As we close in on the last few weeks of 2021, many Marketing teams are left with one question to answer: what do we do with the year’s leftover marketing budget? 

Most organizations structure their budgets with a “use it or lose it” mindset, requiring teams to contain their expenses within the calendar year rather than rolling unused funds to the following year. For marketers facing the expiration of these funds, the next six weeks are the perfect opportunity to invest in video content that’ll be ready for launch in early 2022. 

To make the most of your video investment, start by thinking about your goals for 2022, and focus especially on Q1 2022. What are you hoping to accomplish? Where do your priorities lie? Then, kick of a video project for the type of content that aligns best with those goals. (Note: if you’re unsure how to choose a video type based on your goals, our Producers love to help with that during consult calls!) 

Here are a few of the video types that are most common for supporting Q1 marketing goals. 

Video Types

Team Video 

As you probably already know, the hiring space is proving to be challenging going into 2022. It’s an employee’s market, and finding the right talent for your open roles is more difficult than ever.

One great way to attract top candidates is to create a team video that highlights your organization’s mission, culture, and what makes you special. It’s the perfect way to stand out from the crowd, and it’s especially effective for smaller organizations that may not have name recognition among prospective employees. 

You can link to your team video from job descriptions, company profiles on sites like LinkedIn and Glassdoor, and on your website’s career page. 

We love creating team videos for clients, and it’s always especially rewarding to see each team’s unique story and understand how they’ve grown together as an organization. If your HR team could use a boost or you just want a great asset to show off your company culture, a team video is a must.  

Video Ad

Video ads are your tool for conversion-focused content. They can be distributed via countless placements across all the top video-supporting channels: YouTube, Amazon, OTT (streaming services), Broadcast TV, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and more.

Depending on your specific goal for your ad, you can also target top-of-funnel placements with a broader message about your brand and the products you offer. This approach works well if you’re more focused on brand awareness rather than pushing a sale. 

We love video ads because video is the epitome of a successful experience on social. As consumers scroll through their social feeds and engage with native content, they’re only going to notice your brand if your ad stops them in their tracks. Video does just that, grabbing viewers’ attention right away and encouraging them to watch a few seconds—or longer—before they scroll on. 

Plus, with the CTA tools platforms are supporting for today’s video content, many ads can take viewers directly to the checkout stage if they’re ready to buy. It’s never been easier, and video is the perfect vehicle to get eyes on your content. 

Brand Video

Last but not least, if you have leftover budget for 2021, you might consider making a brand video (or “About Us” video) with your extra funds. 

Brand videos are great because they’re incredibly versatile, which makes them the perfect choice if you’re not quite sure what you’re hoping to accomplish in 2022. You can use brand videos to update the content on your own website, share your story on your social channels, or even embed a personal touch into existing marketing flows, like email drip campaigns or conversion-driven landing pages.

The reality is that people love to feel connected to a brand on a personal level before they make a purchase, and video is much more effective at conveying real emotions and building a relationship with viewers than text- or image-based content. 

You can also highlight your brand’s mission, origin story, and/or values to show your audience why you do what you do. And given that younger generations care deeply about supporting brands that promote a cause or share their ethical concerns, there’s never been a better time to focus on these traits in your content. 

Getting Started (With Discounts!)

If you can already see how a new video project is the perfect way to spend your leftover marketing budget, you’re in luck! Through the end of the year, we’re offering discounts on video projects up to 20%. The more you spend, the more you save—and it’s our best value of the year (by a lot!). 

To start the new year with a marketing win and cross “video marketing” off your to-do list for early 2022, learn more and schedule a call with one of our expert Producers here. We’d love to hear from you, and we’ll be prepared to share custom guidance about which video type and style will align best with your goals. After all, we’ve created over 12,000 client videos to date—it’s safe to say we know a thing or two about applying marketing best practices to your content and delivering on your goals. 

Additional Ways to Use Budget for Video

When you’ve completed your video project and your content is ready to share, there are a few additional ways to maximize the value of your new asset. If you still have budget that needs to be allocated before year-end, here are some ways to use it to boost your video. 

A/B Test Video Variations

A/B testing is critical for marketers and advertisers to understand how their content is actually resonating with its intended audience. If you have more budget to get rid of before EOY, use this time to test a slight variation of your original video creative, and enter the new year with priceless data about what your audience prefers. 

Try a New Distribution Channel

We often create video content with specific distribution channels in mind, since each platform has its own specs and best practices to take into account. But if you have a finished video and you’re not quite sure where to throw your final marketing dollars, try sharing your content on a new distribution channel! Pick a social platform you’ve always been intrigued by, or try a new placement within your go-to channel. You might accidentally stumble upon an exciting new avenue to explore deeper in 2022. 

Boost a Successful Video Campaign

Last but not least, the simplest way to put your lingering budget to use is to boost a video campaign that’s already working for you. When you wrap your project and start sharing your content, look into how you can scale up the distribution to get your video in front of as many people as possible. After all, once you have a video that’s performing well, every new view is an opportunity to take your business to the next level.

Conclusion

We hope you’re inspired to use these tips to maximize your end-of-year budget. And while you may feel overwhelmed at how many options you have for your marketing spend, it’s clear that video is the gift that will keep on giving in 2022 and beyond. Invest now and take advantage of our discounts—you won’t regret it! 

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