Skyrocket Your Video Completion Rates with SMART Objectives

This is article 1 of 3 in my EdTech “Revolutionizing eLearning with Video” series.

Hey there, educators and course creators!

Are you pouring time into educational videos only to see students drop off halfway through?

Frustrating to be sure.

What if I told you there’s a simple way to boost completion rates by up to 74%?

It all starts with setting clear goals for your videos.

I’m Stuart Heimdal, an EdTech media production consultant who’s helped schools like Lane Community College hit an 82% completion rate with their online courses.

In my new eBook, Revolutionizing eLearning with Video: The 74% Solution, (it’s free) I share a step-by-step framework to make videos that students actually finish.

Today, I’ll walk you through one key piece: setting SMART objectives for your videos.

Let’s dive in and get your videos on track.

Why Objectives Matter for Your Videos

Think of your video as a road trip. Without a clear destination, you’re just driving in circles, wasting gas - and your students’ attention. Objectives are your destination. They tell your learners what they’ll gain by watching, like “You’ll learn three budgeting tips in this 5-minute video.”

When students know the goal, they’re more likely to stick around.

In my eBook, I mention a 2019 study that showed courses with clear objectives had 25% higher completion rates than those without (Source: Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol. 111, No. 4).

That’s a big difference.

But vague goals like “Learn about biology” don’t cut it. They’re too broad, leaving your video unfocused and your students confused.

I’ve seen this firsthand with clients who tried to “teach leadership” in a corporate training video but ended up with a mess of ideas that overwhelmed viewers.

Unclear objectives waste time and money, and they kill motivation.

Purpose-driven learning boosts student persistence by 30% (Source: Educational Researcher, Vol. 49, No. 2).

When students know why they’re watching, they stay engaged.

The SMART Framework: Your Secret Weapon

Use the SMART framework - it’s a game-changer.

You know it like the back of your hand. You’ve lived this forever. But, let’s do a quick review:

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Let’s break it down for video-based learning, so you can apply it today.

• Specific: Your objective should focus on one clear skill or idea. Instead of “Understand marketing,” try “Identify three key marketing strategies.” This keeps your video on track.
• Measurable: Make sure you can track success. “List five examples” or “Correctly apply a formula” lets you measure if students got it.
• Achievable: Match the goal to your audience’s skill level and video length. Don’t ask beginners to solve advanced problems in a 5-minute clip.
• Relevant: Tie the objective to what learners need. If your students struggle with time management, focus on that, not unrelated theory.
• Time-bound: For videos, this means setting a timeframe, like “By the end of this 8-minute video.” It gives a clear finish line.

A vague objective like “Learn about biology” becomes “By the end of this 8-minute video, students will accurately label five parts of a cell.” See the difference?

It’s clear, trackable, and realistic.

To test your objective, ask yourself: Is it specific? Can I measure it? Is it doable for my audience? Does it matter to them? Can they achieve it in the video’s time?

Align Objectives with What Learners Need

Your objectives should solve real problems for your learners.

Don’t guess what they need - ask them.

Surveys, focus groups, or even a quick chat can reveal their pain points. In the eBook, I share how a 2021 report found that courses built on learner feedback had 40% higher satisfaction rates (Source: Learning and Performance Institute, 2021 Annual Report).

If employees say they’re confused about a process, make that your focus.

One of my clients, Miami Dade College, surveyed nursing students and found they struggled with dosage calculations. So, they set an objective: “By the end of this 7-minute video, students will calculate two medication dosages with 100% accuracy.”

That focus boosted pass rates by 20% (Source: Miami Dade College, 2022 Nursing Program Review).

Once you know the pain points, prioritize them. Focus on the biggest issues first.

If learners say a topic is unclear, write an objective that tackles it directly, like “Demonstrate how to use a calendar app to schedule tasks efficiently.” This makes your video feel relevant and valuable, keeping students engaged.

Try This: Create Your First SMART Objective

Let’s put this into action with a quick exercise from Chapter 1 of the eBook. Grab a pen and follow these steps to create a powerful objective for your next video:

1. Identify the Goal: What does your learner need to know or do? Let’s say you’re teaching new hires about safety protocols.
2. Make It SMART: Write an objective using the framework. For example: “By the end of this 5-minute video, new hires will list three fire evacuation steps.”
3. Test It: Check if it’s specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. This one checks all the boxes.
4. Get Feedback: Share it with a colleague. Ask: Is it clear? Is it realistic?

(NOTE: You should be doing this stuff with your personal goals and objectives too, by the way.)

Here’s a comparison to help you:

Bad objective = “Understand safety” - it’s too vague and not measurable.

The SMART version is “By the end of this 5-minute video, new hires will list three fire evacuation steps.”

See how much clearer that is?

Try writing two objectives for your course right now, then share them with a peer to refine them. This process helped Lane Community College turn a failing algebra course into a success, hitting an 82% completion rate after rewriting objectives like “By the end of this 12-minute video, students will solve two linear equations with 90% accuracy” (Source: Lane Community College, 2022 Curriculum Enhancement Report).

Real Results: Lane Community College’s Turnaround

Let’s talk about Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon. In 2021, their online algebra course had a 38% completion rate.

Students said the videos were confusing, and instructors couldn’t cover material well.

The problem?

Objectives like “Learn algebra basics” were too vague.

The team surveyed 150 students, found their pain points (unclear explanations), and rewrote objectives using SMART. One new objective was “By the end of this 12-minute video, students will solve two linear equations with 90% accuracy.”

They scripted shorter, focused videos around these goals.

By spring 2022, engagement jumped 45%, and the completion rate hit 82%. Students loved the clarity and purpose (Source: Lane Community College, 2022 Curriculum Enhancement Report).

That’s the power of SMART objectives.

Start Today and See Results

You don’t need fancy tools or a big budget to make videos that work.

Setting SMART objectives is a simple step that can transform your eLearning.

It’s the first piece of the 4-step framework in my eBook, Revolutionizing eLearning with Video: The 74% Solution.

Want to learn the rest?

Download the eBook for free right now at sheimdal.com - it’s packed with exercises, templates, and more real-world examples to help you succeed.

Or, let’s chat!

Book a free 15-minute consultation call with me. I’ll help you create a video plan that gets results, just like I did for Lane Community College and Miami Dade College. Don’t wait - start revolutionizing your eLearning today!

Other FREE eBooks: 5 Steps to Agency-Quality Video | Screenwriter’s Logline Creation Guide | Digital Brand Storytelling | Plan Your Day Like A Pro: Positions of Power 30-60-90