New research from the Content Marketing Institute highlights the value of content marketing for not-for-profit organisations.

Joe Pulizzi, founder of CMI, shares his favourite insights into how not-for-profit organisations embrace content marketing. It’s intriging reading and includes a crafty slidedeck. Some of the most interesting results are included in a handy datagraphic.

It’s not surprising the not-for-profit sector is moving into the content marketing space. According to the survey, 49% find it helpful for increasing fundraising. More than two-thirds of the NFPs say they’ve intensified the amount of content they’re producing over last year.

The NFP advantage with content marketing

One thing we bang on about at Lush is the importance of telling stories with your content. We know audiences are more likely to do business with an organisation who can inform and entertain at the same time. It’s a challenging task for many companies, especially those selling less than glamorous products and services. We can’t all be Red Bull!

Not-for-profit organisations often have great stories to tell. Charities and community organisations are loaded with human-interest stories and agendas for the betterment of the planet. The work is often highly emotive, making it much easier to get people interested than if you’re selling a new widget. A recent example of great content marketing for the not-for-profit sector is the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.

Not-for-profit video production 

It’s not surprising 82% of the respondents in the research say they use videos. We have many not-for-profit clients jumping on board with content marketing. Content production does not have to be costly and the benefits are huge in terms of spreading the message and ultimately continuing the work of organisations who rely on the time, dedication and funding of both the public and private sectors.

We have previously written about the effectiveness of video production in the not-for-profit sector. Video is the 3rd most effective tactic outranking blogging, white papers and case studies. Making an emotional connection through visual story telling is the best way to make an impact and lead to action.

Great examples of NFP videos

Here’s an example of a video we made recently for Nulsen, a charity caring for and supporting the severely disabled. The production was in aid of their 60th anniversary celebrations and highlights the talent and passion of residents brought about by the dedication and support of the Nulsen staff.

Here’s a video which is part of a series we produced for WA Ballet. Each video focussed on one discipline, each one essential in the art of ballet:

For more examples please visit our website. If you’re interested in how your not-for-profit company can use videos in their content marketing efforts, give us a call. We love to work with charitable organsiations to help them tell their story through video. If you’d like to know more about creating a content marketing strategy for your not-for-profit, we can help with that, too.

Lucy Helliwell