Summer is traditionally one of the slowest seasons for businesses and nonprofits. But while your prospects are on vacation and relaxing by the pool, this is the perfect time for you to welcome them back by planning your fall video marketing strategy.
Here are some of our top tips to get ahead of the curve and start planning your fall social media & YouTube content strategy, courtesy of your Rhode Island videographer, Sean McVeigh Media.
The Role Fall Plays in Your Video Marketing Strategy
The end of Q3 and the beginning of Q4 are the busiest consumer windows of the year. Students head back to school, corporate budgets are planned and finalized, and (most importantly) the holiday shopping season kicks off.
Video marketing is a powerful tool to connect with consumers during these seasons, since it’s one of the best ways to drive home a conversion. In Q3 of 2024 alone, 92.3% of all internet users watched online videos. In other words, video is a universal medium to reach people across the internet – and it can pay off for brands willing to embrace the camera.
A 2026 survey from Wyzowl found that 83% of marketers reported a direct increase in sales from video marketing. 93% also found that video marketing helped increase brand awareness and understanding of their business.
What is The Recommended Timeframe for Planning a Video Marketing Strategy and Content Calendar Ahead?
The earlier you can start planning your video marketing strategy, the better. Videos have to go through a more intensive production process than written or graphic content.
Between stages like scripting, recording, editing, and client revisions, even a single 30 to 60-second short-form video can take up to a full day to complete.
Because the entire process is so in-depth, we recommend to start planning at least 2 to 3 months ahead. That means to begin posting a fall video campaign in September, you should start the video planning process in June or July.
If you wait until September to even start planning your fall calendar, you’re already behind.
How to Plan Out A Video Content Calendar for Your Video Marketing Strategy
What does the early planning process for a YouTube and social media content calendar actually entail? The following steps can help you with video planning for fall content that will connect with your audience and start building trust.
Define Your Video Marketing Strategy Goals
Before you begin planning for specific videos or film shoots, start by clearly defining what you want your videos to accomplish. With our clients, common goals we see for fall campaigns include:
- Launching a new brand, service, or product for the holiday spending season
- Generating qualified leads before budgets close and the year ends
- Building brand awareness during the new quarter
- Nurturing existing or returning customer relationships after summer break
- Year-end “wrap-ups” and recaps on your accomplishments from spring and summer
- Promoting holiday fundraisers and driving donations for non-profits
Having clearly defined goals is valuable beyond individual campaigns, too: Consumers are 94% more likely to buy from brands that have a strong sense of purpose.
Find Stories for Your Video Marketing Strategy
Fall is a time when we reflect on where we’ve been and plan for new beginnings. That makes it a natural season for storytelling.
What stories do you want to tell your audience about where your brand has been, how you’ve made an impact, and where you’re headed next? Find the stories that are near and dear to your brand, and place them at the heart of your video marketing strategy.
For example, if you’re a school proud of the scholarship students arriving in the fall, interview those students directly and clip their testimonials on YouTube and TikTok. If you want to build brand awareness about your values or principles, try a series of thought leadership talks from your company’s leaders.
Hearing from real people is one of the easiest ways to build trust with your audience, since it allows them to see the faces and hear the voices behind your brand. And a client who trusts your company is more likely to convert.
Build Your Content Library from Video Shoots
A video is more than just a single asset. If you plan your video shoots with thought and intention, you can turn a single video shoot into footage for your content library that you can turn to again and again.
For example, even a single hour-long filming session on location can give you:
- Long-form marketing videos for your brand website, YouTube channel, and client lead magnets
- Short-form clips for Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts
- Still frames for social media graphics, ads, and presentations
- B-roll footage to complement future campaigns
Every new filming session will build out your library, meaning your future campaigns will already have a solid foundation to start with.
Example of Our Video Planning Process & Timeline
Because great video campaigns need time, thought, and energy to bring to life, we always recommend giving yourself more time than you think you’ll need to plan and execute your video marketing strategy.
When working with a client, here’s an example of how we might schedule a video production timeline for a campaign beginning in early fall:
- July: Early-stage concepting and brainstorming. Choosing story angles, interview subjects, and filming sites.
- Early August: Writing scripts and scheduling filming dates.
- Late August: Filming and editing.
- Early September: Final client review and revision rounds.
- Late September through December: Posting content across social media channels.
Ready to Start Video Planning for Fall?
If you’re ready to get serious about your video marketing content strategy and showing up strong in your fall campaigns, Sean McVeigh Media is here to make it happen.
For the last 25 years, our Rhode Island video production company has helped corporations, nonprofits, and businesses of all sizes tell their stories on video and connect with their audiences.
We’re a full-service provider that will be by your side at every stage, from planning and principal filming to final edits and distribution. We will make sure that your fall marketing content is professional, polished, and helps you meet your goals for Q4 and beyond. Contact us today to start your video planning process early.
