A Successful Video: How To Make The Viewer Watch The Video Until The End

You create entertaining videos, design them well, constantly improve, but your view count and subscribers still don't increase? There's a solution! At the heart of any successful video is a small but captivating thing - an idea. Let's explore the techniques used by creators to keep viewers glued to their videos.

What video topics and formats do people watch the most?

Let's start right away. The trend of "Change Your Life" is still relevant and actively evolving these days. Many people are dissatisfied with their way of life. They are constantly searching for answers to questions like, what is their true calling, what do they want out of life, and who do they see themselves as in five years.

If you've managed to find an answer to any of these questions, you can confidently share it. And it doesn't have to be something grand. For example, you can explain how you cultivated a love for reading or spent only 15 minutes a day studying a language and made significant changes in your life in three months. Or you can share a more extensive experience, like moving, changing jobs, or marrying a millionaire (lucky you).

Topics like these tend to have the most viral videos since they capture viewers' interest and are extensively shared by YouTube’s algorithm.

Similarly, videos that deep dive into concepts like;  "The Whole Truth About..." also attracts attention.
People are genuinely interested when they are told about something super-secret, closed, and forbidden, something that was previously inaccessible. Does water really exist on Mars? How were the pyramids actually built? What's wrong with the Roman Empire, and why do most men think about it so often? If you're ready to take on big and small investigations, you will definitely find an audience.

Content in the form of contradictions also generates special interest.

For example, videos like "I stopped making videos, and my channel grew." Everyone is curious to know how that happened, why, and whether they can achieve similar results using the same method. Motivate viewers to watch your video to find out how it all turned out.

Continuing the theme of contradictions, videos where you've achieved something without doing anything are also popular. Examples include "How to gain subscribers without making videos" and "How to lose 10 kilograms without dieting." Anything that seems illogical, magical, and straightforward tends to go viral and capture people's attention.

It's also a good idea to add time frames to such videos. Achieving or accomplishing something within a short period is the most attractive content. The perfect scenario might look something like this: "How to lose 10 kilograms in 10 days," combining both contradiction and a time frame. 

Another example of a successful video concept is the theme of regrets. Videos where you try (or tried) something and end up disappointed. For instance, "I regret buying this camera for my vlog."

And, of course, don't forget that new subscribers really like and watch videos in the format of:

• Comparisons: You bring people together with different opinions and spark discussions, and activity is crucial for your channel. Any controversial, and sometimes negative, topics stir people up.
• Video Listicles: Lists, checklists, and guides. These videos always have good retention because people are curious about what comes next, especially if the topics are seamlessly interconnected.
• Reactions: Your opinion on something will elicit responses in the comments from both supporters and opponents.
• Seasonal content: Any videos tied to specific events. For example, seasons like summer - a checklist on how to have a great summer, various spring vlogs, Halloween-themed content, New Year's, Valentine's Day, and so on.

What motivates viewers to watch a full video?

Before shooting a video and even writing a script for it, it's essential to define your key points. So, find an answer to the question: what is this video about? The quality of your answer, how entertaining and interesting it is, will determine how engaging your video will be for viewers. If you can summarize the main idea and the unique aspect of your video in a couple of sentences in a way that genuinely arouses interest, then it's definitely worth creating a video on your chosen topic.

Curiosity

Remember, the most crucial element in all successful YouTube videos is curiosity. Pay attention to how many video thumbnails or titles attempt to ignite our curiosity. Even the formats we discussed earlier are entirely aimed at awakening curiosity in people.

Authority

Now, let's think about whose opinion you trust more when it comes to technical matters? Marques Brownlee or some random guy with twenty subscribers? We trust popular vloggers, professionals in their field, who have proven their expertise over the years.

This leads us to the fact that authoritative opinions always fuel interest in content. Keep in mind that you can creatively add authority into your video with editing. For example, you can include a celebrity in the video title or thumbnail. You've probably seen videos showcasing the style or makeup of celebrities. Creators put the original image of a media personality on the thumbnail, and many people can't wait to find out how to recreate that makeup or where to find similar stylish outfits. Or, for instance, a book vlogger might feature a celebrity on the thumbnail to talk about their favorite books.

Also, remember that different authoritative opinions appeal to different audiences. So, it would be strange to put Robert Pattinson on a fishing channel. At the very least, anglers have no idea who these people are, even if they do have a lifetime of fishing experience.

Extreme and epicness

Another format that always attracts people is adrenaline pumping videos. The level of excitement is determined individually for each type of content - for some, a parachute jump will be extreme, while for others, shooting a video outdoors in the wilderness is what they consider extreme.

Additional features that attract viewers

Content for beginners is always popular in most niches. Beginners are always searching for answers, so this type of content never loses relevance. The main thing is that the niche itself remains relevant. For example, talking about how to use a phone book is not relevant because modern people simply don't need them, and older people are unlikely to watch this type of video on YouTube. The example is strange, but you get the idea.

