5 ideas for your not-for-profit’s next Instagram reel

You may have noticed that Instagram is no longer a photo-sharing app.

The Head of Instagram, Adam Mosseri, has been clear about their pivot to video content. At the moment, reels are being heavily promoted by Instagram across their app, and they occupy twice as much space on the Instagram Explore page than static content does. And with 91% of active Instagram users watching videos on Instagram weekly, it’s not a surprising move. 

So if you aren’t uploading video content to your NFP’s instagram account, it’s time to rethink your social media strategy. 

Regularly uploading video content can greatly increase your NFP’s potential for discovery, and growth. The right type of video content can:

• Help your donors more deeply understand your impact

• Educate new audiences on your cause 

• Inspire loyalty and trust 

• Generate awareness and interest in your fundraising campaign

• Increase your click-through rate

The beauty about video content for Instagram and TikTok is that it doesn't need to be high-production. In fact we’ve found audiences respond better to more authentic content. 

So what kind of low-cost, but highly-effective videos can your NFP create that will make your audience stop scrolling and actually engage?  

1. The Elevator Pitch - Get in and out, quickly.

Your elevator pitch is showing your audience that you know about the problem, and that you’re best equipped to solve it. Simple put, start with a problem and then present a solution.

For example:

• Share a statistic or fact about your cause, and then mobilise them to take action. 

• Tell a story about a person who has benefitted from your services, and let them know about the support available. 

2. Impact, first and foremost - Grab attention and build trust.

It’s vital to let your audiences know about your impact. This builds trust, and trust is mighty important to generate giving. This can be done through actively sharing milestones or accomplishments. 

For example:

• Showcase your years in operation

• Share the number of people you’ve supported

• Highlight your staff members’ achievements 

• Show behind the scenes from the field

3. Step-by-step - Show your audience how to get involved.

This is a simple, easy way to show audiences, supporters or fundraisers how to get involved. In the past we may have used a carousel to step out the process, but now we can use a Reel!

For example:

• How to engage with a resource or tool

• How to fundraise

4. Day in the life - Build camaraderie

Short, sharp ‘day in the life’ content from your not-for-profit’s ambassadors, influencers or recipients help to engage a wider audience. These videos help to make your cause more tangible, honest and real by bringing a personal story to the forefront.

5. Tap into Trends - Don't be afraid to hop on board.

In most cases, simplicity is the key - start with a simple one, like a trending song or sound. Plan for agility and dedicate some time to be able to ‘react’ to trends into your social media schedule. But before hopping on a trend, be sure to research the trend or sound, to make sure you know where it originated from.

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