If you’ve been paying attention to the world of digital marketing, you know that video content is huge right now. In fact, over 244 million people in the United States watch digital videos regularly, which is most of the population. Even more compelling is the fact that over half (54 percent) of these people want to consume more content from brands and creators.
Fortunately, you can tap into this massive potential by working with a high-quality Miami video production company like People First Media. But it’s not enough to have the best lighting, sets, and production materials. You also have to fulfill the five-second rule. If you can’t capture your audience in the first five seconds, you’ll struggle to keep them for an entire video. Let’s dive into what this rule means for your marketing strategy.
What is the Five-Second Rule?
For better or worse, online audiences have a notoriously short attention span. So, if they’re not interested in a video within the first five seconds, they’re not going to stick around for the rest of the piece.
Unfortunately, unlike other media, where you can let your content build slowly, you need to hook your viewers immediately or lose them forever. Even worse, having a high bounce rate can push your videos further down on results pages, effectively ensuring they never get the attention they deserve.
How to Achieve the Five-Second Rule
Although five seconds doesn’t seem like a lot, it’s more than enough to engage your audience and keep them entertained. What most brands and content creators do is essentially create a five-second trailer for the video and put it at the beginning. This way, viewers know what to expect and can decide if they want to keep watching.
Here’s a breakdown of the essential elements you should include in those precious five seconds.
Provide a Quick Synopsis
When producing video content, you need to stay focused on a specific topic or idea. Now’s not the time to create multi-faceted stories that have twists and turns. One of the benefits of staying focused is that it’s easier to tell people what they’ll be watching. Maybe you can start by asking a question or explaining the purpose of the video.
In this case, don’t worry too much about the details. Instead, provide an overview of what the viewer can expect and add more information as the video progresses.
Front-Load Your CTA
Why do you want people to watch this video in the first place? Are you trying to raise brand awareness, get them to subscribe to your email list, or have them purchase a product? Whatever your call to action is, make sure to put it within the first five seconds. Typically, it’s best to provide the synopsis first, then the CTA afterward.
For example, many content creators will tell viewers what the video is about and then tell them to “smash that like and subscribe button.” Putting your CTA at the beginning helps manage viewer expectations so they can decide if they want to fulfill your CTA or not.
Deliver Your Hook
You know why you want viewers to watch your video, but why would they be interested in watching it? What is it about your video that’s so captivating? Are you providing valuable information and insight, or are you entertaining your audience? Knowing your CTA can help you figure out how to make the content more compelling for the viewer.
For example, if you’re trying to raise brand awareness, you can produce a fun sketch related to your company or its products. If you’re trying to sell a specific product, you can show it in action so viewers can see how useful it is.
Overall, you need to answer the question for the viewer, “why should I watch this for the next five minutes instead of something else? “Get Better Video Content With People First Media
Get Better Video Content With People First Media
People First Media is a video content production company based in Miami and Fort Lauderdale. We want to help your business expand its video marketing strategy, and we know how to capitalize on the five-second rule. Contact us today, and we can develop a customized marketing campaign for you!