What You Should Say in Your First YouTube Video
Knowing what to say in your first YouTube video can feel really awkward. But it really doesn't have to be. This week, we're digging into what you should say in your first video to ensure that it not only sounds great the first time around but will entice your viewers both now and in the future. We're also digging into something so common that YouTubers say that can actually hurt the performance of your video. Are you ready?
I'm going to start with something you SHOULDN'T say in your first YouTube video and that's "hey guys, it's me..."
Why shouldn't you say this? First of all, it's probably one person watching your video and you want that one person to feel like you are talking to them. This is how you build that connection. It's also how you'll grab their attention, by speaking directly to them. Is that intro of "hey guys" grabbing anyone's attention? Probably not. Especially if this is your first YouTube video... no one cares yet that this is your channel.
What you want to do is open your video with a strong hook. A hook is going to intrigue your audience or give that viewer a reason to keep watching. You have literally 2 - 3 seconds to grab your audience's attention so just saying hey guys isn't going to cut it.
That's why I opened this video getting right to the value. This is whole reason why you clicked on this, right? You saw the title and the thumbnail and wanted to know exactly what you should say in your first YouTube video!
When I started my first channel, a mom vlog, I can tell you I felt pretty awkward opening up videos. After filming over 400 videos, I've learned some amazing ways to hook a viewer.
One of the best ways to hook your audience is to spark curiosity. A great way to do that is with a statistic. Perhaps you share something like "1 in 4 YouTubers Doesn't Grow because of this!" You're going to want to watch something like that because you want to make sure you're not that one YouTuber!
Another way to open your video is to paint a very descriptive picture. No, I don't mean you need to Bob Ross this. Instead, hone in on your story telling and metaphorically paint a picture with a story that draws them in. Story telling is a powerful way of building connection with people. Maybe you're in entertainment or vlogging. You could start your video with the climax of your video/story.
Now you might be thinking, if this is your first video, shouldn't you tell people that. Not necessarily. I would open that video like you've been doing this all along! Why? The beautiful thing about YouTube is that it can live on forever. People may visit that video years after it's been published. Let's say that video ends up going viral. You'll look like you know what your doing and you'll really set that video up for success.
Once you've grabbed their attention and you've clued them in on the value you're providing to them, then you can give a quick intro and the value prop of your channel. This is a 5-10 second piece though. You want to share who you are and why you're the channel for them so that you can position yourself as the go to person for your industry.
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Once you've done that, then it's time to dive into the good stuff. Especially if this is your first video, this is your time to show people how much you know, how great you are at story telling, etc. In other words, what is your value here? This is absolutely your time to shine! Remember this is going to work best if you are talking about something you are passionate about. Don't just start a YouTube channel because you think you need to; start a YouTube channel to let your passion shine through!
For educational videos like the one above, where it's mostly a talking head, I like to give you the content in steps or tips. That way it's easy for you to follow and easy for you to take action after this video and see a win... hint hint, record that first YouTube video! In fact, I want to hold you to this, let me know in the comments if you are going to shoot your first YouTube video after watching this, I want to cheer you on and support you!
This value you're giving, aka the meat of your content, is going to be most of your video but there is a very important step at the end that I see so so many people missing. And if you miss this step, you may be missing out on traffic!
When you are finished sharing all your amazing value, do not let them know the video is about to be over. You need that viewer to do one of two things! If you have another video, tell them to watch that next! Remember, YouTube loves when people binge watch your content and this is the best way to entice that viewer to do that.
If you don't have a video up and you know what your next video is going to be, you can still tell them to watch that next... then when you have it uploaded to YouTube, add it as the end card. Especially if you are just getting started, this won't affect you that first week but it sets you up for later down the road when potentially this video gets more views. You'll have it set up to give you more views and that's always a good thing.
But there's another option as well. You can send them to your email list. Let them know to sign up via a link in your description or if you're able, on your screen. Once you give the viewer a call to action, you can then thank them for watching or even remind them to click the subscription button!
Want to see the behind the scenes of my recording days? Click the video above to watch and see my film space!
