Nonprofits are in so many places where news happens–political news, noteworthy speeches, publications, and their own and other organization’s major conferences. By getting your organization set up to produce quick video–a short video produced very quickly–you can jump on these opportunities fast to raise your organization’s issues and profile. (Like a cheetah that can run 60 miles per hour!)

Five reasons to use quick video to respond to breaking news

  1. Your stakeholders are looking to you. If you’re ready with a quick video, that will stand out and your organization will get credit for caring about the issue as much as your members or donors.
  2. Embed YouTube videoYou solidify your organization’s position as a key voice on an issue. A video response that can be incorporated into news stories using embed code will lead anyone interested in the issue to look your organization when similar issues appear in the news in the future.
  3. You gain attention with minimal expense. You’ll capitalize on traffic the news event itself generates.
  4. You strengthen your YouTube channel and website. Every video you have adds to the power of your YouTube channel and/or website to attract views. Search algorithms take number of videos into account, and if your videos are strategically titled and tagged, that further enhances your search engine optimization.
  5. Video will call attention to your issue that it might otherwise fail to attract. Reel SEO reported last year that among three press releases, a release with a video had 30% more clicks than a release with only an image, and 55% more than a straight text release.

The key thing with quick video is that you need to be ready

If the hot news for your audience is a your national conference, of course, you know better than anyone that the news is coming. As this article by Nonprofit Tech for Good notes, live reporting from a conference requires a dedicated person to share material, and this is a great time for quick video clips of noteworthy speeches and reactions.Five ways to prepare to produce quick video Here’s how to get ready to share your news or state your organization’s response to an event clearly, honestly, and quickly. Identify your quick video spokespeople and your camera people. Have them practice with a mock situation. Students Filming with iPad 2 by Brad Flickinger
  1. Have in the office—and bring to conferences–a camera (or even an iPad or iPhone), a tripod, and video-ready clothing, such as a solid color shirt or business attire.
  2. Identify a place to film, such as a conference room. A plain or colored background, and possibly signage with your organizational brand, can make a simple, professional image.
  3. Have intros and outros for your video ready to go, such as an animated logo, to give your opening and closing a little polish.
  4. Develop a relationship with a video production company in order to have any extra skills you need on tap. Make ready to send amateur shot video to your production company and get a well-packaged product quickly.
Whenever possible, make a plan for quick video when you know news is going to break. Most of the time you’ll have at least a few days’ notice. Talk with your staff and/or your video production company and tell them what you’re thinking. Plan concise wording for talking about your organization and any key talking points. Then dust off your backdrop, and get ready for showtime. As video grows we believe more and more organizations will be posting and sharing quick video responses to breaking news, and that members and other stakeholders will be expecting it. We hope to help you be on the forefront of the trend. If MiniMatters can help you with business video, fundraising video, association video, or other video production needs, we’d love to provide an estimate through our online form, talk with you at 301-339-0339, or communicate via email at [email protected]. We serve associations, foundations, nonprofits, and businesses primarily in Washington, DC, Maryland, and northern Virginia.