Intro or no intro?

[aussj4link]

Hey all, what do you guys think of intros on videos? Many people have them and many don't. Both groups have very successful people. Some have really short ones and really long ones. Most generally people don't like the long ones. Does it really matter in the long run if you have an intro? I've played around with intros for the past few years always trying to find something that suits me best, but I've been wondering lately if maybe I should just ditch them altogether. What's your takes on them?

 

[ItsMoldgold]

Honestly, it's all personal preference. I've used intros and I also have gone without using intros. Intros are nice because it kinda gives your videos a unique feel right from the begining. But it doesn't matter to me. Some people might think intros make channnels look more professional. Well if there is one thing we agree on.... long intros blow haha

 

[Iain]

I think the best are those that set-up the video content before the intro, have a short-ish intro, then continues with the bones of the content.

It gives you a synopsis of the content, allows you to decide if you want to commit to spending time watching the rest of the video, then gives you a bit of breathing space before getting into it.

It's how TV episodes work. It's how we work when we decide if we're going to read a book (both reading the back cover, and then the foreword/preface/introduction/prologue)... Or watch a film (trailer/back of DVD case/etc initially, but then intro scene followed by titles for a lot of films)... Or TV (advert/bit in listings/bit before the first ad break followed by opening titles).... Or computer games (many you'll play a scene or chapter before the "opening cinematographic" style titles...

We're conditioned to the overall process though - so it seems familiar, puts us at ease and works.... As long as the quality in execution and content matches, it makes us subconsciously consider it as a professional video of value as it has a production value to it...

 

[DigiBox]

When it comes to intro we technically have 2.

For the majority of our videos we have the classic greeting presenting who is in the video and what the video is but in ALL of our videos we have a second and a half long animation showing the channel name.

 

[sledrunner31]

Intros can be nice but I've found the key to them is to keep it short.

 

[The NotARubicon!]

All the "experts" say that if you don't have an intro you are doomed to failure .. that's part of the reason i ignore the 'experts'..
We only do a quick 4.5 second branding intro then we get right to what the people came for..
I think for some videos, especially a longer one, an intro explaining what the video is about can be helpful so there is no right or wrong - regardless of what the self-proclaimed experts tell us all.

 

[TheDutchTexan]

I have an intro showing my logo that is just shy of 5 seconds. Any longer and people loose interest I reckon. It needs to be over quick and not drag on!

 

[KatyAdelson]

I've moved this to the Branding Discussion forum. ^^

 

[Mister20seven]

I think a small intro is useful, but it shouldn't be too long, maybe 5 seconds. If I'm going to watch some videos and the intro already takes 20 seconds or longer I'm getting bored and annoyed and might quit watching.

Maybe I'll try putting the intro like 30 seconds after the video starts, after the "hook."

I've seen this a few times, it's a good idea I think.

 

[RoaringKickz]

I say have an intro just keep it short.