Why Measuring Video Impact Matters for Charities
Charities use video to engage supporters, raise awareness and get donations. But how do you measure if your videos are working?
Measuring video performance is key to knowing what works, improving future content and showing donors and stakeholders the actual impact of your work.
Videos produce a lot of data that shows how viewers are interacting with your content. By focusing on the right metrics your charity can make informed decisions that increase engagement, inspire action and make a lasting impact.
Let’s look at the metrics to track and how to use them.
Metrics to Track for Charity Videos
When measuring your charity videos, it’s all about prioritising the right metrics. Here are the ones you need to watch:
1. Views and Impressions
Views count how many times your video has been watched, impressions count how many times your video has been seen on a user’s screen. These numbers give you a snapshot of your video’s reach and visibility—important for getting your message out there.
Tip: Remember different platforms define a “view” differently. For example on YouTube a view is counted after 30 seconds of watch time, on Facebook it’s as short as 3 seconds.
2. Watch Time and Retention Rate
Watch time is the total time viewers have watched your video and retention rate is how much of the video people watched before they dropped off.
High watch time and retention means your content is engaging and holding attention, early drop-offs means there’s room for improvement.
For example, if viewers are leaving before your call to action consider re-structuring the video or making your key message clearer earlier on.
Practical Use: Analyse where viewers are dropping off. If they lose interest halfway through consider reworking that section to be more engaging or concise.
3. Engagement (Likes, Comments, Shares)
Engagement metrics likes, comments and shares show how much your content is resonating with your audience.
Videos that spark conversation and encourage sharing will extend your message further and get more awareness and donations.
Comments in particular can give you qualitative feedback on what viewers thought of the video. Positive engagement means your message is working, no engagement means you need to revisit your content strategy.
Fact: Engaged viewers are more likely to become long-term supporters of your cause. Create videos that invite interaction and sharing.
4. Click-Through Rate (CTR) and Conversions
CTR measures the percentage of viewers who clicked on a link or call-to-action (CTA) in your video, such as a “Donate Now” button or a link to your website.
A high CTR means your video has motivated viewers to take action.
Tracking conversions such as donations or volunteer sign-ups shows how well your video is performing at driving real results.
Example: If your CTR is low try different CTAs or consider putting your main message earlier in the video to capture attention before viewers drop off.
5. Donations and Fundraising Impact
Ultimately one of the most important metrics for charities is how much money or support your video generates.
Track the donations and fundraising impact that comes directly from your video. Many platforms allow you to add fundraising features like donation buttons to make this easier.
Real-World Insight: Use donation data to see which type of videos resonate with your audience and drive the most donations.
How to Use These Metrics
Content Analysis
Review your metrics regularly to see patterns and areas to improve. If your videos have high views but low engagement consider reworking your content to include more interactive elements or a clearer call-to-action. If retention is high but CTR is low evaluate your CTAs are clear and in the right place.
Tip: Small changes like changing the opening or length of your video can make a big difference.
Video Optimisation
Use your data to refine your video strategy. For example if videos under 2 minutes consistently perform better focus on creating shorter, snappier content. Try different formats like live videos, animations or personal stories to see what your audience likes.
Engagement Boost: Don’t be afraid to test new ideas. A/B testing will help you know what type of content drives the best results.
Reporting to Stakeholders
Data-driven reports are key to showing the impact of your video efforts to donors, board members and partners. Use your metrics to create clear and compelling reports that show how video content is helping your charity’s mission. Highlight successes and share plans for future improvement based on your findings.
Stakeholder Tip: Visualise your data with graphs and charts to make your reports more interesting and easier to read.
Using Data to Drive Charity Videos
Measuring the impact of your charity videos is key to making informed decisions, improving future content and proving your efforts to supporters.
By looking at views, watch time, engagement, CTR and fundraising impact your charity can refine its video strategy to engage more people and inspire more action.
High production values are key and working with a professional charity video production team will ensure your content is effective and on target. Start using data-driven insights today to grow your charity’s audience and make more impact.
