15 Seconds — Or Less

by George Konetes | Aug 30, 2019 | Digital

There was a day when you had 30 minutes of infomercial time to communicate your story, explain the need, show the solution, and inspire people to join with your organization’s vision. Today you have 15 seconds to do the same thing with video on the Facebook network. The idea is daunting, and the transition seems impossible to make. But not only can this type of video marketing be done, but it can be done well.

The New Age of Video

Historically video required a lot of time, resources, and experienced on-camera talent to produce well. This way of thinking must be broken to be effective in digital fundraising. The new age of video is different. It is fast paced, right to the point, and filled with energy. It is point first, message first, and mobile first.

Spoken words are not needed, on camera personnel is not needed, even video footage is not always needed. Still images with captions, transitions, and a music bed can be used to create a highly effective video.

Facebook tells us that the optimal length for video is now 15 seconds or less. And the video must communicate 100% of its message with no audio — yet add even more value to users who turn on their audio.

Social Video for Fundraising

I must admit, I was skeptical at first that this new method could work for fundraising, specifically new donor acquisition. For years photos and 60 second videos ruled the day, but I later learned that a photo was too little and a 60 second video had too much filler. Believe it or not, I now feel liberated to have an entire 15 seconds at my disposal to tell a story and I appreciate the challenge of limiting the message to its most basic and inspiring elements.

To make this approach work you need to think more about emotion than information. You need excellent images or great video clips, and a good understanding of your target audience.

Where to Start

Begin with a laser focused message. You cannot tell your whole story, instead tell a single piece of your story that is filled with emotion. Begin by using the native Facebook tools to create a video from seven images or less with very short captions. Give each slide two seconds for a 14 second total run time.

Write the Facebook ad copy to fill in the gaps left by the video. Then use the donation page to give enough information to validate your cause and give people the confidence to act with a small gift. Once everything is done, find the perfect sound bed for the video that adds emotion for anyone who hears it.

And of course, this is just the beginning, of what is possible.

Let Infinity Concepts help you ramp up your Facebook video fundraising!
Reach out to DARRELL LAW, our Chief Growth Officer, at darrell@infinityconcepts.com
or call us today at 724.733.1200 X26.