Are you using the right medium for your development communications?

After a visit to Ethiopia to observe El Nino mitigation efforts, a development communications officer will face the tricky task of deciding how to disseminate news of their organization’s work to the wider public. Will a targeted press release be most effective? Maybe a two-minute video? Development communications professionals play a critical role in nonprofit work, from raising awareness about an issue and building a brand to raising funds. Most continue to use traditional media such as press releases to share the efforts of their organizations, but photography and video are increasingly becoming part of the communications landscape. Identifying the right medium to share the material gathered in the field, though, remains a challenge. Strong quotes or sound bites often lend themselves to press releases, especially if reporters are the intended audience, a few communications professionals shared with Devex. This is often the case with emergencies, as press releases are quick and can generate media interest. If colleagues have compelling photos and video clips, a communications professional might use it to create a multimedia essay. And if they have more time — and money — they might instead create a report packed with visual content such as shareable infographics. But questions remain about best practices for each medium. A press release is meant to get journalist’s attention, for example, but what type of release will solicit the most responses? The CEO of a nonprofit wants to share a message or an argument with an opinion piece, but how to frame it? Images can be a powerful tool to jump-start donations, but why isn’t anyone responding to that promising photo? Devex combed through several media opinion editorial guidelines, then caught up with a few videographers, photographers and journalists — including our own Devex editorial staff — to find out more about the different tools available to nonprofit communications professionals today. Here are a few useful lessons learned for communications officers, directors and content producers at nonprofit organizations. 1. The press release. It’s all in a headline. Email subject lines can determine whether a release will be picked up by a reporter or not. Make them informative, but not misleading. Try not to use quotes as headlines, although including figures can spark interest. Get personal. Journalists receive large volumes of press releases every day, but will only respond to those within their coverage area or topic of interest. So know your press, and address them personally in your email, as it gives them the idea that you've put some thought in sending the release their way. Knowing your press is also important when determining what topic would generate responses. Some reporters may be on the lookout for innovations or new product launches while others are more after studies and results. Try something new. Press releases are quite standardized, containing a short news brief along with contact information for those who like more details. But one Devex reporter shared he takes interest in press releases that incorporate some form of multimedia content, such as pictures or infographics. But don’t forget the basics. Always check that the basic information (who, what, where, when and why and other important figures or statistics), as well as potential interviewees and their email addresses are available. Journalists don't rely entirely on press releases, and often use them as jump-off points for their stories. Given tight deadlines, having this contact information readily available is useful. 2. The opinion editorial. Know the platform you’re eyeing. Most mainstream media such as The New York Times or The Washington Post accept op-eds on a wide range of topics, but there are niche media outlets that require a more specific approach. The Christian Science Monitor, for example, is after contributions that tackle business, economic and energy issues. Devex, meanwhile, solicits op-eds with a strong call to action and a practical hook. Richard Jones, Devex editor for partnerships and communications, shared: “Our audience of 700,000-plus global development professionals appreciate us going beyond ‘why’ a given issue is important towards 'how' practitioners or decision makers can effect change in practical terms.” Think like a journalist. In journalism, the ‘hook’ is king, and most media — niche and mainstream — will publish pieces tied to a current event, such as the fifth anniversary of the Syria crisis. And if you're making an argument, make sure you back this up with facts, stats or anecdotes as evidence. Be bold. Given the hundreds or thousands of op-ed submissions media platforms get on a regular basis, standing out is key. And remember: Most publications want fresh perspectives, sometimes even views in opposition to their own editorials. So don't think you need to reorient your voice with the platform. It’d be great if the author was Angelina Jolie, but it doesn’t have to be. In 2013, the Hollywood star and humanitarian wrote about her medical choice to have a double mastectomy. A study published in Breast Cancer Research in November 2015 found a 2.5-fold increase in U.K. women with family history of breast cancer having themselves checked 3 to 4 months after the op-ed came out. It reinforces the fact that op-eds penned by big names often get traction, but you shouldn't be limited by this. The quality of the analysis and strength of the arguments remain the important factors. Media organizations are after thought-provoking pieces, not just high profile contributors. 3. The photo. Select your images wisely. Photos can tug at people’s hearts and motivate them to action, but poor quality images or generic stock photos can work against you, according to Crystaline Randazzo, co-founder of blog NGO Storytelling. The seasoned photographer, videographer and story designer shared that while not all nonprofits can afford hiring a professional photographer, they should at least make sure their photos are focused and well exposed, and choose photos that create “emotional leverage” without exploiting the subject. “Showing a farmer in a field is an obvious choice, but showing a farmer feeding his children is an image to which people can relate,” she told Devex. “Nonprofits often fall back on the numbers and data to prove why their work is important on a macro scale, but images show why their work is important to individual lives.” --— Crystaline Randazzo, co-founder of blog NGO Storytelling Believe in the power of one. In her experience, Randazzo finds the most compelling stories are those that revolve around one individual, and this is most evident when nonprofits use this approach in fundraising. Her example: Watsi, a platform that harnesses the power of crowdfunding by posting pictures accompanied by a short description of individual patients from different parts of the world. “We have a physical response to good stories, and images are a large part of what makes those stories compelling,” she said. Set aside a budget. As a photographer herself, Randazzo advocates that nonprofits hire professionals, especially if the goal is to raise money. But if organizations can’t afford one, she advises they create a database of their best images and include metadata — or important information — such as the name of the subjects in the photograph, what they are doing, location and date. Then, when shared on social media, keep track of those that received the most views or comments. This way, an organization can gauge what images would likely gain attention when creating a fundraising campaign. Organizations should also consider providing their communications team with a decent camera and basic photography training. It’s not going to turn them into pros overnight, but it can help improve the quality of the images an organization uses in its work, Randazzo said. 4. The video. Video is a tool to further your content strategy. It’s not the strategy. Many nonprofits blunder by thinking of the medium before the purpose. In this case, thinking “they need a video” first is problematic, See3 Communications CEO Michael Hoffman said, as this skips the most important part of the process: understanding your audience and your purpose. Be resourceful. Not many organizations have the budget to hire firms to create a professional video. Those that do often think of one-time use of the video, such as for a fundraising dinner, for example. Hoffman said organizations need to start learning about the art of repurposing, using a video asset not just to showcase an organization’s work for example, but also in fundraising. Organizations can also do video curation by using a clip in a documentary relevant to their work and adding a few sentences to relate it. Or they could create their own videos by getting creative. “There are hundreds if not thousands of YouTube creators who have no budget at all, and just talk to the camera and have millions of subscribers,” Hoffman said. “It should inspire organizations to think about what they are not doing that they could be doing.” SEO matters. Keywords are of critical importance and can make or break your chances of getting attention, so make sure you use the right keywords that are relevant to your work, but at the same time including those that are evergreen and timely. In the United Nations’ official World Water Day video 2016, the organization used the tags water, World Water Day and United Nations, for example. Careful in adding that donate button. It’s a natural thing to do to include a donate button at the end of your video. But Hoffman cautioned against including one in all of your videos. He suggested it may be best to include the donate button in the early part of the fundraising cycle, when people are made aware of the problem and the charity’s offered solution. Learn as you go. Manage goals and expectations, particularly when you're just starting in using the medium. Most organizations want a viral video, but the thing is, as Hoffman wrote years back in this blog post, no one can really predict which videos will go viral. A more valid goal for organizations is to learn more about how to create videos and from there learn what works, Hoffman said. Our mission is to do more good for more people. 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