There’s a key component of viral videos that creators often neglect.
Most know about the importance of hooks that capture people’s attention in the first few seconds.
What they tend to overlook is the strategies that boost retention, i.e. get them to watch till the end.
Without these, your viewers will drop early and the algorithm won’t push your content to a wider audience 👎
So how can you continuously hook people’s attention beyond the first three seconds of your video?
There are several proven content formats that have retention strategies baked into them.
Take, for example, visual metaphors.
Creators like Julie Smith start off their videos with a visual problem that creates tension, such as a wastebasket full of “trauma.”
She continues to interact with her symbolic props to explain how trauma works on the mind.
Then, by the very end, she reveals the solution that can help people heal.
This way, she keeps her viewers visually engaged while leading them toward a message they are now invested in hearing.
Another format that’s amazing for retention is challenges.
Once it’s clear what the contestants are aiming for, we can’t help but stick around to see the final result in the end.
You can spice up your challenges and increase the stakes by:
1. Increasing the consequences of failure, and
2. Upping the rewards for winning.
Finally, you can get people to watch till the very end of your video with the “common mistakes” format.
We all want to know if we mess up, especially when there are painful risks involved like injury.
In this video, coach Tom Bailey explains how you can correct your posture while doing shoulder presses.
The trick is that his tips are extremely easy to follow and implement while promising a high reward.
His visually rich explanations make it effortless for the viewer to learn, keeping them engaged to follow along.
If you want to find the best format for increasing retention on your videos and master it, my team is happy to help you out.
Want help with your social media strategy? Connect 1-on-1 with Hook Point's team here to see if we are the right fit to work together.
