facebook.
      • Video Link
    • Long Beach Post
      • Long Beach Post had success with video for both their COVID-19 and 2021  LNF campaigns.
      • Then Publisher David Sommers created direct, personalized, and effective video to connect with readers. 
      • Covid-19 Video Link; Video Link
    • Houston Defender
      • Sonny Messiah-Jiles publisher of The Defender in Houston, Texas, has used a series of video messages to convey to supporters the importance of their contributions during COVID-19 and to thank them for donations. 
      • Video Link ; Thank You Video Link
    • The Charlotte Post
      • Herbert L. White, the editor in chief of The Charlotte Post, a newspaper serving the African American community in Charlotte, N.C., share a personalized video on their Covid-19 program page.
      • Video Link
    • The Columbian
    • Other Examples:
      • New York Michigan Solutions Journalism Collaborative; Video Link
      • The Advocate
  • Video Resources
  • Drop In Appointments

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