Emote, Explain, Engage: Using Video to Drive Advocacy Action

As advocacy professionals seek to engage advocates day-in and day-out while also respecting their time, video stands out as a means of communication that can be both efficient and effective. 

While video has been part of the digital landscape for years, interest in the medium continues to rise, with the average person spending 17 hours per week consuming video content and 91 percent of businesses incorporating video as a marketing tool in 2024.  

“Video is the premier vehicle for message penetration,” says Meredith Glacken, founder and principal at Foresight Messaging. Glacken worked on political campaigns in a dozen states, did two tours on Capitol Hill, and headed speechwriting for the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. 

She recently completed an earned media campaign for a client that included 36 platforms across print, radio, TV, and podcasts, noting that the five video-based components of the project far outperformed other formats. “It is statistically one of the most effective ways to communicate with people,” she says.

Video can be a smart option when you’re looking to do one of the following: 

Emote

“If you can’t be there face to face, the next best thing is seeing somebody while they talk to you,” Glacken says. 

For example, by hearing from a person impacted by the issues your organization champions, “you can really feel a connection to them that’s deeper than simply reading an email that they may or may not have written,” she adds.

Engage

Whether your goal is to fundraise or prompt contacting legislators, video not only drives people to take action, but gives them an easy way to spread your message, since it integrates seamlessly into social media platforms. Video-centric social platforms such as TikTok can be particularly helpful for reaching younger audiences.  

In addition, you can ask advocates to create and share their own videos to further your cause. A well-known example of this is the ALS Association’s Ice Bucket Challenge, which in 2014 solicited user-generated videos to raise $115 million dollars for ALS research. The association recently resurrected the challenge to mark the campaign’s 10-year anniversary. 

Explain

If a picture is worth a thousand words, imagine the wealth of information you can convey in a three-minute video. Video facilitates learning by employing multiple visual and auditory elements, simplifying complex information, and offering repeatable lessons that can be paused and replayed. 

Dividing video content into manageable chunks further promotes retention. For example, The Society for Neuroscience created nine short videos to educate its members on becoming effective policy advocates. The series broke down key concepts, such as how to tell your personal story to elected officials, in separate installments. 

Here are five best practices for creating powerful video content.

1. Be Prepared

Do your homework on everything from how to use high-quality images and sound to how to stage interviews in a way that minimizes visual distractions. Preparation and foresight can ensure a more polished finished product.  

2. Get Their Attention

“Hooking somebody quickly is very important,” Glacken says. “And that goes for longer format video, too. If you want somebody to stay tuned in, being able to grab them in the first 10 to 15 seconds is really crucial.”

3. Tell the Right Story to the Right People

Telling the right story starts with fully understanding your target audience — including which topics resonate most with them. 

“Supporting any message with storytelling personalizes it for the audiences you’re trying to communicate with,” Glacken says. She advises asking yourself: How does the person or topic you want to highlight affect those you want to reach?

Then develop a clear structure that introduces the issue, puts it in context and points out challenges, and concludes by emphasizing your purpose or call to action. 

4. Use Captions to Optimize Reach and Accessibility

Using reader-friendly captions or subtitles not only assists people with hearing impairments but broadens your impact on people watching in places where they can’t access sound, such as in an office or on public transit.

“If you want to reach the most people, making your video format accessible to everybody is important,” says Glacken. 

5. Be Honest and Authentic

This could mean admitting when you don’t know the answer to a question or showing vulnerability by sharing a personal experience. Just as important is being forthright with your audience about challenges or difficult truths. “If there’s something really important you feel your advocates should know about, you must share it,” Glacken says. 

Engendering people’s trust is more important than ever in the age of AI and widespread disinformation. “The consequences of not being honest is that you absolutely destroy that trust,” Glacken says, “and you can’t get it back.”