It’s already that time of year. Weather is cooling, projects are wrapping up, and you’re scrambling to summarize your achievements, unify your employees, and thank all your partners.
But, how do you frame a whole year’s worth of success into one story?
You might be tempted to send a festive email, but the longer you write, the less they read. Maybe you could make a PDF, print it, and send it to offices that sit half-empty. Our favorite idea, however, is much more fun, effective, and engaging: end-of-year videos.
End of year videos come in all shapes and sizes. They’re great for spotlighting all of your organization’s accomplishments, engaging your supports, inspiring your team, or even establishing priorities for the new year. Whatever works best for your goals, works for LAI Video, but before you just start making videos, we recommend you do these four things.
1. Pick Your Audience
Is this cliché? Sure. Is it true and important? Absolutely. Your year-end message should start with one key question: Who’s watching?
Whether you’re speaking to staff, clients, donors, or someone else entirely, your audience should guide every creative choice, from tone to timing.
- Who’s the primary viewer? Employees? Longtime partners? New prospects?
- Where will they see it? At a live event? In their inbox? Scrolling through social?
These answers shape everything. They determine how long the video should be, what stories you tell, and what kind of message will actually resonate. Because if it doesn’t connect with the right people, it won’t have the impact you’re aiming for.
2. Pick Your Theme
You did so many amazing things this year. Great job! But please, do not list them. DO NOT LIST THEM. First think of a filter, or a theme for your year. Was this year an undisputed triumph? A real comeback? An unexpected transformation? A bit of a do-over? Whatever your unifying factor is, it should help you decide what’s worth saying, and what you can save for the blog.
3. Pick Your Channel
Now, decide how you want to share all of your information. Below, we’ve listed the most effective methods to share your special year-end recap video.
- Email: Send a warm and engaging email with a thumbnail that links to your reel.
- LinkedIn: Increase your brand’s visibility with a victorious caption and all your hard work from the last year.
- Blog Homepage or Featured Section: Drive traffic to impressive feats and featured content for anyone on your site to see.
- Social Media: Hook new and existing viewers with attention-grabbing clips on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube Shorts.
- Internal Channels: From CEO to sales team, everyone in your organization should see and celebrate all the hard work done and milestones achieved.
4. Pick Your Content
What are you going to be including in your year in review? Use this highlight video to spotlight your organization’s success stories.
- Top moments and milestones: Did you have a product launch? Did your organization partner with another? Did you have a reel go viral on a social media platform?
- Team highlights: Who were the thinkers behind promotions, growth, or standout contributions?
- Customer or community impact: Real stories from the people you serve, or support, can make your work feel tangible and relatable.
- Company culture: Show behind-the-scenes images or videos. Moments from any retreat, celebration, or event that define your vibe.
- Meaningful metrics: Go beyond just showing numbers and give them context. What does that growth mean for your mission?
- Challenges overcome: Acknowledging the hard parts builds trust and shows resilience.
- Looking ahead: End with a sense of momentum while you transition from this year to the next. A teaser, a rallying message, or even a simple “thank you” that sets the tone for what’s next
Tell the Story of Your Year
Your recap video will set the tone for your organization’s past, present, and future by demonstrating grit and spotlighting success. Whether you feature a specific campaign or a compilation of customer testimonials, video is a powerful tool for visual storytelling. At LAI Video, we specialize in creating engaging visuals and impactful messaging that are tailored to fit your organization’s needs.
