There are billions of videos on the internet. Some are fantastic – and as we know from experience – many more are quite difficult to digest. What makes these great videos stand out? What in the world does it mean to be a great video?  Here are 3 components that all good video implements:

Starting with a Message

The beginning of your video should set the tone and cadence for latter parts. The beginning of a video – like in essay writing – is similar to your thesis statement. It is important to note that “message” here doesn’t necessarily mean an overt explanation. “Message” in this context can range from a subtle emotional appeal to a concise indication of what’s to come. The important thing is that the “message” either stays consistent or is used constructively to build upon.  In most modern ads you are not aware of the product placement until the very end. In the case of ads, although the idea may not be clear, the emotion is; the beginning of any ad highlights the type of emotion it will attempt to illicit.

If we look to YouTube we can see content in a more traditional sense. As you begin to watch YouTube videos from well established channels: you have an immediate idea of the style of the content. For instance, a highly successful channel called Cinema Sins, that evaluates movies by pointing out inconsistencies, always begins with the same “messaging” or content style. Within 20-30 seconds a viewer can glean the style and flow of the content – and this content style remains consistent throughout the piece.

Maintaining a Flow

An abrupt frame or tone change can throw off an entire video. This is because every video begins with a flow – like a story – each piece should only interact with each other in a constructive way. In writing, this can be seen in an author’s style. It stays consistent through the piece, and if the author were to simply get up and walk away whilst another took over: readers would tend to notice. As such, every piece in a video should be placed there meaningfully in relation to each other.

To ensure a your video doesn’t suffer from a choppy flow: watch it several times. This seems basic, but can’t be reiterated enough. Just as you should read an essay multiple times before submission – make sure to closely watch your video. Watching isn’t enough however: go through your script with the video playing and without. Reading your script out loud with the video in the background helps elucidate inconsistencies in the overall flow.

Captivating an Audience

A good video creator knows their audience and knows what will keep them coming back for more. With Ads, it is a rich setting with constantly shifting scenes that keeps us engaged. In the field of video content it is providing relevant information that addresses customer pain points. This is not enough however, and pretty much everyone in the field does this. What separates the good from the great is how they provide that content; the great add a spin to their content that was not in that space before – creating their own niche. Working out of their own niche: they are able to keep an audience engaged and interested throughout the content cycle.