đż How to Boost Your Average View Duration
How to YouTube #24
Hey YouTubers,
Today, I want to share one of the best writing concepts I know about.
Itâll help you write better scripts, and create better videos.
And it doesnât matter whether you script your videos to the word, or you make them up on the spot, it applies to both.
đš The Rate of Revelation
The rate of revelation is how fast new information is being revealed to the viewer.
This is important because new information is important for keeping people interested.
I first heard about this concept in Nicolas Coleâs book The Art and Business of Online Writing. He shares this example:
Slow rate of revelation:
I walked into the kitchen to grab a glass of water, which I needed before I could continue writing. I stood there for a while, staring inside the refrigerator. The kitchen floor was cold under my bare feet, and even though Iâd just eaten dinner, I found myself eyeing the hummus on the second shelf, wondering if I should grab the chips from on top of the freezer and go for round two. I stood there and thought about it some more.â
Fast rate of revelation:
I walked into the kitchen to grab a glass of water. As soon as I reached for the glass in the cabinet, it fell to the floor, and shattered, glass flying into my foot. I screamed, blood squirting out of the tops of my toes. My neighbour, who could hear me through the walls, came rushing over, knocking furiously on my door. I yelled, âCOME IN AND HELP ME!â But when the door flung open, I turned around and my neighbor had an axe in his hand. Before I could say another word, the axe soared through the air toward my neck, decapitating my head.â
I was amazed the first time I read this. Itâs genius.
The first paragraph is boring and you struggle to find the energy to read the next sentence. The second is electric and you canât help but read on.
And itâs all down how one sentence feeds into the next. It creates a sense of momentum, intrigue and engagement.
Naturally, this is very relevant to YouTube.
đ„ Applying It to YouTube
Ok, I know sharing this makes it seem like Iâm recommending you turn into MrBeast.
Iâm not. Weâre focused on educational channels here. You donât have to include decapitation to make your videos interesting.
But it is important to be aware of the pace of your videos.
The sweet spot for most educational channels is a high rate of revelation, combined with slower moments for the viewer to collect their thoughts. These are often created by things like a joke or a title screen.
If the pace of the video is too fast, then viewers get overwhelmed.
If the pace is too slow, then viewers get bored.
Now itâs really hard to find this sweet spot. We struggle on Aliâs channel all the time and get it wrong in both directions. But the awareness helps you improve, and make more sensible choices over time.
New information doesnât just look like a new learning point for the audience, itâs how each sentence relates to the next. Itâs to do with how you structure the script and the edit, so that the video feels like itâs going somewhere.
The viewer needs to feel a sense of revelation.
Most beginner YouTubers I talk to are far more at risk of their content being too slow rather than too fast. So chances are if youâre reading this, you need to make your videos more interestingâŠ
đȘ How do you implement it?
I want to be clear: this doesnât mean you need hyper editing and you should try to hack the viewerâs brain with sound effects and graphics.
It means you need to be aware of how your target viewer is likely to feel while watching.
And I find the best way to do this is simple but challenging. When it comes to scripting, I read it back thinking âhow fast this progressing and does it have a nice flow to it?â I then cut sentences where nothing new is added, and add sentences where itâs become overwhelming.
When it comes to editing, weâll cut parts that are too slow or overwhelming, as long as it still makes sense. Or artificially create pauses and moments of separation through title screens and things like that.
Itâs also hard to analyse this yourself, so if you can get someone else to read your scripts or watch your videos before you post them then theyâll be a much better judge of your rate of revelation than you will.
The Takeaway
Pacing is a hard skill to learn.
Thereâs no perfect answer for what your videos should feel like. This is unfortunately something you have to figure out for yourself over time.
For some channels, minimal editing might work best because you have a great camera presence or incredible production quality. Others might need to put in more effort.
Itâs tempting to try to be like Life of Riza or Sam Sulek, but if youâre like most people, youâre not a film maker or incredibly jacked.
Short of going to the gym or film school, youâre left with talking to a camera at home and making an easy to watch and value packed video.
Have an epic week making videos!
Tintin đ§âđ»
đ§âđš The YouTube Tin
Here are a few more ways I can help you progress:
đż My YouTube Channel: Join a whopping 500 other subscribers following my YouTube channel where I share unfiltered content about how to build a YouTube based business (Iâm currently pausing uploads whilst working on another project).
đŠ I also write on X posting more tips and behind the scenes content.
đ ïž My Favourite Tools
(Some of these are affiliate links)
1of10.com (Paid) - Very useful tool that helps you find outlier video ideas. Itâs become a regular part of my workflow but it is expensive, so I only recommend it if you have spare money to invest.
Thumbnail Test (Paid)- This is the best A/B testing tool for titles and thumbnails on the market. I recommend reading my full post on A/B testing here before buying so you can decide whether you need to or not.
Thumbnail Preview (Free) - 1of10 also have a great free chrome extension to help you preview your thumbnails on YouTube itself.
âïž Popular How to YouTube Posts
To be read with love, care and retention.