In the same way that title sequences or credits set the tone for movies, YouTube intros introduce what you’re all about, and what viewers can expect from your video(s). Whether you’re an aspiring YouTuber, small business owner, vlogger or any other kind of content creator, it’s important to introduce your videos properly. Let’s take a look at why YouTube intros are important, plus some tips and ideas!
What Is A YouTube Intro & Why Do I Need One?
A YouTube intro is the first couple of seconds of your YouTube video. Many YouTubers, brands and so on feature an intro clip that plays at the beginning of all of their videos.
It’s a great element to incorporate into your YouTube marketing plan. So, what exactly are the benefits of featuring an intro at the beginning of your YouTube videos?
- It brings a sense of professionalism and uniformity to your videos, especially those in YouTube Playlists
- YouTube intros serve the same purpose as logos for businesses – it introduces you, promotes brand awareness and instantly tells the viewer about you and what your brand is all about
- To introduce yourself and your channel
- It sets you apart from other channels and brings individuality, creating more trust and loyalty which helps you to grow your channel
- YouTube intros reel in viewers and engage them instantly
Tips For Making A Killer YouTube Intro
Keep It Short
Your clip doesn’t need to go into a ton of detail – think of it more as quickly introducing yourself, your channel and your brand. 3.5 seconds is the optimum amount of time to introduce what you need to, put some animation or visual aid on the screen and move into the main video.
Make It Eye Catching
This doesn’t mean to throw a million colors at the screen – it just means that you have a couple of seconds to grab the viewer’s attention in some way. Whether it’s with a witty voice over, a funny sound effect, interesting clip, you need to convince viewers to invest in your video with your intro clip.
Clarity
Make sure not to make your intro clip too messy. It can be tempting to throw tons of text on the screen in order to give as much as information as possible, but this will look chaotic to say the least. Your channel’s logo, video title and some music is enough, or even an animation that wraps everything up nicely!
Be Open & Friendly
If your intro includes a clip of yourself, remember to be open, friendly and welcoming. Try to avoid uncommon or off-putting words, and invite the viewer in as if they are an old friend. Your intro should feature at the start of all of your videos, so you need to make sure it works for all types of videos you may create. If you have a catchphrase that is successful on your channel, throw that in too (just try not to make it seem too forced).
Branding
Branding is key! If your channel reviews make-up, for example, your intro clip should reflect that. In this instance, it should be fun, colorful and youthful. Keep your intro clip on brand to yourself and your channel as a whole. It should tell the viewer so much about you just from the couple of seconds it appears on their screen, and let them know what to expect instantly. Remember to take into consideration your key brand elements such as logo, brand name, tagline, signature colors, fonts and so on.
YouTube Intro Elements & Ideas
Animations
Animations are a fun way to engage the viewer instantly. If animation and design isn’t your forte, you can always find somebody to create your intro for you on sites such as Fiverr. Your intro could feature an animation of yourself, or relate to the main topic discussed on your YouTube (for example, if you’re a book reviewer, a bookshelf animation would work well!) Animated text is also popular on YouTube, so that’s definitely worth trying.
Title Card
Title Card intros are great for regular vloggers or those who post their daily lives. You can lead with a short teaser clip from the video itself and then add a quick title card with the name of the vlog entry. These are usually static and contain some music to keep it interesting.
Typographic
If you’re looking for something that does the job and is easy to create, typographic intros are perfect. They’re short, concise and visually appealing. Why not spice it up a little by featuring clips from your videos with a text overlay that’s subtly animated?
Montage Of Clips
If you have a backlog of previous videos and are now ready to create your YouTube intro, why not make a montage of some previous videos and add some music? If you’re a chef for example, it would be instantly engaging and inviting to see a montage of you cooking and some final results.
Music
Music is a super important element of YouTube intros. Your music should reflect your brand, not contain and offensive words or swear words and be a short snippet (or even a sound effect). If you’re an artist yourself, why not add in a snippet of your own music? If you’re somebody who uses music in their videos, music in your intro clip will help to tie everything together nicely and remain consistent.
It’s important not to use copyrighted music without permission, as your videos (and entire channel) could be put at risk due to infringement. Brush up on your YouTube Music Rules, and look into music licensing to ensure you’re correctly acquiring the music for your videos.
While we’re here… did we mention that our library has over 85,000 tracks that you can have unlimited access to for just $15 a month? Just leaving it here in case…
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re creating your YouTube intro yourself, or outsourcing to another creator, it’s important to take your time and gather ideas. Do some research on similar channels or those that you personally enjoy, and note down what you notice about their intros. Your intro should be individual, engaging and on brand. You can always create a new one, but for consistency, it’s best practice to stick with your intro for a while. So, take your time to get it right!
If you are looking for authentic, top-quality music for your channel, why not check out Audiosocket? Your content deserves the best, so sign up today and access tens of thousands of songs and sound effects to bring your vision to life!
Also, feel free to check out our helpful articles on content creation trends in 2021, lighting tips for creators, using background songs for videos and best free video editing software in 2021!
