Without any doubt, YouTube is the largest platform for video consumption. Over the last couple of years, content consumption has shifted from textual content to video content. With this shift, content creators started exploring YouTube, which gave rise to a splurge in the number of videos published by content creators on YouTube. No matter the number of videos we see about a particular topic when we search a keyword on YouTube, we always find the type of content to suit our requirements.
All these video creators also get their share of engagement based on the quality of the video that has been uploaded, the type of content displayed, and the creativity factor in their video. Hence, it has become essential to create a perfect video before it gets uploaded on your channel for your viewers. But the most challenging part is to make the viewer watch your video till the end. To do so, it’s vital that the viewer does not get distracted or bored in the first few seconds of the video.
That’s where the role of YouTube intros comes into play. Although your video content is impressive, it all goes in vain if the viewer drops off in the first few seconds of your video. So, by now, you must have understood the importance of keeping your audience engaged specifically for the first few seconds of your video.
What exactly is a YouTube intro?
A video intro is the first thing you want your viewer to know about your video, your brand, or the speaker in that video. So, a YouTube intro video would be the first few seconds of your published YouTube video wherein you are trying to make that first impression on your viewer. The duration of your intro video could range from 10 to 15 seconds.
Why is it essential to have Intro Videos?
We cannot emphasize the importance of including intro videos at the beginning of your videos. Simply put, intro videos can help you in grabbing the viewers’ attention and making them watch longer by setting the context to your video. Of course, you can go ahead and publish your video without having an intro video. However, by including one, you are only making it helpful for your viewers as only the relevant audience would watch the entire video and benefit from it.
Recipe to make an engaging Youtube Intro Video
Even though the purpose of having intro videos remains the same across all content platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, podcast platforms, etc., there are a few things to be kept in mind specifically for YouTube intro videos.
1. Introduce your Brand
Use the first few seconds of your video to introduce your brand to your viewers. If you are a new brand, you may highlight your brand logo and the tagline. If you are an established name, you may stick to your standard intro text or visuals to set the expectation in your regular viewers’ minds and the new ones.
2. Address your audience
It is vital to determine who will benefit from watching your video or your target audience. For example, suppose your target audience is school children. In that case, you might want to include colourful animations in your intro video so that they get excited at the very beginning of your video. Similarly, if your video is about, let’s say, “Tips for solo riders”, you might want to address them as fellow bikers or riders. This kind of personal touch also helps better engage with your viewers or the members who are a part of that community.
3. Set the context
It is a good practice to set the expectation at the very beginning of your video as to what the video is going to be about, what kind of problem will be solved by watching this video, or what lies in the video for the viewers, specifically those who are watching it for the first time. By doing so, you are ensuring that the viewer is not frustrated towards the end of the video, waiting for something that was not a part of your video in the first place. Also, it helps in saving time for your viewer as the viewer can directly skip to the parts of the video that the viewer is most interested in.
In your intro video, you might also want to address whether the video is for beginners or experts, or any other level of expertise. For example, if your YouTube video is about a painting tutorial, it would be great if you call out in the beginning whether it will be a step-by-step approach that you are going to show or some advanced techniques that you are going to teach in your video. You can also call out in the intro video if any prior knowledge is required to make sense of your video.
4. Make it Eye Catchy
You would probably know already the importance of the aesthetics of a YouTube video. When you hit that search button on YouTube, how do viewers select which video to go with even though all the videos shown are related to your search query? That’s right! They naturally skim through all the cover photos in the search result videos. Even though you might have the best content in your video, the video cover must stand out. It’s essential to make it attractive to grab those eyeballs.
Similarly, you have to be creative with your intro videos, too, so that the viewer gets hooked to watch the main content of the video. With the help of a YouTube intro maker, you can experiment with many animations, background music, and graphics when it comes to creating intro videos. One thing that must be kept in mind is that the intro video should be in line with the look and feel of your brand.
You need to keep an eye for the minor details, such as the placement of your logo, the colors you are using, the font style, the background music, etc.
There are a lot of video intro makers available online, which help you make some cool intro videos. Multiple intro video templates can be customized based on your requirements to suit your type of content.
So, now it’s your turn to get to work! Follow these tips to create those brilliant Intro videos for your Youtube content.
Happy Curating!
Author: Siddhi Chothani
