We can learn a lot from the mass of highly successful viral videos on YouTube and other online communities. What makes these videos great is that they capture trends and emotions and express them in creative and entertaining ways.
Unfortunately many nonprofit videos end up like watching bad public access TV. If your nonprofit video is six minutes long and as fresh as a canned PSA from the 1960s, you can benefit from borrowing these basic elements of viral video glory:
1.) Be authentic.
2.) Be homemade.
3.) Be original.
4.) Let someone else have the camera: a supporter, a beneficiary, whomever.
5.) Give up control: let that someone else say what they want.
6.) Give people a reason to watch and something easy to do.
Take a look at your videos and see how many of these you're following. It may be time for a re-make of your nonprofit's online videos!
