Online crowdfunding has been around for a while now.

We’ve seen all types of startups, inventors and visionaries present their wacky ideas that became instantly popular. Some, even though amazing, ultimately failed.

All of those that succeeded, however, did include one thing: a pitch video. Kickstarter has publicly stated that only 33% of campaigns are successful without explainer videos and that 66% of campaigns with online video reach their project’s goal. So how can you make sure you stand out amongst all the contenders? Although a great deal will go into your actual idea, rewards scheme, and copy to convince people, your pitch video is vital to grab attention, get your bid across, and ultimately rake in some backers.

How will your video do that? Here are some tips to make sure it happens.

1. Be yourself!

Nothing will feel more stale if you present yourself in a purely polished way. Crowdfunders are inspired by people with great ideas, personalities, and convictions. So besides saying your name at the beginning, don’t shy away of stepping outside the box, using humor in your video, or addressing potential backers directly. You’ll be rewarded for it.

2. Create a hook

In the time you have allotted to present your project, your first challenge is to grab your viewers’ attention, and then maintain it. What should you do? Be bold: consider starting off with a great line, a visually attractive intro, or present a problem you immediately want to fix with your idea.

3. Get the story down

Give your viewers an idea of where you’ve come from, how you got to where you are, and where you want to go with your product or service. It’s not only informative and sincere, but it can also be inspiring and grant you tons of credibility.

4. Show, don’t tell

You can explain the in’s and out’s of your idea through voice over and text, but we need to see the idea. Make sure your images also show how the product works – it’s important for viewers to see it in action in order for them to want to contribute.

5. Aim for the right video length

We all know attention spans are dwindling these days, so make sure the length for your video is right. Aim for 1-1:30 minutes, with a max of two minutes.

6. Mention two or three rewards

Let viewers know what they stand to receive in return for helping out. This doesn’t have to go too into detail as it will appear on your page in text, but it can help to illustrate how you have thought it out and have made a commitment to carry this idea through to the end.

7. Remember to make your bid

This last point goes hand in hand with the previous point. As you are essentially trying to make a ‘sale’, you need to state your ‘ask’ and explain why you need help. So, ask for a donation, state clearly what you will use the funding for, and encourage viewers to share the project around on their social media networks. Here, it’s not so much about being pushy, but rather presenting a sincere call to action – in other words, selling your message. But remember, keep it sincere and credible. Authenticity goes a long way when it’s up to strangers to decide whether to support you or forget you.

How Wideo can help

Does making a video just sound like extra work on top of everything else you have to do? We have tons of templates you can use to set up your video and customize as you like. Best part – you don’t need video editing experience to get it done. We’ve also created one crowdfunding template to guide you along the key points in your pitch video.

Click to Preview:

Re-Use this Template
Pro Tip: Looking to include video footage as well? No problem. Mixing animation and video can help to give a great professional look to your video. You can use an animated intro to open up the video, or use animations as dividers between sections of your video. Here’s another example you can get started with:

Re-Use this Template

Remember, using a video is just one component of a good crowdfunding campaign. A great and unexpected idea is what will bring you success. But apart from being the first thing viewers will see on your page, a video brings your idea to life, which is incredibly valuable to your and your audience.

For more tips and templates go to Online Animation Program