Nonprofits Trending Toward Image Communications
New reports are finding that more nonprofits are looking to use visual media more often to communicate ideas and appeals.
Video, images and infographics are leading areas of communication which will be distributed through websites and email. This fits with trends for other marketing categories. The movement to video is true across all platforms.
The communications goals cited as most important included: 1) Engaging our Community; 2) Retaining Current Donors; 3) General Brand Awareness; 4) Acquiring New Donors; and 5) Thought Leadership.
As you look at this list, you can see that people engaged with a nonprofit will fulfill all of the other areas. The only dark spots in the study were around execution. Nonprofits reported challenges of time, resources and a clear strategy. The strategy is the most important issue facing nonprofits today in our view: Without a clear strategy, you become reactive oriented and you miss opportunities for consistent, long-term growth.
Video, images and infographics require a lot more investment of time and resources than other forms of communications. They work, but they must be done well to accomplish your goals. And they must be carefully planned for each media outlet, such as YouTube, websites and email. New media may provide many possibilities for quick and easy communication, but if it doesn’t fit your mission it will not grow engagement.
The report is the 2015 Nonprofit Communications Trends report published by Kivi Leroux Miller