If people don't click, they don't watch - Mr.Beast

Step 1 - Secure A Great Title & Thumbnail

Why? Intros are meant to MEET and EXCEED the expectations that you've set with your title and thumbnail. By focusing on this first, you can be certain the drop-offs are less than if the viewers expectations weren't being met.

Step 2 - The First 5 Seconds

2 Step Formula

1. First Sentence Very Closely Resembles The Title
2. Fist Shot Matches Closely Resembles The Thumbnail

They don't have to be exact, but it should be close enough that the viewer doesn't feel the title & thumbnail was clickbait.

Step 3 - Rest of The Intro

Length of the intro doesn't matter so much as what you do next. Any guesses?

Use the rest of the time on your intro focused on the following:

• Creating 1+ Curiosity Gaps
• Providing Context
• Leveraging Input Bias

How to Create Curiosity Gaps?

• Open a loop
  • Make the viewer questions will THIS happen or will THAT occur
  • Humans naturally cling to closure. We are geared to stick around longer to get that closure.

How to Provide Context

• Give more information around what your title & thumbnail are talking about.

Leveraging Input Bias

Input Bias - The theory that the more effort placed into a thing, the more it is valued.

Examples:

• Showing/Telling Your Audience In The Video How Much Work It Took To Create The Video
  • Took 3 Years. Financially Draining. Exhausting Journey
• People with multiple degrees are smarter.
• Display a high level of editing
• What is something you did that few others are willing and ready to do?

However you do it, get it across EARLY!

Step 4 - The Final Construction

Quick Note: Some viewers have Youtube set to autoplay. This means that many times the intro will have no volume attached and initially, so the visuals that you're displaying will be key to retaining them.

How?

1. Go through the script and figure out what visuals can be used to show what you're talking about
2. Your shot list is now includeing those notes you took

b. Pacing/Speed Will Be Key

How?

• Speed up first few clips at the beginning of video
  • Ex: Mr.Beast changes scenes during intros every 1.4 seconds
  • Ex: Mark Rober changes scenes during intros every 1.6 seconds

Test people you know. If they can get distracted from the intro, you may need to do more editing and switch things up

The Comment

Reference: Justin Welsh's LinkedIn Post