We continue our VIEW FUEL series with the letter “E.” If you’ve missed our first two articles, be sure to go back and and check those out too. It makes sense when you start at the beginning! You may get their attention, but of the 8 key elements, this is the one that is going to keep your viewers watching.

We have to face facts. Technology has shortened our attention span. People get bored quickly. Engaging your audience from the outset is very important. It’s key to the success of making your video viral. You have a lot less time these days to get your message across.

By “engaged” we mean that your viewer watches long enough to hear what you have to say. If they are not engaged they stop watching, don’t get the impact of your message, and end up not taking the action that you intended them to take.

No matter the length of your video, todays audience demands entertainment. They want to be engaged, that’s why they stopped by your channel. If your video is only a minute or two, you still will want to take the time to create engaging content.

Our intro lasts about 11 seconds. Our information is given in an upbeat tone, and if you pay attention you might notice that we change the camera angel every 15 – 25 seconds as well. Use two cameras or editing software to attain this effect.

In addition to angles and timing, there’s another technique that video software allows, and it’s called “pan and zoom.” This was popularized by Ken Burns, and provides “action” without movement. If you’re standing still in your video, using this technique gives the viewer the sense of movement because the camera angle “moves” even though you don’t.

It’s not always about what you say or how you say it. Sometimes it’s simply a matter of how you look doing it. We like to change the dynamic of our video by using the “black & white” feature of our software. Your viewer is actively engaged using their eyes. Your story is being told visually as well as audibly now. Good job!

When you’re watching videos, see how it is that you become engaged. Is it only what they are saying? Does their camera angle or lack of variety visually bore or distract you? Pay attention, and make note of the ways in which you become engaged in what you’re watching. Do you watch the whole video? Do you take action when it’s finished?

To learn more on this and all of the 8 key elements that make videos go viral and drive traffic to your channel and website, visit youtube.com/ebizmastery.

Learn all of the tips from our video Top 8 Tips To Get More YouTube Views. To totally master YouTube, check out our YourTube Mastery Course to learn the top strategies for mastering video marketing on YouTube.