4 Editing Secrets Small Channels Learn Too Late

Learn 4 essential editing secrets for small YouTube channels to boost viewer retention and engagement with practical tips from vidIQ.

Key Takeaways

Visual hooks are crucial for capturing attention during video previews without audio.
Simple cuts like cut in and cut back help maintain viewer interest and emphasize key points.
Incorporating camera motion through editing adds dynamism and prevents boredom.
Using a mix of A-roll and B-roll footage keeps videos visually engaging and less monotonous.
Effective editing can significantly increase viewer retention and watch time on small channels.

What the video covers

The video introduces John Scott, a new creator struggling with boring videos and low viewer retention.
It emphasizes the importance of visual hooks in editing to grab attention during autoplay previews.
Explains the concept of simple cuts, specifically 'cut in' and 'cut back,' to maintain momentum and emphasize points.
Discusses simple camera moves like push in, pull out, pan, and zoom to add motion and interest in videos.
Highlights the use of A-roll (primary footage) and B-roll to break monotony and keep viewers engaged.
Advises mixing different types of footage to avoid overexposure to the creator’s face, especially in tutorial videos.
Encourages not overcomplicating B-roll and only using footage that fits the content naturally.
Shows how John applied these editing techniques to improve his guitar tutorial videos and increase watch time.
Mentions that these editing tips helped the creator’s previous vidIQ video perform very well.
Promotes viewer interaction by inviting comments recognizing the editing techniques discussed.

Chapters

What is a visual hook and why is it important?

A visual hook is an eye-catching element in the video, especially important during autoplay previews without audio, to grab viewers' attention and encourage them to watch.

What are the two types of simple cuts discussed?

The video explains 'cut in,' which moves the camera closer or changes the shot, and 'cut back,' which returns to the previous shot, both used to emphasize points and maintain momentum.

How can small channels use B-roll effectively?

Small channels should use B-roll to add depth and break up monotony in their videos, but only include footage that fits naturally with the content to keep viewers engaged without overcomplicating the edit.

Full Transcript — Download SRT & Markdown

Speaker A

Let's talk about editing. Editing, let's talk about editing. Hi, thanks for coming on my channel where I teach people guitar things that want to learn about guitar. If this video helps, please make sure to hit no. This guy is a brand new creator. Let's call him John Scott. Now John here started a channel, he had a video idea, and most importantly, he hit record. But John has one problem: he's boring. Hey, more importantly, his videos are boring, but he's about to change all that.

Speaker A

call him John Scott now John here started a channel he had a video idea and most importantly he hit record but John has one problem he's boring hey more importantly his videos are boring but he's about to change all that

Speaker A

I am in the next few minutes. John's audience will go from watching three percent of his videos to 60 percent of his videos, which is a pretty big number for him because he's so boring. [Music] The first thing John needs to do is focus on something that we've talked a lot about here at vid IQ, but it's my version of it. Can you guess what it is? Don't you dare make this a fishing hook. All right then. Now a hook is super important, but a hook gets made in the writing process. But this video is about editing. Guys, let's talk about something I call visual hooks. You know how when you hover over videos on YouTube, it'll start playing the video without audio? Consider that moment the opportunity for a visual hook. For example, the beginning of this video, the visual hook was a barbershop quartet all harmonizing with each other, while the written hook was about how John Scott got viewers to watch. Oh my God, John.

Speaker A

focus on something that we've talked a lot about here at fit IQ but it's my version of it can you guess what it is don't you dare make this a fishing hook all right then now a hook is super

Speaker A

There are all kinds of ways to do visual hooks, and all the best creators use them. Sometimes creators can even get big enough where their face becomes a visual hook in itself. Now let's take a look and see how John applied what he learned about visual hooks. [Music] Foreign. [Music] Groovy. Let's learn how to play it. Groovy indeed. John used his backyard, a scene change, some creative camera angles, and even a little lens flare to give his intro some pizzazz. He even did it without going over the top. Visual hooks don't always need to be flashy. They just need to catch the eye and keep attention. Besides, John's video is about guitar education, so it's not like a Mr. B style intro would work here.

Speaker A

without audio consider that moment the opportunity for a visual hook for example the beginning of this video the visual Hook was a barbershop quartet all harmonizing with each other while the written Hook was about how John Scott got viewers to what oh my God John

Speaker A

I'm gonna teach you how to play this chord progression, and if you can figure it out before this timer gets to zero, then you will have learned something new. Visual hooks. All right, next. Okay, so you put your index finger on all the four frets on all the strings on the fourth fret. Stop, John. I would hate to be a beginner guitar player. Why? Because this is the moment that I would quit. No offense. None taken. The next thing John needs to know about is simple cuts, specifically two types of cuts. I am saying something, and now I'm saying something else. What the camera did right there, that was a cut in, and this is a cut back or a cut out. I like to say cut back because it's like you cut back to where you just were, you know.

