Baby Boomers Love Video (Psst: So You Should, Too)

I almost titled this blog, “Boomers: Hooked On Video Since 1946.”

Broadcast television kicked off in 1946—and so did the Boomer generation, born between 1946 and 1964. Granted, there wasn’t a lot to watch at first. But it didn’t take long for TV programmers to start targeting kids with shows like Howdy Doody and Buffalo Bob Smith.

Is it any surprise, then, that Hubspot reports that 67% of Boomers watch YouTube and 44% of Boomers visit YouTube daily? Boomers love video content.

We named video storytelling a top-five trend of 2022. People share videos at twice the rate of any other form of content. We think it’s worth paying attention.

So What Are Boomers Watching?

Boomers are visiting YouTube for a lot more than archived episodes of old television shows. You’ll find them on YouTube:

• Learning about technology
• Watching tutorials and guides
• Staying in-the-know
• Accessing how-to-content

Boomers prefer in-depth videos that show a brand’s value. One way to think about their behavior: Boomers use YouTube as a decision-support tool. Their browser history covers everything from when to take social security and where to take a vacation to what restaurant serves the best steak and how to fix that pesky plumbing leak.

What Are Nonprofits Doing On YouTube?

Many nonprofits are participating in the YouTube Social Impact, which helps nonprofits connect with supporters, volunteers and donors. For many, YouTube has become the essential platform for storytelling.

Here are some powerful stories:

• The Peacekeepers from African Wildlife Foundation is movie-like, using dramatic filming techniques and a thumping soundtrack to draw you in.

• Girl Up Celebrates Five Years of Impact for Girls from Girl Up tells a joyful, uplifting story capturing their past five years of success.

• It Starts Here from The University of Texas at Austin puts Texas on the map, literally, with visuals in the classroom, the state and across the globe.

• 4-Year-Old’s Bucket List from Water is Life is an inspirational story with a twist. Why would a four-year-old have a bucket list?

• Shameless plug: Stelter’s own mission is also on YouTube.

Where Do You Start?

Perhaps your nonprofit is already engaged with YouTube and has a robust channel filled with success stories, documented results and donor testimonials.

If not, consider making YouTube and video storytelling a bigger part of your fundraising efforts. The YouTube Nonprofit Program is a great place to start as is HubSpot’s Complete Guide to Creating, Promoting and Optimizing Your Video Content.

Bonus Tip: Check out ViewSPARK™ and ThankView—two companies focused on helping nonprofits build stronger donor relationships through easy-to-use video tools.

Video storytelling and a strong YouTube channel can help you engage with donors where they spend time every day and in a format they find compelling, trustworthy and essential.