How to nail your project video

While adding a video to your page isn’t mandatory, research suggests it’s incredibly worthwhile. 

Do you recall the phrase ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’? Well, it could be said that a video is worth a thousand pictures! As the online world becomes more video-centric, it’s becoming more important for projects to include a crowdfunding video in their plan. When we compared the success of projects with and without a video, we found that projects with a video are 86% more likely to be successful than projects without. 

There could be a few reasons for this stark statistic, starting with the fact that a video allows projects to communicate their personality and passion in a much stronger way than text alone. People fund people – this is one of the crowdfunding cornerstones. If your project page is engaging, emotive and relatable, it’s more likely to connect with potential supporters. 

In addition, not only can you use your crowdfunding video as the centrepiece on your project page, you can also share it across social media to draw attention to your crowdfunding efforts. With the rise of popular video platform TikTok, other social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram are increasingly focusing on video. This means that if you’re posting a video, it’s more likely to be seen. 

So if you’re serious about raising money through crowdfunding and want to make your project as successful as possible, you should be planning to make a crowdfunding video. Let’s look at some examples to stoke your creativity, then run through our top tips for creating your own engaging video.

BE THE CRITIC

There are 101 ways to go about making a crowdfunding video. It’s interesting to see how people approach this task differently and definitely helps to give you an idea of what works well. Using our crowdfunding video scoring sheet, watch some of these examples and take note of what you like and what you’d change. When you’re planning your own project video, look back on these notes and make sure you follow your own advice.

1. Community inspired mural on Downhills Park Cafe

2. Goodness Zero Waste

3. The Leicestershire and Rutland Youth Sailing Association

TOP TIPS TO NAIL YOUR CROWDFUNDING VIDEO

1. Keep it short and sweet

Less is more when it comes to video. Keep it short, 1-2 minutes maximum. Make sure you get the key information into the first 30 seconds – who, what, why, how? 

2. Write down your key points 

If you’re struggling to think of what to say, write down your key points or even a loose script. Either way, don’t be afraid to ad-lib and speak from the heart, honesty will always win people over.

3. Do it yourself

You can record a brilliant video using your smartphone or camera, so don’t worry about having to get a professional in. You might already have some footage from past events that you can incorporate to create something bespoke for your Crowdfunder project. 

4. Edit your video

Need to cut your footage down? Want to add a voice-over? There are lots of free easy-to-use video editing software available, such as Windows 10 Video Editor and Apple iMovie. If you’re an experienced video maker, there are often free trials of more advanced software such as Adobe Premier Pro. If you want to edit your video on your phone, there are lots of options available including Adobe Premier Rush.

5. Keep it real

Getting in front of the camera will help you to build a rapport with potential supporters. Don’t be afraid to include other members of your team or people in your community, as this helps to give your project social proof. Avoid using animation video makers or image montages. They’re not as engaging as real people on camera and won’t get across your unique personality.

6. Set the scene

Think carefully about the best place to shoot your video. If your project is based around a particular building or location, it’s a good idea to use that space. You’ll also need to bear in mind any background noises that might show up in your recording. Choose a place where your voice can be clearly heard, without wind, traffic or noisy machines drowning you out.

Looking for more guidance on your crowdfunding project? Head over to our Knowledge Hub.