It’s a well-known fact that as the digital age progresses our attention spans are shrinking. With so much vying for our attention at any given moment, we have high expectations of the content we engage with. It needs to be interesting and informative, but not boring; funny or heart-warming, but not too fluffy. If that weren’t difficult enough to balance, studies show that videos have about eight seconds to capture our attention before we move on to something else.
You may have noticed this in your own life when you’re watching one of the skippable in-stream ads on YouTube. You may have only been required to watch it for five seconds, but the content was so engaging that you got caught up in the story that was being told and watched the entire ad. That is exactly the type of engagement you want to gain with your audience as a business owner.
So how can you utilize those ever-important first ten seconds to grab your audience’s attention and keep it?
Professional Intro
Those first few seconds of viewers’ attention are precious, and shining up the intro to your existing video could be just the thing to make the difference between glassy-eyed viewers and ones who are engaged and interested in your content. Using a professional YouTube intro maker is a wise investment of time and could mean the difference between your video being watched or ignored.
Tell a story
As human beings, we crave connection with others. Connecting is a deep need we all have, even if we don’t recognize it. As a business owner, you can capitalize on this need by using videos to tell a story. Stories can draw viewers in, give them a new perspective, or help them to see things from a different angle. Make sure your video tells a story, and that that story begins in the first ten seconds.
It doesn’t have to be long, but it should share a human experience and feel more like a short movie than an ad. In fact, the most frequently watched videos are right around two minutes in length, so keep it short and sweet. This will help ensure that customers keep watching to see what happens next, resulting in higher engagement and an increased likelihood that viewers will continue thinking about your business after the video ends.
Educate your audience
Most people love to learn new things, and by sharing videos to educate them you can help your consumers feel connected and valued. Videos can be used to share tutorials of different ways to use your product or introduce a new product and share how to use it. In the past year, 70% of millennials used YouTube to learn how to do something new or to learn about something they are interested in.
You could make videos showing your employees at work or share the story of how you became a small business owner. You can even share customer testimonials through video, giving a sense of authenticity to your brand. The possibilities are endless with this type of video, providing a continuous stream of content ideas for you to capitalize on for future videos.
Inspire your audience
Consider how you want your audience to feel once they have watched your content. Do you want to make them laugh? Do you want them to feel inspired to take action or make a change in their lives? Think about what you want them to do with the information you are sharing, and be sure that your content moves them in that direction.
Call to action
The call to action is possibly the most important part of your video. What do you want consumers to do with the information you are giving them? Are you driving them to your website? Be sure to include a link! Are you advertising a specific product? Make it extremely easy for them to find and buy it, lest they get frustrated and leave never to return. Including this information in the first eight seconds will ensure that it gets in front of your viewers while they are watching. Without a clear call to action you will have no way to know if your video marketing techniques are working, and no way to know where to tweak your content to ensure the best use of your advertising dollars.
Using videos is a proven strategy to market your business. Whether they are ads or stand-alone content, ensuring that the first eight seconds are top quality can keep customers engaged throughout the video resulting in a higher conversion rate and more business for you.