How to Improve the Performance of Video in Your Donor Newsletters

Dan West 2 minute read

February 17, 2025

I need to call out a common mistake I see all the time—how you’re using video in your donor emails and newsletters.

Your newsletter is a crucial part of donor engagement. It’s where you share impact stories, build relationships, and inspire action. Video can take it to the next level—boosting click-through rates by a significant percentage and making your content more compelling. But here’s the catch: how you embed your video matters.

Too many nonprofits simply drop a text link like “Watch this impact story.” But here’s the problem: links buried in paragraphs get ignored. Your video deserves better!

The fix? Use a clickable video thumbnail.

Choose a great thumbnail. A smiling face or a genuine moment converts best.
Overlay a play button. This is the secret sauce! It signals to the donor that it’s a video and invites them to click. Here’s a free tool for quickly adding a play button.
Want to go the extra mile? Use an animated GIF thumbnail to create movement and grab attention which you can create in Canva. (here’s a how-to)

This simple tweak will increase clicks, boost engagement, and get more donors watching your videos—ultimately making them more connected to your mission.

Try it in your next newsletter and see the difference!