How To Create An Effective YouTube Channel Intro Video

As of 2020, there are more than 37 million YouTube channels belonging to people from all around the world. 500 hours of video are uploaded every minute!

That being said, YouTube is a great platform for posting videos to a very large audience. If you gain a certain amount of subscribers and views, you can even make money!

However, with a larger audience comes more competition. Your content will need to be creative and interesting in order to catch and keep your audience’s attention, especially your intro.

The intro can potentially make or break a video for viewers. First impressions really do matter here, but don’t sweat it! We’ll provide you with some tips on how to create an effective YouTube channel intro video below.

1. Be short & sweet

Studies show that videos with an intro longer than 10 seconds experience an obvious decline in views.

It’s best to limit your intro’s length to a maximum of five seconds or under if possible. You don’t want your intro to get in the way of your content.

2. Introduce your channel

The point of your intro is to show viewers what your channel is about. This is where you should introduce your channel, whether that’s with your logo, brand, taglines, video title, or something else. Consistency is key in creating a memorable intro!

For example, LadyBossBlogger’s founder, Elaine Rau, has simple yet effective intros in LadyBossBlogger’s YouTube videos. She’s quick to explain who she is and what she stands for. This builds her credibility without boring viewers!

This is also where you can ask viewers to like the video, comment, and subscribe to your channel if you choose.

3. Quality & animations

Your intro as well as the rest of your video should:

Run smoothly
Be entertaining
Use engaging graphics
Stay on topic

Viewers might not take you seriously if your intro is lower quality, which could once again result in viewers clicking off before even reaching the content.

Animating text is an easy way to add some energy to your YouTube channel intro video. It’s also great for building brand identity.

4. Stay lively

To keep viewers’ attention through your intro, you need to make it fun and lively. For instance, you could use humor in voiceovers or arrange animations in an entertaining way.

Who are you? What are you like? This is a chance to showcase your personality and distinguish yourself from other YouTubers and influencers!

5. Choose your music

Including music in an intro video can add a lot to the tone and style of your channel and what you’re all about. You can:

Use each video’s soundtrack (a good choice if you want to your intro to be simpler to make)
Use the same catchy background music in each video’s intro (a good choice if you want consistency)

There’s no right or wrong answer when choosing music. It really depends on your video content and intended audience.

However, it’s important to note that you can’t use copyrighted music. Fortunately, there are many places that offer free music and sound effects. The YouTube Audio Library is a great start.

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Bridget Baltazar is a blogging intern at LadyBossBlogger. She currently attends the University of Iowa and is studying communication studies, human relations, and environmental sustainability.