Video production is a rewarding and creative experience. It is an art form that requires skill to create an engaging product. But without proper planning, it can quickly become overwhelming.
So how can one take the proper steps to reach their desired outcome? Establishing SMART goals is a powerful way to ensure success in the world of video production. This article will discuss examples of SMART goals designed for your video projects.
What is a SMART Goal?
The SMART framework can allow you to develop practical goals for video production. In case you didn’t know, SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based.
Still trying to understand? Here is what each SMART criterion means:
Specific
Many people must remember that the more specific your video production goals are, the better your chances of achieving them.
It would be best to hone in on precisely what needs to be done and provide clarity for everyone involved in the project. You’ll give yourself something tangible to work towards and keep your team on track.
Measurable
Measurable goals provide accountability; they allow video producers to evaluate where they currently stand and make adjustments as needed. That can be handy for assessing team performance, delivering project feedback, and allocating resources more efficiently.
Attainable
It’s easy to get carried away with grand visions of success and make unrealistic demands on yourself and others involved in the project. However, to grab hold of your dreams, be practical about what can be accomplished within a specific timeline and budget.
Relevant
Living a life of purpose and fulfillment requires us to take time and thoughtfully consider our values—the standards by which we lead our lives. From here, creating meaningful goals that align with these values will give us an anchor point to steer toward success.
Time-Based
Having a clear roadmap with dates set in stone allows you to map out precisely when things need to be done, giving you an extra push toward success. After all, you won’t be able to measure progress if you don’t have specific deadlines for each stage of the journey.
12 SMART Goals Examples for Video Production
Below are 12 examples of SMART goals for successful video production:
1. Increase Brand Awareness
“To help our brand reach more potential customers in the 6 months ahead, I would like to create a series of videos to increase our brand awareness. The goal is to produce videos to help us reach new markets and create a positive image for our company.”
Specific: The SMART goal is evident as it states the desire to create videos for brand awareness.
Measurable: The person could measure their brand awareness by gauging the level of reach in new markets and sentiment around their company.
Attainable: Creating videos to boost brand awareness is absolutely doable.
Relevant: The statement applies to increasing their overall brand awareness.
Time-based: Goal achievement is anticipated within 6 months.
2. Grow Audience Reach
“Within 5 months, I’ll increase our video production audience reach by 10% through strategic content creation and boosting engagement. I hope to successfully drive more traffic and engagement on our videos.”
Specific: You have precise actions available—create content and increase engagement.
Measurable: You can track the changes in audience reach every month.
Attainable: Assuming you regularly create content, this will be a reachable goal.
Relevant: This relates to your objective of growing your audience reach.
Time-based: You should expect goal completion in 5 months.
3. Reduce Production Costs
“I plan to reduce video production costs by 20% in the following 6 months. To do this, I’ll evaluate our current production process and find ways to streamline it, such as consolidating vendors where possible or exploring more cost-effective alternatives.”
Specific: The goal is clear and concise, stating precisely the objective and how it will be met.
Measurable: You can monitor progress by tracking production costs for 6 months.
Attainable: This is achievable by streamlining the production process and exploring cost-effective alternatives.
Relevant: Reducing costs is essential for maintaining profitability.
Time-based: There is a 6-month deadline for accomplishing this goal.
4. Boost Viewer Engagement
“I’ll create engaging videos that build customer loyalty and increase viewer engagement. I plan to provide creative and informative content that will have customers coming back for more within 8 months.”
Specific: This goal outlines what you need to create and the time frame in which it should be made.
Measurable: You can count the loyal customers you’ve gained and track viewer engagement metrics.
Attainable: Creating content that viewers will return to is possible with effort and strategy.
Relevant: Creating engaging content is vital for driving customer loyalty and increasing viewer engagement.
Time-based: The goal should be reached within 8 months.
5. Improve Quality of Videos
“I will improve the quality of our videos by introducing new technology and techniques within four months. This includes upgrading cameras, lighting, and post-production processes. I hope to create videos with greater clarity and poise that reflect our company values and brand image.”
Specific: The goal specifies that new technology and techniques will be implemented to improve the quality of videos.
Measurable: Make sure that you check the results to see if the quality is improving.
