Are you loosing a lot of viewers in the first 30 seconds?
Then fear not
I noticed a pattern across my channels, and other youtube channels i have access to
.. and the best part is – that is very easy to do
A pattern that I now hear being talked about in Think Media, VidIQ and other “YouTube Learning Content”
This applies especially for brand new channels – but also for establishing channels with returning viewers
I actually stumbled into this learning.
I tried so hard with my videos – but they went no where.
Then I just made some videos with product reviews – Super Low quality one take videos shot on my phone.
They exploded.
I wrote it off, to the fact that those products were more popular.
But how come 3 videos with almost no effort took off,
but my highly edited maximum effort videos – did not
The problem:
An enormous amount of your viewers are not subscribed
- and hopefully they never will be
Hopefully your content is always reaching people … outside your core audience
Otherwise thats a problem for another video
But even so, — this tip still applies
Lets just assume I’m right
- the largest amount of your viewers not being so familiar with you (yet)
even your subscribes might feel close to you
There is a high likelihood that they probably clicked on your video … because of the subject
Because you made an enticing title and thumbnail – and not (just) because of you.
It’s actually always more about them (the viewer)
But this is not a bad thing – once you realize and accept, that this is just how it is
The solution:
Don’t show your face … in you own video for the first 30 seconds
Maybe even more!
This sounds so simple – but yet it so powerful, and for several reasons.
The difference was simple:
I was not in a single frame of the 3 videos that took off
they were 100% about the product
shot POV with an iPhone.
It took me a year to learn that THIS was the reason
But now I am employing this tactic in all my videos.
Since then, I have had more views take off
And ALL videos, have videos off the subject in the start – and not of me.
You’ve probably already heard that you shouldn’t waste the viewers time
– especially in the beginning of a video
Don’t ask for likes and subscribers, and please don’t tell your personal life story
… before … getting into the subject of the video.
That tip is not new. You should know this already
Otherwise .. now you know
My hack is simple and pure – but i’ll tell you it works
once I started doing this – My content went from under a 1000 views, t
to some of them having 10-20.000 views
The retention rate skyrocketed and YouTube started recommending the videos across more of youtube.
Go straight into b-roll that shows the viewers they are in the right spot
Record your intro – and everythin like you normally would,
.. But have the best videoclips overlayed, in the first 30-45 seconds
If you feel like you HAVE to tell your name, ..who you are, and what your channel is about .. in all your videos
Then do it – after– these 45 seconds of valuable content and b-roll*
💡 And if you must ask people for subscribe – you could wait even longer into the videos.
Deliver some value before asking for something in return.
Here’s why it works
The reasoning here is 2 fold
And hopefully – you can see why.
It’s about changing your view on the content you produce.
#1 No one knows you — and honestly no one cares about you
This sounds so harsh;
… but it is so liberating once you embrace this.
The you- in YouTube – is not about the content creator
… It is about the viewers
The YouTube video recommendations on the platform … is made for the viewer — and not for you, the creators
The viewer is here because of the subject of your video
.. try to see it from the viewer’s perspective ..
If you are doing product review
… then start by showing the product in the first 30-45
If you are talking about a location or travel
… then show video clips from that location – right away.
If you are making a how-to video
… then start explaining the problem, or your hook – right away; but with an overlay of visuals of the finished solutions or the problem … – depending on the content.
💡 I could go on; if you want more ideas, then you can meet fellow creators in my discord community
#2 It’s more and more normal: to hover-start a video
both on phones, ipads and on desktop
the video starts automatically on YouTube
(as the platform is right now)
the video plays without sound.
So having the first 30 seconds to SHOW what your video about, …..have just become extra important.
💡 Bonus: theres no sound on these auto-starts: so think about adding captions in the beginning.
Important tip:
**If done wrong
- your retention will be even worse that now.**
Do not show 30-45 seconds of video-shots without actually starting the video
- Start with a hook intro
- Start the video like you normally would
But overlay the video of you underneath clips of the products, visuals or shots of the location- depending on the content
So when you are editing the video
Dont push your timeline forward with an extra 30 seconds of videoclips with no voice over.
Do everything as you are doing right now – but overlay the first 30 seconds without your face.
Here’s an extra learning I did:
by adding the overlay in the beginning of your video – and making the video about the subject and not about YOU
You can reduce the actual b-roll (or video overlays) ….later in the video
After 45 seconds, viewers are more invested.
that being said – never give them a reason to leave the video, because they will leave, if the video stops moving forward.
So if you don’t have extra b-roll, …then push some of the best shots up front in your content.
I have even duplicated some of the shots – I also use later in the video (where it makes sense to have it)
My channel here is about growing as a creator online.
And if you like this type of content – Consider subscribing to my YouTube channel here: @SimonElkjaer
it’s free – and It makes me very happy.
And in this video i’ll show you just how you can make close to a $1000 dollars- even though if you are not anywhere close to being a YouTube partner yet.
