Here are my 5 tips to create more engaging YouTube videos. This applies to any type of channel and niche. It will help keep your viewers engaged and increase watch time. Increasing watch time will ultimately help push your video out to a bigger audience.

I hope these 5 tips will make you inspired to think more about your videos and how to make them more engaging!

The best way to learn in the beginning is to find out a formula that is already working and copy it!

Make a list of your favourite channels and videos. Try and find channels that are in the same niche as you and that are successful. Watch them with the mindset to learn from them. Pay attention to what makes them engaging.

Make sure you writing notes! That way you can come back after watching many videos and see the common factors. Write these down so whenever you are planning your videos you can keep coming back to them.

Here are some things to look for when watching these videos:

• The structure of the video.
  • How is the intro and outro?
  • Is it all in chronological order? Or do they mix it up?
  • Is there a storyline? How do the build this into the niche?
  • The pace of the video. Is it quick cuts or is it just one long video?
• Music and sound effects.
• Special effects and edits.
  • From complex After Effects to cute gifs added.
  • What transitions do they use?
• Titles and thumbnails
• The content itself.
  • Especially if this in in your niche! You can see the videos that are doing the best. And what content repeatedly gets more views.
  • How do they present this content?
  • Do they go in-depth or explain the topic broadly?
  • What is their energy level? How do they speak to viewers? Do they speak quickly or make it relaxing and speak slowly?
• Footage
  • What kind of shots? Do they use close-ups, long-shots...? Do they use any interesting angles?
  • Do they use any b-roll footage?
  • In what setting do they film? Does this add to the video at all?
• Anything else that caught your attention!
• What can they improve on?
  • This one is very useful if you're able to find something! Because it means you found a hole in the content that you are able to fill.

There is much more you can analyse, but these are some things to get you started! It will help you understand and define what makes a video engaging, useful, and enjoyable.

You can also read the comments and find forums that discuss this. That way you can learn about your potential viewers opinions.

The goal of this is to learn and reflect. You do not have to apply everything to your videos. Remember to still be yourself!

People have a short-attention span! You want to keep them watching longer. And to do this you need to make sure you change it up.

Add:

• Make a lot of cuts! Get rid of blank space. Every second should add value.
• Add different angles or shots. Even if you're just talking you can keep it engaging by changing the angle. If you didn't film more shots you can always zoom in and out.
• Change the videos. You can find free videos on copyright-free sites or your own b-roll footage. You want to change the settings and visuals, so people keep watching.
• Keep it moving! People may also enjoy watching you while performing activity. Even if it's just drinking coffee or walking around.

Different things will work for different channels. What works for a meditation video will not work for a prank channel. But it's good to think about how you can 'spice' up your videos.

Play around with the pace. Within the same video you can have a quick paced montage and a more calm talking part.

This helps keep the video interested, just as we discussed in tip 2.

The important thing is to start having fun and not being afraid to experiment.

You can then use YouTube analytics to keep track of what sections of videos are doing well. Analyse what you're doing in those and apply them to future videos.

Soundtrack is so important for your videos! And something that is often overlooked by small creators.

Music that is done well is often not even noticed by audiences! However, it adds to the meaning of the video, sets the mood, evokes emotion, link themes and guides viewer's focus.

Sounds can be anything from a laughing soundtrack, a crunch when someone is eating, to background music playing behind someone talking.

You can find free copyright-free music and effects at:

• YouTube Audio Library - Find this in your YouTube studio. YouTube gives you access to free sounds and music to use in your videos.
• Freesound - Access to a database of sound effects.
• Thematic - Trendy music to use in your videos. You will have to attribute these in your video description, but it is free to use.

Storytelling is key to keeping your viewers watching your full video! And yes, this applies to all video types - from vlogs to challenges to tutorials.

This is why it is so important to think of the structure of your video. If you can, do this before filming. But you can always play around with this when editing.

A simplified description of a story is this structure:

• Exposition: This is the introduction. Hook your viewers!
• Rising action: Tension is building. It is leading to what causes the 'climax'. Also explain the topic further and its importance.
  • Vlog example: You don't want your video to be only sequential. This happened -> then this -> then that... There has a to be a reason why something causes the next scene. Or maybe a goal you're trying to do and the viewer is waiting for that to happen!
  • Tutorial example: explain the issue, why this is important to your viewer, and how this problem is costing them.
• Climax: This is the peak.
  • For example, the reaction of the prank, the solutions to a tutorial problem, the best intriguing part of a vlog, the main action of a gaming stream.
• Falling action: Everything is being resolved.
  • For example: the 'it's a prank' call, or summarising the key takeaway from your lesson, how you fixed what went wrong in your day in a life vlog, the results of a game.
• Denouement: the end! Close the chapter. (Or maybe leave it open for the next video!)

In most cases want to make sure the bulk of your video lies in the rising action and climax. You can even end the video right after the climax. You don't want viewers to know you're wrapping up.

Finish your videos when they're still interested! That way you make add a call to action to another video and viewers will want to keep watching.

These are just 5 tips to make your videos more engaging! Keep these in mind when designing your next video.