Before producing a viral video and spread it all over the internet, there are different areas and aspects to look at. These collection of tips will help you going through them.

Content

The aim of a video for fundraising is to obtain a response of support from your audience, be it a donation, a comment, a forward or an invitation to show your talents. How you express your mission will reflect about your organization- your - identity, which will condition this goal. Bear in mind:

• The message must be convincing and build trust: It is essential that your video speaks directly to the potential supporter. Exposing your cause and action with clarity and conviction achieves best results.

   

• The viral potential of the content: Paul Phillips, online fundraiser for PETA - well known for their 'hot' campaigns- suggests that "the biggest thing is having something that hits a nerve with people - which can be funny or controversial. It's more just [about] finding a subject matter that will end up really pulling people back in on their own" . An important rule to remember if you are monetizing your videos with ads.

   

• Measure entertainment as a marketing tool: “The entertainment component of a viral advertisement subverts the commercial intent of a marketing message”. This principle can be useful but remember you want to build trust. Genuineness pays double.

   

• The shorter, the better: Golden rule for a viral. Most successful videos are no longer than 1'30'' min.

   

• An added element of popularity increases the viral potential: The video “Glee's 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' with Oil Spill” from Environmental Defense Fund incorporates a song from the popular television serial. In just five days, it reached more than 210.000 views in Youtube.

Audience and Context

A video used for a presentation has different characteristics than one used for an internet campaign or a documentary pitch. In an online context, the information is not complemented with the interpersonal experience. Yet, with the right tools, you can create a powerful new media message and make it as effective.

For this, it is crucial to know about the internet media itself and the way your potential supporters are using it. I cover this topic in my previous blog “Fundraising with video and viral promotion” .

Technologies 

There is no need to have strong technical skills neither expensive equipment to create a viral video piece.  There are currently a lot of free resources online that will give you precise advice about how to make the most of your camera, transfer files to your computer, use the right compression codecs to maximize image quality or about strategic tagging and thumbnailing. I highly recommend these two sources:

• Plug in Turn on: A Guide to Internet Filmmaking : A step-by-step instruction manual for Internet filmmakers of all levels of experience by the creators of Plugincinema.com . It's available for free in a pdf version. 

   

• WITNESS Video Advocacy Resources& Tools: A human rights organization that uses video as a main tool for their advocacy. They have a rich resource section to help advocates optimally integrate video into their advocacy work. 

 In fact, the technologies involved and the whole process are optimized so that everyone can make it. The point is: how effectively. If you have no previous knowledge, leverage the time and energy that all the learning-production process takes. It is a good idea to have someone with media skills in your team. And remember you can always delegate some parts of the process to be most efficient. When allocating your budget, consider the option of hiring a freelancer and think of the advantages of a professional work. In any case, be aware that you can make it.

Distributing your film

To achieve the viral effect it is a must to maximize the visibility of your videos. This means you need to publish and distribute them in as many sites as possible.

• Video Sharing Platforms: No doubt YouTube ranks number one in the list of popularity. Yet, there are many other notable viral video sites with a high reach: Archive.org, Vimeo, Google Video, Metacafe, Viddler, etc. Some of them develop a more specialized audience and others like Revver attach commercials and offer a revenue based on clicks/number of views. Blip TV offers optional advertising with a 50/50 share. But the best news are that it is now possible to upload your video and distribute it in other video-sharing platforms at once. TubeMogul and HeySpread! are free web services that provide this great solution.

• P2P networks : Consider as well distributing your film in peer-to-peer networks like Gnutella, eDonkey or BitTorrent. These don't require a server or website and will reach different users through an alternative internet context.

Donations

Setup an easy way for people to give, whether that be a donations button or a simple way to receive information via e-mail. There are some online services like Google Checkout which are free for non-profits and simplify the process of paying for online purchases. Paypal is another option, but be aware that it charges a commission.

Keeping the audience engaged

Using online video and blogs help your supporters keep connected to your mission and activity. However, you need to keep motivation high. Once you have created your channel:

• Keep your content fresh and make frequent uploads. The time it takes will make up for itself in the stronger commitments you will receive.

• Update your donors in a regular basis.

• Only use meaningful content. Mind the current overload of information.

• Know the channels your supporters are using. Social networks, mailing lists or video platforms are different tools and imply different languages. Be ready to respond likewise.

• Cultivate relationships. Let your supporters know how valued and important their contribution is.

   

   

Spreading the message

This last part of the whole process involves a wise use of web technologies.  Plus, it will prove the efficiency of your content based on how people reacts to it.

• Social networks and related blogs: Submit videos in these platforms and include links in your messages, twits, e-mails, etc. 

• Tagging: Make your videos easy to find. Link them to your content. 

• E-mail broadcasting: Personalized mails create a more positive feeling about the message than those addressed to long e-mail lists. This method might slow the spread of the content but it builds stronger sender-receiver relationships.

• Find a balance: Do to harass your supporters with too many updates and excess of information. The use of localized and targeted e-mails will decrease the chances of your content ending in the spam folder.

• Embedding and banners: Readers can further spread the word about the campaign by adding banner options to websites and blogs. The use of the "embed" button facilitates the distribution of your video into other online platforms. 

A long term strategy

There is a time window of one year for a viral video campaign to achieve some fundraising results. Yet, building an audience over time means that each video has a core audience who will help to spread it further in the long term.

Patience is required in this endeavor. Note that, in the meantime, you can improve your practice. So please, share your own tips!

( Featured image: Snapshot from a viral video of Anaheim Ballet, an example of an arts organization with a strong online fundraising and viral media approach.)