The most important and appealing aspect of your videos can be the presence of a storyline. Storytelling in videos doesn't always mean having a fictional format with characters and a full cinematic script. It's more about how you can structure the sequence of events in your video so that the viewer remains engaged throughout the entire viewing.

Every minute, at the very least, you should introduce something new and interesting to the viewer; whether to entertain, amuse, or surprise depends on the nature of your content. However, without this, the viewer may lose interest.

Often, within videos, creators can ask questions while already having a prepared answer. Any format of questions within the video adds dynamism, and if they are asked correctly and at the right time, it can further ignite the viewer's interest.

For example, if you are talking about how to transplant plants, discussing soil, demonstrating the process, and mentioning that you can't transplant plants from a pot all year round, viewers will automatically have a question: when can you transplant them? Suddenly in the video, you say, "And you probably have a reasonable question: when can you do it?" — and then proceed to answer it.

Your video topics should be interesting to people because, no matter how well you promote uninteresting ideas, people won't watch them. Or they might, but in very limited numbers. On the other hand, less interesting topics can be presented correctly.

For instance, someone is looking for a drill and knows nothing about drills. You create a video about an excellent budget impact driver and name it something like "Buy DEWalt" - and you'll be happy!" Almost nobody will watch this video because nobody is looking for "DeWalt" with a bunch of numbers. A completely different effect will occur if you title the video like this: "Which budget driver drill to buy for beginners? Review and testing of the DeWalt  DCD787B impact driver." Agree, it has a completely different effect? The first title exists only for those who are already familiar with such a model, while the second title is for everyone who is simply interested in drills. So, the idea and execution of your video can be excellent, but the presentation can make or break the expected hype. Therefore, create videos that will be interesting to people.

Also, try to use fewer professional words because there are more beginners than experts on YouTube. And if you include the name of the guitar in the title of a review video, then most likely, fewer people will watch it compared to when you write something like "The Best Electric Guitar in 2023 for Beginners" in the title.

Certain words that are pleasant and familiar to people trigger them to pay attention to your video. However, when using professional jargon and slang words, you need to be cautious as they can discourage the viewer.

Important elements inside the video that captivate viewers

Time is the most precious gift a viewer can give you, so don't waste it unnecessarily and try to get to the point right away. However, don't reveal the entire intrigue of the video immediately.

Let's go step by step. Your introduction is a way to establish a connection with the viewer. In general, trailers, introductions, or hooks at the beginning are the first step to engage your viewer. Without this, there won't be any viewership at all.

Remember that you have less than 8 seconds to capture the viewer's interest. So, avoid putting a lengthy intro at the beginning of your video, and keep it under 5 seconds.

Now, let's talk more about the trailer.

A trailer is a short preview that helps create intrigue, increase interest in the content, and let people know:

• who is the creator
• what is the content about
• why they should subscribe and watch

A trailer is an indispensable tool for those who have a unique feature on their channel, whose content isn't immediately apparent, and generally for those who want to convince audiences to watch their channel.

Remember that people find it easier to watch dynamic videos. Try to enhance your videos with graphic elements, animations, and maybe some motion graphics, but don't overload the video – everything should be in moderation. Excessively information-packed videos are hard to digest, and you can drive viewers away after just five minutes of such a visually intense video with lots of special effects, a lot of information, complex language, and rapidly changing images. Try to vary the information density – sometimes more, sometimes less.

Trim unnecessary parts and pauses, don't be afraid to make your video shorter but more engaging. Vary the shot sizes and use direct cuts in editing to make your video more dynamic and interesting.

It's worth noting that repeating the same techniques and editing tricks become tiresome to the end viewer. So, if in one video you used a technique like changing the usual location, keep in mind that in a couple of videos, it won't be a trick anymore; it will become the standard format.

Don't make the ending too obvious – it's better to leave some intrigue for viewers to keep them watching until the end. You can introduce this intrigue at the beginning, maintain interest throughout the video, and reveal something valuable at the end. The key is to meet the viewers' expectations. If you can't build intrigue, you can summarize the video, which is also a good format. Just avoid making overly long conclusions; otherwise, it will turn into a recap of the video that the viewers have just watched.

Intonation and speech tempo are also important tools in capturing the viewer's attention. Try to improve not only as a video creator by coming up with interesting ideas and scenarios but also as a speaker to effectively convey your ideas to the audience.

Lastly, here's one simple tip: sometimes, to find a great idea for a video, all you need to do is ask your viewers what they want to see on your channel. In the comments, there might be genuinely interesting ideas.

We hope this article has helped you refresh your ideas for your videos. May your videos always be interesting and engaging for your viewers!