TV Intros Don't Make Sense (on YouTube)

There is an enormous amount of inertia behind the work people do. 

“We’ve always done it this way” and “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” are common excuses for perpetuating the status quo.

But the goofy thing about humans is that we will continue on with an odd behavior without pausing to consider its origins or efficacy.

A classic example is the TV Show Theme Song.

In the 60s and 70s, the average sitcom ran for 23 minutes. It would be assigned a repeated 30 minute time slot and the broadcasting company would sell 7 minutes of advertisements to fill the time.

And they needed to sell those ads because producing a TV show was EXPENSIVE.

Editing the footage, operating the equipment, and the rest of production costs added up quickly.

Producing 23 minutes of original content was also time-intensive, making weekly production deadlines challenging.

So, someone came up with a great idea. What if the shows had an extended introduction… like a 30+ second theme song.

If it was good, it would get fans excited for the episode. But it came with an added benefit. The theme song could be re-used each week, at basically no cost. 

Now you only have to pay for 22 minutes of new tv, not 23.

In a world of just 3-5 broadcast channels, this was tolerated by viewers. They were just excited their show was on and had no viable alternative for video.

Intro sequences became a staple of tv and continued into the cable era. Recently HBO hits Succession and Game of Thrones had iconic intro music that any loyal fan would recognize.

As newer creators jump into video production, they take inspiration from their favorite shows and want their own intro sequence. In their mind, it gives them prestige and conveys professionalism.

But, unfortunately, the game has changed.

Netflix popularized a feature that allows viewers to skip the intro sequence, which has since been copied by all the other streamers. 

On YouTube, you’d be highly unlikely to come across an intro sequence longer than 3 seconds. 

Why?

Because in the digital domain, it is way too easy for viewers to get bored. And while some will just skip forward, a bored viewer is also likely to click away and never return.

They have infinitely more alternatives than the TV viewers of last century.

As video marketers, we need to respect that reality and plan our content accordingly.

Skip the intro sequence and focus on a distinct intro that sells the rest of your video. Stoke curiosity so that viewers stick around and watch longer.

That’s what the modern media platforms reward.

Effective YouTube channels are some of the most sophisticated marketing operations on the internet.

There are multiple elements that require optimization and distinct skillsets.

If you want to learn more about Winning on YouTube, then you should attend our Free Training on February 21st.

We will share some staggering statistics about the platform and some of the core competencies you need to start developing.

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