Speaker A

learned about visual hooks [Music] foreign [Music] groovy let's learn how to play it groovy indeed John used his backyard a scene change some creative camera angles and even a little lens flare to give his intro some Pizzazz he even did it

Speaker A

Okay, these two little cuts can help emphasize a point, create momentum, and most importantly, keep the viewer's attention. There are a bunch of other different types of cuts, which I'll go into in another video, but for now, just to keep things fresh: cut in, cut back. Simple cuts out of the way, now we're on to simple moves. When you involve motion, that's when things get real, not boring. This is a push in, this is a pull out, this is a pan, this is a zoom. These grandfather's camera movements. Technology is wonderful, and even if we didn't move the camera when we were recording, we can animate it when we're editing. You see this little handheld movement I got going on here? Ain't nobody holding that camera.

Speaker A

I'm gonna teach you how to play this chord progression and if you can figure it out before this timer gets to zero then you will have learned something new visual hooks alright next okay so you put your index finger on all

Speaker A

So now that we've learned about some simple cuts and motion, let's take a look and see how John has made it work for him. So it starts with a bar on the fourth fret while muting the top string with your index finger like so. Then use your ring finger to hammer on the sixth fret of the D string and your middle finger to hammer on the fifth fret of the B string. This shot right here brings me to my next point: it's really important for John to intermingle different types of footage so the viewer doesn't have to struggle with seeing his face so much. Since John's video is more of a hands-on tutorial, most of his footage would be considered A-roll or primary footage. It's the content that carries the message of the video. But what about B-roll, you ask? Or is there a C-roll or E-roll or T-roll? Well, it kind of depends on the video type.

Speaker A

is simple cuts specifically two types of cuts I am saying something and now I'm saying something else what the camera did right there that was a cut in and this is a cut back or a cut out I like

Speaker A

See, the video you're watching right now is more of an educational entertainment type, so B-roll works really well in these types of videos. I could be explaining how, when it comes to content creation, there are so many ways to express yourself and make your mark on YouTube. The world is your oyster. All that footage right there, that was B-roll. B-roll is footage used to add depth and keep the audience engaged by breaking up the monotony of the A-roll. But keep in mind, there's no need to overcomplicate it. If it doesn't fit, don't use it. But if it does fit, take the opportunity to mix up your footage so it keeps your viewers interested.

Speaker A

types of cuts which I'll go into in another video but for now just to keep things fresh cut in cut back simple cuts out of the way now we're on to simple moves when you involve motion that's when things get real

Speaker A

So now that we've learned all these things, let's check in on John and see how he's doing. John? Okay, well maybe he's out celebrating all that new watch time. Speaking of which, the last video that I did for vid IQ, I implemented all these tips and it killed. And I would love it if you would go check it out and comment when you see something that I've mentioned here. Be like, "Hey John, I see what you did there. I saw what you did. I know the things that you know. I know these things that you know. I do these things that you do. I learned these things from you, and now I do them in my video." Beef.

Speaker A

editing you see this little handheld movement I got going on here ain't nobody holding that camera so now that we've learned about some simple Cuts in motion let's take a look and see how John has made it work for

Speaker A

him so it starts with a bar on the fourth fret while muting the top string with your index finger like so then use your ring finger to hammer on the sixth fret of the D string and your middle

Speaker A

finger to hammer on the fifth fret of the B string this shot right here brings me to my next point it's really important for John to intermingle different types of footage so the viewer doesn't have to struggle with

Speaker A

seeing his face so much since John's video is more of a Hands-On tutorial most of his footage would be considered a-roll or primary footage it's the content that carries the message of the video but what about b-roll you ask or is there a c-roll or

Speaker A

e-roll or t-roll well it kind of depends on the video type see the video you're watching right now is more of a educational entertainment type so b-roll works really well in these types of videos I could be explaining how when it comes to

Speaker A

content creation there are so many ways to express yourself and make your mark on YouTube the world is your oyster all that footage right there that was b-roll b-roll is footage used to add depth and keep the audience engaged by breaking up

Speaker A

the monotony of the a-roll but keep in mind there's no need to over complicate it if it doesn't fit don't use it but if it does fit take the opportunity to mix up your footage so it keeps your viewers

Speaker A

interested so now that we've learned all these things let's check in on John and see how he's doing John okay well maybe he's out celebrating all that new watch time speaking of which uh the last video that I did for vid IQ I implemented all these

Speaker A

tips and it killed and I would love it if you would go check it out and comment when you see something that I've mentioned here be like hey John I see what you did there I saw what you did I

Speaker A

know the things that you know I know these things that you know I do these things that you do I learned these things from you and now I do them in my video beef

Topics:YouTube editingvideo editing tipssmall channel growthviewer retentionvisual hookssimple cutscamera movementsB-roll usagecontent creationvidIQ

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