In this post, we’ll give you the simple answer to why images and videos are essential in online fundraising, as well as some do’s and don’ts you should keep in mind. Not everything can be said in words, but it is a fact that everything and anything can be shown with a picture. Specifically, images of any kind help us visualize and connect with what we’re reading and hearing more.
There is no doubt that online fundraising has become the most popular way to raise money in the last few years. However, with rapid growth comes a lot of information that can be overwhelming. A lot of research shows that a tech-savvy millennial has a memory that lasts just seven seconds, which is one moment less than the famous goldfish.
With information overload becoming more common on the internet, visuals have evolved to have an undeniable power in the virtual world of telling stories, which is why they are so important. In the internet world, images make people more interested by 313 percent. So, how do you use visuals to help raise money online?
1: Visuals help the donor do less work
Many of you will click on an online fundraiser if it doesn’t have any pictures. Not too many. It is well understood that humans are visible creatures. It’s not a good idea to make people feel like they have to do something to help you raise money. Images are always a good idea when you donate to a cause because they make it clear, accurate, and urgent. Then they have to do an extra task called picturing.
Verbal images are a new thing that people are interested in. Verbal imagery is just a way to show the essential parts of your story in a few words. When you say, “A father is trying to save his sick son,” you can say, “A helpless father is trying to save his 7-year-old son from the clutches of a brain tumor.”
Even though this method adds more specificity and lets your donors see more clearly, it doesn’t eliminate the requirement for them to do work to see what you’re saying. You can make your donors feel more at ease and not do extra work by picturing things. Images are the best way to make this happen.
2: Visuals provide a personal touch
Online fundraising mainly works because people who don’t know each other give money to causes they care about. Because not everyone who donates to your cause has a personal history and connection with you, the reason for the story. Because of this, it’s essential to make an emotional connection with people, and images can help you do that. It puts a face to a cause, giving the donor a better idea of the bigger picture.
If the goal is to raise money for a specific project, the images that go with it will be different. To raise funds for creative tasks like making a movie or going on tour with a band, it is always good to show pictures of the band or the film crew.
It’s important to know what the energy behind this idea looks like so that you can understand it better. Photos of your shoots and places where you edited them can get donors’ attention as you update.
Donors will be better likely to support you if you show them pictures of the founders, business meetings, and brainstorming sessions. This will help you build that connection with them. When it comes to medical fundraising, pictures of patients while appealing to donors help them form a personal relationship with the people they want to help. Also, pictures of how the patient is doing after surgery and getting better help donors see how their money makes a difference.
3: There’s something for everyone at the store
Each minute, barriers start to form in the virtual world as more and more people from different backgrounds join in. Your language barriers are the thing that stands out the most to everyone who sees you. It’s not easy to read, but it’s easy to process pictures. That makes the language of images universal.
Another essential thing to think about is how your donor processes information? Everyone processes information in a different way. Jargon, medical terms, and big words don’t bother some people, but reading isn’t their favorite thing to do. With images, there’s one for everyone! This is a good thing!
Use graphs, charts, and tables when there is a lot of data-based information about the cause. This can help the donor get a good sense of the fundraising initiative. There are a lot of ways that trending GIFs and memes can help raise money for causes that are more creative, personal, or unique:
If you’re trying to promote a new product or service, using infographics and breaking down the qualitative and quantitative aspects can be a great way to get the word out. Videos can make a huge difference in raising money for medicine.
These videos can talk about the patient’s medical condition, background and goals, the cost of the medical procedure, and more. This helps the donor get information from people who are part of the bigger picture. Now that we’ve learned more about why images are so crucial in online fundraising, it’s time to talk about what to do and what not to do next.
Do’s
1- Take clear pictures. Videos and images should be as transparent as possible, so make sure they are as straightforward as possible.
This is how you should do it:
2- Make sure your images have a good resolution. Having a smaller picture might make it look pixelated and hard to read.
3- Try to use images that are relevant to your fundraising page. Do not utilize generic images from the internet to serve in the image void on your fundraising page. Think about how relevant they are.
When you want to use an image again, ensure you have the proper permissions. Ideas that can be used without violating copyright can be found on some websites. Pictures that can’t be used without permission can be found on some other websites, too. Make sure that no text gets hidden in the background when you use numerical charts or graphs. Use dark colors and ensure that no text gets hidden in the background.
Don’ts
1- Don’t put too many pictures or too much text on your fundraiser page.
2- Don’t change the images too much so that the original object or subject isn’t the main thing.
3- Don’t put text in the picture that might make the object or subject hard to see.
4- Don’t try to add irrelevant quantitative data to your paper.
5- Don’t take photos of all the receipts, thanks, and goodies that might be involved in fundraising. Instead, choose to prioritize and organize it based on the situation.
Even if you know a lot about how images and their effects can help tell a story, it might not be worth much if you don’t know how to use the information. So, use your knowledge wisely and make sure that your visual game is always on point for your fundraisers so that you can raise money!
