Do you know that old saying that “first impression is what remains”? Believe me, in the world of videos. It is the truest truth. With more and more content competing for users’ preferences, those who know how to attract their attention best will win. And creating an intro for YouTube can help you with that. Suppose you include the same intro to each video you make. In that case, you will give the channel a much more professional appearance and facilitate the user to know what the video is about. If that’s your goal, but you still don’t know how to create an intro for YouTube, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we will show you how to create an amazing intro for your content and what tools are needed.
Read on and find out!
What is an intro for YouTube?
Intros are a kind of announcement that a video is starting, like the openings of old television shows. On YouTube, intros act as a kind of ID for the channel or content creator. A YouTuber who produces videos for different programs on his channel, for example, can use a different intro for each program to identify each of them. Besides, through graphic elements such as colors and standards, these presentations communicate the brand’s visual identity, helping to fix it in the public mind.
Why is an intro so important?
If you regularly browse YouTube, you may have seen some videos with an intro at the beginning. However, not everyone creates an opening for their content on the platform. Many YouTubers and brands think that an intro for YouTube is expendable or very difficult and expensive to produce. But actually, the intro is a very important element for YouTube.
- The intro is the public’s first impression of your video. Thus, through this opening, the user decides whether it is worthwhile or not.
- Remember that YouTube has more than two billion active users who watch one billion hours of content every day. That is, for your video to stand out from the crowd, you must attract the user’s attention in a smart and captivating way from the first seconds.
- Suppose your intro is engaging and can sum up the style of the channel and the theme of the video, great! You have gained one more visualization. If the video does not have an opening or is not good, the user will likely leave the content in the middle.
- In addition, the intro for YouTube also conveys the feeling of care and professionalism. After all, the content producer had the job of creating an opening for their content. And believe me, the public values a lot.
How to make an attractive intro for YouTube?
Making an intro for your YouTube videos can seem like a daunting task for some. After all, with so much competition, how do you make sure your intro won’t hamper your content’s performance? If you still have any questions on how to create an intro for YouTube, check out our tips:
- Be brief
Most people don’t have a lot of free time to watch videos and are very easily distracted. So try to keep your intro as short as possible, with a maximum of 10 seconds. According to the Wistia site, videos up to 2 minutes long have a higher engagement rate. In other words, you have enough time to produce a great introduction and still present the rest of your content.
2. Surprise the public
Since people are easily distracted on the Internet and the competition is too great, your YouTube intro has to be visually appealing and surprise users. To do this, use short scenes, vibrant colors and a soundtrack that remains in the memory. Make it as unique as you can.
3. Summarize the topic of the video or channel
Since the intro is the audience’s first contact with your video, it’s important to clarify to the viewers what they can expect from your content. According to Ad Age data, 33% of users stop watching a video in the first 30 seconds. That is, you must summarize the content proposal for users from the beginning so that they decide if they continue to see it or not.
4. Maintain a standard
Finally, when creating your YouTube intro, make sure to maintain your brand or channel’s visual identity. Visual identity is the heart of your business and what sets you apart from the competition. Therefore, when a user sees your intro, they must be able to connect the content to your brand.When you don’t set a standard and create visually different intros from each other, you can confuse your audience and dilute your content’s power.
4 programs to create an intro for YouTube
Now that you know the importance of having an intro in your YouTube videos, you must be thinking that it is not easy to make an introduction. But creating an intro for YouTube is easier than it sounds and doesn’t require a lot of editing knowledge or complex software.There are several programs and websites that allow you to create intros with ease. And some of them are free. Meet some of them:
Our first recommended free option for those who want to create an intro for YouTube but have no editing software experience is FlexClip. The service is very easy to use. All you need is to choose one of the various templates available, insert your photos, video clips, text and even logo to customize a fancy intro. That’s it. And all that is for free. To use it, there is no need to download any apps. This web-based app allows you to create a free intro with a few minutes.
Intro Maker
Intro Marker presents a slightly different proposition from the other options. It focuses on creating animated logos. To create an intro in this software, you just have to choose an intro layout and upload your brand or channel logo. And, instead of having paid plans, the platform offers various paid templates. That is, you only need to pay for the templates you are going to use.
Adobe Spark
Adobe Spark is an Adobe multimedia editor for Android and iOS smartphones. Creating an intro for YouTube is quite simple. You just have to choose and edit one of the available templates. With Spark, you can upload your own images or choose from the app’s media library. Once ready, simply download the intro and share this content on your social networks. Now, to access additional features, you must purchase one of the paid plans that Adobe offers.
FlixPress
Flixpress is a website that allows you to create your own intros easily, in a few minutes, and completely online. The service has a free version, which gives access to 15 different templates and allows you to create videos in a resolution of 360p. To have access to the other templates, more storage space, and advanced features, you need to purchase one of several paid plans.
Conclusion
Having an intro in your videos, transmitting more professionalism, also strengthens your channel’s identity. As a result, your videos generate more interest and engagement from the public. The intro is very important so that your videos stand out from the competition, capture the public’s attention, and make it clear to the user what to expect from your content. Follow our advice and don’t leave your YouTube videos without an intro!
Now get started for an intro!
