If your business could brainstorm some New Year’s resolutions, what do you think it would say? It would probably come up with ideas not too different from a real human being’s resolutions: look better, work smarter, and keep on growing. With a single strategy, your business can achieve all of these goals this year. It starts and ends with 2021 video content.

This year, we learned that while we can’t predict the future, we can plan for it. Plan your content right, and your business will be on-trend and on-schedule—no matter what 2021 throws at you. Here’s how to plan your 2021 content ahead of time.

Determine your content goals & capacity to execute

At the end of the year, it’s a common practice to look back at where you’ve been. This is a smart way to approach content planning, too. What content did really well for your business this year? What was your top Instagram post or YouTube video? Make sure to check with your content team and get their take. Did you attempt to create too much content last year and it resulted in mediocre assets? 

Set some goals related to your 2021 video content. They can be broad aspirations, such as “polish our external image” or “introduce the company to a new demographic” or “educate people about our products.” Now compare those content goals with your actual capacity to execute. Will you need help from an external agency to access high-quality production equipment? Is it better for your brand to focus on a single monthly long-form video or produce multiple micro videos each week?

Keep in mind that, for most of 2021, you will still be subject to the whims of COVID. You’ll need to work around the public health restrictions and probably shoot remotely until things calm down later in the year. You can increase your capacity to execute great content in this type of environment by working with an external agency like Dream It Reel.

Plan how many videos (and photos) you’ll need

Now it’s time to get specific. Remember, it’s a good idea to plan your video content and photo content at the same time. Photos and videos should complement one another to provide a cohesive branded look across all your platforms. It can even save you money to do photoshoots at the same time as video shoots. By using the same production company, you’re saving time and money while ensuring a consistent aesthetic. 

Pro Tip: If you’ll need any product photos in addition to videos in 2021, then check out Studio by Dream It Reel. All you have to do is ship your samples to the studio and then tune in live for a virtual, distanced photo session. Turn around time is 24-48 hours, and you only pay for the photos you want. You can do team headshots with the Studio, too!

Finish your list of target video content for the year. It should include campaign briefs for upcoming product launches and marketing blitzes, seasonal content, educational videos, Instagram content, influencer partnerships, and more. Make sure you leave enough lead time in your schedule to actually conceive, produce, and edit each video to a high standard.

Decide which platforms you’ll post on

This is an important part of your early content planning process. Don’t forget to decide which platforms you’ll be posting on! Whether you’re focused on Vimeo or TikTok, your website or YouTube, there are key considerations for each different platform. For instance, Vimeo and YouTube have different internal marketing capabilities. There are different time limits on Instagram than there are for TikTok videos. National advertising campaigns for cable TV should look very different from a YouTube ad. 

The easiest way to make this decision is to follow your target audience. It’s equally important to ensure that you have the expertise to produce videos that are appropriate for your chosen platform, too. If you don’t know how to do something, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put it on your 2021 video content calendar. Instead, work with an agency. For example, you might know that silent videos for Facebook are a great way to reach your target market, but you don’t know the first thing about producing them. 

Keep an eye on these video trends

Finally, make sure you’re staying in touch with new video trends. It’s 2021, after all, and we’re living in the future! This means searchable videos and artificial intelligence. It means interactive, responsive content and personalized experiences for your customers. 2020 was a big year for machine learning and AI, and it won’t take long for these trends to filter into video production.

Most importantly, 2021 demands accessibility. In 2021, your video content should be fully accessible for people who are color blind, deaf or hard of hearing, dyslexic, or who experience other neurological or physical disabilities. If it’s not, then you’re alienating tons of potential customers and demonstrating a brand image that’s not hip to equity and inclusion.

Ready to brainstorm video content for an epic 2021? Reach out to Dream It Reel and get advice in the planning process—or start your project with our free custom brief now.