Attainable: This should be a realistic goal if you research and employ the right tools.
Relevant: Enhancing video quality is highly relevant if you want to create content that reflects your brand and values.
Time-based: This certain goal should be achieved within four months.
6. Create More Videos in Less Time
“To increase production efficiency, I’ll develop a system to create videos in half the time without sacrificing quality in four months. That will give us more time to focus on other projects and grow our video production business.”
Specific: The statement outlines the objective, what must be done, and the end date.
Measurable: You could check the time spent on each video production project.
Attainable: With the right plan and dedication, four months is enough to develop an efficient system for faster video production.
Relevant: Creating videos in less time without sacrificing quality benefits video production success.
Time-based: Four months is required to meet success.
7. Enhance Creative Skills
“I want to continuously improve my creative skills as a video producer. Therefore, I’ll take at least one new course related to video production every quarter to better understand the industry and stay ahead of my competitors.”
Specific: This is focused on continuously learning and growing in the video production field.
Measurable: Ensure you attend one new course on the topic every quarter.
Attainable: Taking one course each quarter is achievable and uses available resources.
Relevant: This goal relates to the video production industry, so it is appropriate.
Time-based: It’s implied the SMART goal is ongoing, so you must pursue it quarterly.
8. Develop an Efficient Workflow
“I aim to develop an efficient workflow for video production by the end of 5 months. This includes researching and testing tools, streamlining processes, and analyzing our current workflow for areas that can be improved.”
Specific: The individual aims to develop an efficient workflow for video production.
Measurable: Make sure you follow the listed action items to accomplish success.
Attainable: This is reachable because they are taking actionable steps to develop a more efficient workflow.
Relevant: The goal is appropriate because it directly relates to the production process of their video content.
Time-based: You have a 5-month window for success.
9. Invest in Training and Education
“Over the 7 months ahead, I’ll research and budget for professional development and training opportunities that give our video production team the knowledge and skills to create the best content possible.”
Specific: The SMART goal is focused on ensuring that the team has the necessary skills to create fantastic content.
Measurable: Determine the number of training opportunities researched and the budget allocated for the team.
Attainable: The time frame of 7 months allows for ample research and budgeting to find the right training opportunities.
Relevant: Training and education are always necessary to keep up to date on the latest trends in video production.
Time-based: Achievement of this particular goal is expected after 7 months.
10. Expand Reusable Assets Library
“Within three months, I’ll expand the reusable asset library to include more clips, music, and animation that can be reused in future projects. I want to save production time and make it easier for the team to pull from existing sources when creating new videos.”
Specific: The goal details the objective, the deadline, and what will be done to reach it.
Measurable: You could track the number of assets added to the library over time.
Attainable: This goal is realistic as it sets a three-month end date to complete the task.
Relevant: Pursuing this will help streamline the production process and save time.
Time-based: There is a three-month timeline for completing the goal.
11. Use Social Media for Promotion
“I will create and employ a social media plan to promote the video production within the next two months. I plan to use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and other popular social media platforms to reach out to larger target audiences.”
Specific: The SMART statement details the social media platforms used to promote the video.
Measurable: You will look at the number of followers, likes, shares, and comments.
Attainable: Creating a social media plan is achievable as plenty of helpful tools are available online.
Relevant: Promoting video production through social media channels will help to reach a larger target audience.
Time-based: Two months are needed to reach goal completion.
12. Establish a Network of Contacts
“I will reach out to industry professionals, build a network of contacts, and attend relevant industry events within four months. This will also help us stay informed of the latest trends and technology in video production.”
Specific: The goal is clear. The individual knows they must reach out to industry professionals, build a network, and attend industry events.
Measurable: Proactively follow the action items to expand your network of contacts.
Attainable: This is doable if given the necessary resources and time.
Relevant: The goal is appropriate for the individual’s desire to stay informed of the latest trends and technology in video production.
Time-based: You have four months to meet this particular goal.
Final Thoughts
The SMART method is an excellent way to succeed in video production. Examining the goals and breaking them down into components can help you define a clear path forward, making it easier to stay the course.
And when creating SMART goals, think critically about what you want to accomplish and why it matters. It’s finally time to get creative, so don’t be afraid to dream ambitiously.
