Q1) - Intros
What kind of intro's turn you off from a video?
Long intros that feel like a generic introduction that isn't part of the video turn me off. Also, loud introductions that are really flashy and hurt my ears (I'm usually wearing headphones...) tend to make me click away.
Have you ever left a video because of an intro?
If I need to turn the volume waaaaay down for an intro, but then can't hear what the person's saying because the sound is too quiet for the actual video, I usually leave the video. If the intro is so loud that it startles me, I also usually leave a video.
I leave a video if it's been 2 minutes and they still haven't gotten to the main topic of the video. I consider that an "intro," even if it's separate from a generic channel intro.
For example, "Hello my Fuzzy Skittles family! Welcome back to my channel! If you are new here, make sure to subscribe and give all my videos a big like all because it makes me happy and it makes YouTube happy. I make videos every day of the week and youtube makes me so happy and..." --3 minutes later...-- "So now onto the video! I hope you enjoy this video and that it makes you happy like it makes me happy...I love youuuu<333!"
There are a lot of YouTubers like that...I'm not a fuzzy skittle, and I don't want to be called a fuzzy skittle. I want to hear about the topic that was written in the title, not about how YouTube makes the YouTuber happy. I'll consider subscribing to the YouTuber only if the video was helpful, entertaining, and/or interesting. I would probably leave before the YouTuber finishes their little spiel about their channel. x_x
Are there any intros you enjoy? who makes them?
A generic channel intro that is under 3 seconds long is good. I like when they slip it into the video somewhere towards the beginning rather than at the very beginning.
For example, "Hi! Today we're going to talk about such-and-such" -- 3 second intro -- " Now first..blah blah blah, etc. ect..."
If it's a miniature movie, or a music video, the intro can be longer, but only if it has been created specifically for the video. I'm fine with a story-line buildup before a music video actually starts, or a longer introduction acknowledging actors / producers for a higher-production video. The longer introductions must feel like part of the video in order for me to keep watching.
Q2) - Credits
Do you ever read the credits?
I'm guessing this means the end credits? Sometimes I do, but only if something in the video catches my curiosity and I want to find out who helped with that aspect of the video. For example, if someone's video has really superb special effects, I'd want to know who did them. I usually Google their name and check out their website. I normally check out their site to see if they offer classes / tutorials because I want to learn how to do it, and less because I want to hire someone. I don't have the budget to hire other people to work on videos with me right now, but if I did have a budget, I'd probably use the credits to find people I'd want to hire... ^^
What credits do you hate/like?
I like when I can read them. Sometimes credits fly across the screen so quickly that I can't read anything. I'm fine having to pause the video to read them, but sometimes they fly by so quickly it feels like we're not supposed to read them. =/ Fast movements across the screen tend to make me feel dizzy, too. :S
How long should they be?
Long enough to properly acknowledge everyone who helped with the video. If it's a group of people, I'm fine with them calling themselves by their group name, rather than listing out the individual people who worked on a project, but I prefer seeing individual people acknowledged for their role. ^^
Q3) - Calls to action (this includes any section in a video where a youtuber directs their subs to a site of theirs, a product, or to subscribe/like)
Any good examples/bad examples?
A bad example would be when the YouTuber asks for viewers to subscribe before the video even starts to be discussed.
A brief call to action mentioned at the end of a video, or in an ending clip is fine. ^_^
Has a call to action ever turned you off from subscribing? or made you decide to subscribe?
If it was thrown in the beginning of a video (which I hate), but if it was really short and the video actually was really helpful, then I'll still subscribe. I don't think it was because they asked me to at the beginning of the video -- they probably wouldn't have needed to ask me to subscribe at all.
However, usually channels that do this don't seem to have content that I like to watch, so I usually don't subscribe to them.
If it's at the end of the video, it works like a helpful reminder. Sometimes I get so wound-up thinking about the video topic that I click onto the next video without subscribing/liking the video, so I think asking viewers helps.
Also if you use these yourself, what have you noticed personally for you?
Most people drop off when my ending pops up. I have yet to verbally ask members to subscribe, so I don't know if that works better. I've made videos with and without endings, and I have not noticed a change in traffic / click-through rates / subscribers by adding an ending.
I have had more click-through success with Cards. I'm not sure why that is, other than that cards are available on mobile phones and viewable to a larger audience.
Edit: Holy Cow! Sorry for writing a book!
