Those who want to create a successful YouTube channel need to add an intro to their videos via a short clip that is relevant to their channel’s content. But how do you create a YouTube video intro?
To make a YouTube video intro, use a video builder, such as Canva or Placeit. The intro should include bright colors, bold text, the channel’s title, sound FX, and music. If possible, include photos or video clips of the YouTube video creator. The intro clip should be 5-10 seconds long.
The intros for YouTube videos are relatively easy to create once you know what you need to include and how long it should be. Keep reading to learn more about how to create a great YouTube intro clip!
Components Needed in a YouTube Intro
Good YouTube video intros need to be interesting and draw the viewer in so they don’t click away. These video intro clips need the following components to be interesting to a variety of viewers:
- Bright, contrasting colors
- Background music
- Pictures or short videos of the video creator
- Words related to the channel content
- Sound FX
- Channel logo or name
- Video creator page information (Instagram, Twitter)
When you create a YouTube video intro, bright and contrasting colors should be used in the background. These bright colors will draw the viewer’s eyes to the screen and keep them captivated. If you choose to use dark colors, make sure they fit the aesthetic of the content of the video and the channel. Use contrasting dark colors if you use dark colors in the background, like black and white or black and red.
You must include music in your YouTube video intro. Music will make the intro more interesting and make people stay until the intro is done. Make sure the music has a high amount of energy, swells and dips, and is instrumental. If the music is not instrumental, make sure the lyrics are extremely quiet so they don’t overpower your speaking.
However, make sure that you don’t use music in your video intro that is copyrighted, especially if you are making money from your videos. If you use copyrighted music, the video will be taken down and you can be suspended from making videos. If you do it repeatedly, you can be banned from YouTube.
Instead, use your own music or music that is not under copyright in your YouTube video intro.
If your YouTube channel has a tagline or popular catchphrase, include it in the video intro. This will help give the video a signature feel and look, which is important.
Include photos or short video clips of you or the star of the YouTube channel. In front of the photos or video clips there can be words, but make sure that the star of the YouTube channel is the main focus. If you include video clips or photos, time the change to the beat of the music to make it cohesive.
If your channel is about animation or drawing, include a few of your popular characters or drawings. When they are all included in the same shot, include a drawing of you or your channel name in the middle. If you don’t want to have all of the characters in one shot, include the drawing of you or the channel name at the very end of the intro.
Use words that describe the content that your channel has in the video intro. Keep the words short, and try to sum up your channel in 3-5 words. Use large, bold fonts that are easy to read and animate the words. Only include one word per shot or it will be hard for people to read each word. Use sound FX as the words come into and leave the shot. However, keep the sound FX quiet rather than loud.
Start the actual video right after your intro clip ends. You can include a video clip at the very beginning of the video, before the intro, that introduces the content of that specific video. Thomas Sanders and a variety of drama channels follow that format, but it isn’t required.
How Long Should a YouTube Intro Be?
The length of your YouTube video intro is extremely important.
A YouTube video intro should only be 5-10 seconds long. They can be up to 15 seconds long, but if a video intro is any longer than 15 seconds, people will click away from the video. (Source)
After 10 seconds into a YouTube video intro, people start to lose interest in the rest of the video. They begin to think that the video will be long-winded and slow, just like the intro. This does not leave a good impression on them, so they click away and choose to watch a different YouTube video.
People want to watch the video that you created, not the intro. Although the intro may be cool and visually appealing, if people feel the need to skip it, the intro is too long.
When you create a YouTube video intro, make sure you put it in a place that makes sense. However, video intros should be no more than 2 minutes after the video starts. Many YouTubers introduce their video, then play their intro clip.
What Makes a Good YouTube Intro?
A good YouTube video intro is key to getting viewers and subscribers. The following components make up a great video intro:
- Short (under 25 seconds)
- Played soon after the beginning of the video
- Cohesive
- Upbeat
- Interesting
- Fun to watch
- Memorable
Keep in mind that you will still have to introduce the video itself before/after playing the intro. This type of intro is about your channel and the type of content you typically make and show, not introducing the rest of the video.
Where to Go to Create a YouTube Intro
To create a YouTube video intro of this type, you need to use a video builder or creator. If you don’t, it is extremely hard to create a short intro that is interesting and cohesive.
Canva
Canva is the most popular video-building website that YouTubers use. It allows users to control how long their videos are and has over 250,000 free templates that you can customize to create your unique YouTube video intro. If you use Canva, you will have access to the hundreds of free photos and graphics that will also help you create a great video intro. With the free version of Canva, you get up to 5GB of cloud storage so you never have to more your videos.
Canva is free to use, but there is a paid subscription that is great for businesses. Canva Pro costs $12.99 per month and allows up to 5 people to use the same account. It has more templates, graphics, and cloud storage available than the free version.
Creative Cloud Express
Adobe offers a free program called Creative Cloud Express that is perfect for creating YouTube intro clips. You can download the app to your phone or your computer, and it will help you do the rest.
“Creative Cloud Express can help you create engaging YouTube intros without any prior design or editing experience. Easily add photos, video clips, icons, or voiceover to your YouTube video intros.”
(Source)
PlaceIt
PlaceIt is also a great video creator that you can use to create a YouTube video intro. If you want to create a logo for your channel, this is where you need to go. It has thousands of logo templates that will give you a basis for your channel’s logo. If you use it to create a video intro, it has a variety of templates that you can use. However, it has fewer templates than Canva. PlaceIt is free to use, but there are paid subscriptions available if you need access to more features.
Are YouTube Intros Important?
YouTube video intros are not extremely important, but it does make your videos look more polished and professional. When a YouTuber first starts their channel, they often don’t use an intro. Over time, as they get more experience and their channel grows, they then add an intro.
However, many experienced YouTubers don’t have a video intro as they feel it is unnecessary. It is ultimately up to you whether or not you add an intro to all of your YouTube videos.
Intros to YouTube videos allow new viewers to figure out what your channel is about without reading any descriptions. YouTube intros also capture your audience’s attention and ensure that they keep watching the video. However, if the video intro is too long, you will lose viewers and potential subscribers.
If you have a great YouTube intro that captivates your audience, more people will watch your videos to the end. The more people that watch your videos, the more money you can potentially make. (Source)
An intro to a YouTube video makes it more memorable. The more memorable your videos are, the more people will watch them and the more money you can potentially make. When you create a YouTube video intro, use a variety of elements. The more elements you use in the video intro, the more memorable your videos will be. (Source)
YouTube video intros can help draw viewers in and keep their attention. Nowadays, people have short attention spans. If a video has a variety of interesting things, including a video intro, they will be more likely to watch the entire video.
