This blog post is based on podcast episode. Listen now: Creating Compelling Video Content: Communicate Authentically by Going Off-Script.

Podcasts and videos have been around for decades, and their popularity continues to grow. In a world where an increasing number of us consume information through digital channels, rather than traditional ones like newspapers or broadcast television, video can supercharge how you communicate your mission.

Video is ideal for storytelling. From imagery to dialogue to intentional moments of silence, video is a sensory experience. It’s a unique channel for connecting with others because it can engage on many different levels. A well-crafted video can make viewers feel like they are sitting and chatting with you – and still be affordable.

Expensive equipment isn’t necessary; anyone can capture powerful stories with a cell phone. Your team can manage locally shot videos alongside evergreen content you developed with professional videographers. What matters most is providing authentic content that tells the story of what your organization does and how it makes a difference.

Ten years ago, World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) developed The Last Selfie, an innovative campaign that used Snapchat to share images of dozens of endangered animals.

Teenagers embraced the channel to send quick messages and videos that disappeared after a few seconds. Once a post was gone, viewers could never retrieve it. WWF realized that this particular technology perfectly aligned with its mission of raising awareness of endangered animals before it was too late.

The videos gave WWF a way to communicate authentically with people they wanted to reach, potential donors. They created conversation by telling animals’ stories. There was no script; the animals, in effect, told their own stories.

If you’d like to add video to your communications strategy or invigorate your current program, here are some things to keep in mind.

Seek Out Personal Stories for Testimonials

Many people share in your mission: team members, strategic partners, beneficiaries, volunteers, donors, and community members, to name a few.

A strong digital program will include video that reflects a range of experiences with your organization. Film frequently to build a robust library of content you can manage and repurpose in different ways. To begin, make a list of people to ask about sharing their stories.

Before recording begins, get people to feel comfortable. Prepare a short list of questions to keep the conversation flowing. When you ask someone if they’d be willing to share their story, let them know you’d like to help others with similar experiences. To help put them at ease, tell them they don’t need to prepare anything; they just need to chat with you about their experiences with your organization.

Film the Conversation, Not the Script

Create a comfortable space for guests to share their stories to set the tone for the finished project.

Most people don’t feel comfortable using a script to speak about their experiences. When something affects them, they prefer to talk about it in their own words. Natural vocal inflections characterize what they say and how they say it. Tone, pitch, and volume are all part of the story, and they change reflexively as people experience different emotions. Rather than facilitating dialogue, scripts inhibit the conversation in this setting.

If you focus on getting people who share their stories to relax and speak from the heart, you are more likely to create an emotional connection with the viewer. Working without a script allows people to share their stories authentically — in their own voice, infused with their emotions. What we’re watching feels real because it is authentic. Their story is the script.

Authenticity is a Strength

It’s about sharing an experience rather than creating a performance.

Authenticity is the common thread among the most watched videos and video channels. People tune in because they feel connected and return because they are engaged. Viewers will choose an unpolished, unedited video over a highly polished one that feels stiff.

So, aim to be a supportive partner. If you step from behind the camera and position yourself to the side, you’ll change the dynamic, remove a barrier, and redirect focus from the camera—which can feel very intimidating—to the conversation.

Your questions keep the conversation flowing. Since you can edit later, capture as much footage as possible of your guests opening up and sharing their stories. Don’t strive for perfection; just let the story unfold.

Be prepared to help your storyteller when needed, but lead rather directly. Try lowering your voice to lower the energy in a more emotional part of the story. To shift to a more upbeat tone, try smiling broadly. Your guest will respond instinctively. Finally, consider adding music to the final video where appropriate to deepen the impact.

Authenticity and Transparency Go Hand in Hand

The main goal is to achieve a relaxed conversation you can share with your audience. Letting the speaker tell their story creates a more natural, intimate conversation. Viewers recognize a level of trust inherent in sharing a personal story. That presents an opportunity for nonprofits to demonstrate transparency, which donors often cite as their primary consideration in deciding which organizations to support.

Video also offers an advantage in enabling updates. You can repurpose content you didn’t use.

You can revisit a story that garnered a lot of interest to provide new information. Imagine a powerful video where a beneficiary shares how your organization changed their life and what it meant to them. You can check in with them for an update in six months or a year, if they are willing.

Share continuing stories built around people your organization helped to keep donors and volunteers connected. It illustrates how your work does more than provide a temporary solution — it has an ongoing impact.

Building Content

The more authentic and engaging your content is, the more people tune in. That means you’ll need to grow your content library. Content creation can include repurposed items, extended clips, and compilations, which can all be used across social media, embedded in emails, and throughout your website.

Add video to a landing page — the first page a visitor sees — to increase the time visitors remain on your site, consuming more of your content. Provide authentic videos to keep them engaged with your mission. You can share additional stories and guide them through your site.

You can also keep visitors engaged with a video FAQ page. This page provides additional information on common questions, including donation processes, volunteer programs, payment methods, company matching, and intake. Video responses add a human touch. They can engage team members or facilitate the experience of people seeking help from your organization.

There are many possibilities for elevating your mission through video. Your video content doesn’t have to strive for the same global reach as the Last Selfie campaign; it just needs to share authentic stories to build connections.

Authentic storytelling will drive visibility, engage supporters, enhance outreach, and steward donors. Video is designed for impact. Cell phones empower users to produce content that is as compelling as more costly, high-production content.

Incorporate video into your content strategy for a powerful, cost-friendly way to ensure your nonprofit stands out.