Look no further if you're wondering what types of videos or stories you should create for your environmental nonprofit or cleantech company. Investing in evergreen video content will help maximize your ROI for years because they are always relevant. These evergreen stories are the cornerstones of your organization.
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What is a Cornerstone Story? 🤔
Cornerstone stories are the primary and foundational stories that anchor your organization in others' minds, helping them understand what you do, how you do it, why you do it, your approach, and your impact. To get the most value from these story types, they should be aligned with your holistic organizational storytelling practice. Otherwise, you're wasting time and resources.
The 5 Evergreen Video Content for Your Organization
Muse Storytelling suggests three cornerstone stories: impact, values, and origin. We're taking cornerstone stories further by adding two more relevant stories: the explainer and the process/approach story.
Let's break down all five stories, including how they can be used, and share some examples.
Origin Story, aka Founder Story
Purpose: Share your journey and the problem that prompted your organization to exist.
Distribution: Website About page, social channels, and the start of new relationships.
Our friends at Muse often say, "A story is the shortest distance between two people." When you meet someone new, telling them your origin story can help you connect with them by showing who you are, what makes you unique, and what you stand for.
When someone asks about your organization, jumping into a list of facts and figures can be tempting. However, sharing a well-crafted origin story can be much more effective in helping others understand your values, mission, and history.
By providing context and motivation behind your work, you can help potential supporters determine if their values align with yours. This can ultimately lead to stronger connections and more meaningful support for your cause.
Impact Story
Purpose: Show a real example of when your work has made an impact.
Distribution: Website program pages, social channels, events, and newsletters.
Impact storytelling is powerful for showcasing positive change and building donor trust. According to Donorbox, donors are 1.4 times more likely to donate to a nonprofit after watching a story-based video.
Potential donors often seek assurance that their contributions will make a difference, and crafting impactful stories helps to inspire them to donate or learn more about the organization. While origin stories are great for getting to know the organization, impact stories are for people ready to decide whether to support your organization.
Value Story aka Why Story
Purpose: Share why your organization does what it does.
Distribution/Use: Website About or Homepage. Filter employee candidates or business partners through your why.
A "Why Story" provides insight into why your organization does what it does. It's not about what you do but the values that drive your work, even when funding is low and you're working long hours. Your why and values become a magnet, attracting those who share your values and are willing to support you.
"Why Stories" are not for those who pay lip service
A "Why Story" is a great way to address any concerns your potential donors or audience may have. By telling this story, you can connect emotionally with people and ensure they understand and support your vision. This engagement can be a crucial indicator of whether you're a good fit for each other.
Explainer Story
Purpose: Communicate what you do, who you serve, and how you do it in a clear and concise message.
Distribution: Website Homepage or About page.
Explainer Story videos help nonprofits introduce their mission, vision, and values to potential donors, volunteers, and supporters. These videos simplify complex concepts and make them easy to understand, which helps the audience quickly understand the organization's work and impact. Explainer videos are ideal for people who are new to the nonprofit.
Adding your explainer story to your homepage can increase website conversions by 86%, potentially leading to more funding or volunteer support.
Approach Story
Purpose: Demonstrate how you achieve your mission or approach to solving issues.
Distribution: Website About, Mission, or dedicated Approach page.
Approach stories can be helpful when potential supporters are familiar with your organization and seriously consider your work. Process/approach videos are especially useful in helping potential funders understand how your organization operates and what distinguishes it from other nonprofit organizations. By highlighting your organization's unique approach, potential donors can see your expertise and competence, which builds trust and increases the likelihood of donations.
Conclusion for Creating Evergreen Video Content
There are many stories your organization can tell. Still, not all are equal, nor will all produce the most return on investment. Evergreen video content has a long lifespan. It continues to be relevant and engaging for audiences.
This can result in increased engagement and views, which can help build a loyal audience and establish a brand or channel as a trusted content source. You can never go wrong with investing in these cornerstone stories; they'll serve you for years.