YouTube is one of the most popular platforms on the internet. It’s a platform that serves as a source of entertainment, news and even educational material. Basically, it’s an all-around platform that uses video format to provide us with any kind of material we want.
When you take a look at some of the most popular YouTube channels, what all of them have in common is the standardized format – the intro, the main section and an outro. Having a great, unique intro is what can set your channel apart.
What Is A YouTube Intro?
YouTube intro is a short, introduction clip, lasting anywhere from 2 to 30 seconds. It is what sets apart your video from the others, aside from the content itself. It marks the video as yours. It does all kinds of other things as well, but we’ll get to that in a minute. But first, let’s talk about how you can make one.
How To Make An Intro For Your YouTube Video?
The basic composition is rather simple – keep it short, memorable and unique. It has to represent you as a creator, your content, your channel and what your videos are all about. It has to represent your brand, so make sure your logo and the overall theme is present in there. In some cases, people even have more than one intro, depending on how versatile their content is.
To create one, you can use a plethora of options – from standard video editing software to an entry-level, no-experience-needed online intro maker. It all depends on what you’re looking for and how skilled you are. But don’t worry, even if you’re inexperienced and you’re just starting your YouTube channel, websites and tools like promo.com‘s intro maker can help you out tremendously during your humble beginnings.
Why You Should Use An Intro Maker For YouTube Videos?
Now that we’re familiar with the basic concept of an intro video, what it should contain and how to make one, let’s see why you should use an intro maker for your YouTube videos.
1. It’s Easy
Most people aren’t experienced enough to create their own, unique introductory video from scratch using raw or stock footage and editing software. It’s a skill that can’t be learned within a day. On the other hand, intro makers are filled with interesting, pre-edited, catchy footage for all kinds of different content, which make them ideal for anyone, no matter how experienced or non-experienced they are, to make their own intro. All you’ll need to do is add some text, perhaps an image or two, preferably your logo if you wish and you’re done.
2. It’s Fast
No matter how skilled you are with video editing software, creating a video, even a short one, can take a lot of time. Also, if you’re working without a clear plan, you’ll spend most of your time tinkering and trying out new things and before you know it it’ll be 2 am and you’ll wonder how did you spend 12 hours working on a 10-second video and you haven’t accomplished anything. With an intro maker, on the other hand, you’ll choose between pre-made templates and intros and find that’s most suitable for your channel, you’ll play around with options for a few minutes and you’ll be done before you even know it.
3. It’s Free
Even if you decide to make a YouTube intro all by yourself, using video editing software, you’ll probably still need to pay for a licence for that program, assuming you’d probably use some of Adobe’s products. Also, if you wish to leave this job to a professional video maker and editor, you’ll still have to pay them for their services and depending on the skill level of the editor and your desires, this short clip can cost upwards of $100. On the other hand, online intro makers, such as the one we mentioned in the beginning, are free. You just sign up, choose a template and you’re pretty much done without having spent any money whatsoever.
4. It’s Effective
As we’ve mentioned in the beginning, an intro has to follow a clear set of rules. It has to be short, it has to be memorable and it has to represent who you are as a creator. You see, you may think that a 45-second long intro with a lot of information is ideal as it’ll cover everything a viewer needs to know about you. However, let us ask you this – why is there a skip intro button on Netflix? You see, people are eager to get to content and they don’t want to waste their time looking at the same intro over and over again. So, keeping it short (5 seconds or less would be ideal), interesting and fun is key – and that’s exactly what you get from an intro maker.
5. It Comes With Royalty-Free Music
Aside from the visuals, the other part that makes the intro so important and interesting is the audio. Now, you can probably use any song in the world as your jingle, but you’d probably have to pay a lot of money for some of them. Now, you could use a custom jingle or a tune for your intro, but unless you know how to compose a catchy tune, you’d still have to pay someone to do this for you. Luckily, there is a way to avoid all of this. Royalty-free music is available and intro makers use those tunes exactly, so you don’t have to worry about getting strikes or your videos taken down due to copyright issues.
Why Do You Need An Intro?
Answering this question isn’t easy, as there are a lot of reasons behind intros. It’s not by accident that every TV series, every talk-show or any other televised show, regardless of the format, has a unique intro.
Intros are vital when it comes to brand recognition and building brand trust. They help us remember and connect with the content we watch. It makes it easier for us to understand what we’re about to see. Also, it’s professional and it helps with marketing.
As you can see, the intro is not simply a thing that you have to have because someone said so. It is, in fact, a key factor of a YouTube video. So, if you don’t have one or if you want to make a new one – we suggest you get right on that. It’ll help you tremendously.
