how to make an intro

How to make a youtube intro

A good YouTube video intro sets up who you are and what kind of videos you make. But it does this as quickly as possible.

It’s all about quickly grabbing the viewer’s attention while convincing them that your video is a good fit for them.

For example, the SciShow introduces its name, tone and theme into its YouTube video intro.

This very quickly lets you know what to expect. And with the cool design and animation, it also shows off some production value. Think about the type of intro you want to create, and imagine your own personal favorites. 

If you have include video-specific information in your intro, make sure to templatize it for reuse.

I will refer to intros as “YouTube intro templates” for this reason.

You can also find free intro templates for After Effects and Premiere  with custom designs and animations. Alternatively, you use a free YouTube intro maker (like Adobe Spark or Panzoid) if it suits your channel.

The animation is key here, since her content is about Adobe Premiere Pro. 

It succinctly predicts what the viewer will see, and establishes her brand.

You can find free intro templates that will animate your logo like this online too.

Ultra-minimalism is also an option for your YouTube video intro. Aperture, for example, usually start their videos with a just name card.

Aperture employs lower thirds graphics instead of formal video intro templates. Here they then blurred out the frame to sneak in their video title card. This is great because it cuts right to the chase, and keeps the brand colors intact.

If brevity is your thing, think about dropping the video intro templates for simpler lower third templates instead.

Use Catchy music

Find a song that matches the tone 

The right song choice should set the tone of your video, and also get viewers onboard. Find a good royalty-free track and assess if it sets the right tone. Does the tempo match the pace of the video? Is the tone similar enough?

You can find good royalty-free music here. 

maintain your branding

Brand voice comes first

Learn how to make a YouTube intro to suit your brand. If you haven’t established your branding yet, YouTube’s Creator Academy has some good pointers.

YouTube requires very tight imagery. Again, you don’t have a lot of time to establish your brand in your intro. So what you do must be clear and quick.

So there’s a few things you have to get right, and quick.

First, think about your colors. Make your intro video consistent with your other assets, like your logo, banners, and thumbnails.

As you can see, The Annoying Orange maintains a “citrusy” palette. You see a lot of lime greens and oranges in their branding. Naturally, their intro follows suit.

If you’re in a rush, find YouTube Intro Templates that emphasize color. And then swap them out to match your brand.

how to make a youtube outro

Create a compelling YouTube outro

Creating a compelling outro (aka “End Card,” or “End Slate”) is arguably as important as your intro. Here you can further your viewer’s engagement with your content. That, in turn, extends the watch time on your channel.

First find a free outro template with a background -- or make one yourself . This is basically the backdrop to your end slate (either 2D or animated) that your other pieces of content will go over. You get to feature up to four content features per end slate.

The content links are what’s most important.

If someone watched your whole video, they clearly like your content. So the links give them more of what they want.

Let’s explore some of the ways to feature your other videos or content.

Use related video

Link to related videos

If you post regularly, use your end slate to resurface old content.

Use call to action

Add a subscribe button

Subscriptions secure repeat viewers. The more subscribers you have, the more watch time your videos get.

Thankfully, you can include a subscribe button in your end slate.

OTHER RELEVANT CONTENT

Include external websites, items for sale, downloadable or even Kickstarter campaigns in your end slate.

SAME TIME, SAME CHANNEL

YouTube banners often boast “brand new videos every week”. Underscoring your upload schedule is important. It lets your viewers know when to expect more from you.

An outro can be a good place to include this as well.

Consistency brings your viewers back for more.

But let them know when that will be.

Up Next

How to use text in your videos?

In the YouTube sphere, you have to grab eyeballs and promise them more. This is what a good intro and outro will do for your channel. The ways you choose to do it are entirely up to you. YouTube intro templates are a great start, but always do what’s right for your channel’s personality.

For further reading, check out the best ways to use text in your videos. As always, let us know in the comments below if you saw something you liked, or have more examples to share!

Up Next: Text Graphics Trends →