Every minute more than 500 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube! To stand out in this ocean of content you need to attract the attention of viewers with a creative intro. The short opening the audience sees at the beginning of the video tells about the brand, announces the video, and sets you apart from the competition. Read the article to learn how to create an intro.
How to Create an Awesome Intro
An intro is an element of branding, so it should accompany all the videos on your YouTube channel and maintain your corporate identity. A good introduction lasts no longer than five seconds. This time is enough to set the right mood without abusing the attention of viewers.
Define the Goal
Think of why you are posting the video: to entertain, to stimulate the purchase, or to share information? What audience’s emotion do you want to evoke and what impression to create? The introduction should answer these questions and be consistent with the purpose of the whole video.
Choose the Style
Comic or dramatic, retro or techno, animated or artistic – the choice of the style depends on the concept of the whole channel. When choosing it, focus on the target audience and brand identity.
Address the Audience
When creating any content, always keep the viewer in mind. No matter who you’re recording the video for – scientists, artists, or athletes – people need to understand that you’re addressing them from the very first second. This will help keep their attention focused and attract a loyal audience.
Design the Intro in Your Corporate Style
An intro is a part of brand identity, so it should include the basic elements of corporate style such as the name, logo, colors, fonts, and slogan (not always). Remember that you have just a few seconds for the introduction, so the message should be perceived immediately:
- Use the logo as the main visual symbol of the brand. An animated logo can even be the heart of the intro. If you have no logo yet use the ZenBusiness Online Generator to create it.
- Choose readable sans serif fonts and large inscriptions.
- Add one or two corporate colors to make it easier for viewers to recognize and remember your brand.
- Remember that branding is not only about visual effects but also about the impression it makes on users.
Choose Proper Music
As well as visual elements, the soundtrack will set the tone and tempo for the whole clip, attract the interest of viewers, and introduce the channel in general. Music is easy to remember and recognize. That’s why brands often use this association.
For the intro, you may need a music track or a short sound effect. When choosing them, remember about the copyright: choose the tracks available for free use from the YouTube library or other resources.
Mind the Quality
The quality of the intro will convey the impression of the entire video and your brand. We advise you to think over the parameters and format of the video file in advance for it to be displayed correctly on any device.
The standard aspect ratio for YouTube on a PC is 16:9. In other cases (if a video is created with other parameters or is watched on a cell phone) the player size will automatically adjust to the image size.
The video formats YouTube supports are limited to the following list:
- .MOV
- .MPEG4
- .MP4
- .AVI
- .WMV
- .MPEG PS
- .FLV
- .3GP
- .WebM
- DNxHR
- ProRes
- CineForm
- HEVC (H.265)
Intro Maker Tools
No idea how to start creating an intro? Use websites with ready-to-use templates or develop a video from scratch. We’ll offer you the list of useful resources that you’ll find below.
Renderforest
The service offers a large library of templates and extensive editing capabilities. Upload your logo, customize the text, and select the soundtrack. According to the creators of Renderforest, the whole process will take a few minutes. You can try the service for free. The full-service package will cost you a minimum of $9.99 per month.
Biteable
The resource offers ample room for creativity: you can either use templates or create an intro from scratch. To customize the ready-made themes, simply add your own logo, music, or text. Biteable provides a variety of special effects, animation options, and other tools for ad creatives. The free version has only a reduced feature set, and paid options are available for $15 per month.
FlexClip
FlexClip is a free online video maker with rich video resources, super easy-to-use editing tools, and many different theme video templates. It offers many preset intro templates for you to customize your own YouTube intro. To personalize the preset templates, simply add your own logo, music, or text, that’s all. Full access to all features starts from $5.99 per month.
Motionden
The large collection contains professional templates for different purposes – from fitness to business presentations. In each of them, you can replace color, text, music, and add a logo. The service works as a cloud platform, so video files are always available from anywhere in the world. Motionden offers a free trial version. Full access to all features costs from $9 per month.
Filmora
It’s not an online editor, it’s software that allows full creative freedom. This service is perfect for experienced users who want to create intros from scratch and get the most out of editing and creating different effects. A full version of the software will cost a minimum of $39.99 per year.
Flixpress
The online service offers to choose from ready-to-use themes and adjust them to the needs of the user, and namely upload images (including logos) and audio files and add text. You can try Flixpress for one day for free. The regular use of the resource costs from $0.83 per month.
Intromaker
This generator creates intros based on the logos. The algorithm is simple: add the logo, select your favorite animation from the catalog, and apply it to your logo. The minimum cost of templates is $10.
Ivipid
Another cloud service with a simple interface. You need to select the appropriate theme for the video, upload your text and images, and download the finished file. The plans start from $1.99 per month.
Spark.Adobe
The editor with a wide feature set offers to create an intro independently. For this purpose, you can use the ready-made photo/video materials or upload your own. You just need to add the text and soundtrack – and there you are! The complete version will cost a minimum of $9.99 per month. Still, you can try the service for free.
Examples of Inspirational Intros
Let’s remember the iconic intros from your favorite TV series and YouTube channels to find some ideas and techniques to create your own video intro.
TED
Brightness, creativity, innovation, sharing the ideas – this is what the short intro reflects. It features the explosion of a star from which many new stars are created. After that, the memorable red text-based TED logo appears on the screen and you can hear the applause that accompanies every performance of famous speakers.
Friends
One of the most recognizable introductions to the series with six main characters having fun at the fountain to the song “I’ll Be There for You”. This video immediately sets the mood for “Friends” and tells you about the characters.
The Big Bang Theory
The intro to the popular sitcom “The Big Bang Theory” illustrates its title and basic idea. The video begins with the model of the universe followed by clips depicting the different stages of evolution and mankind’s achievements. In the end, you can see the heroes of the TV series.
Kurzgesagt
The channel is devoted to simple explanations of complex scientific notions. The intro is consistent with this concept as well. It features the various components of the substance structure turning into the logo of the channel. Like all the videos on Kurzgesagt, the intro is animated. Interestingly, the videos start with catchy content that captures the viewer’s attention, and the intro appears only after 30 seconds.
DrawWithJazza
The channel for artists, designers, and other creative people with step-by-step guides, lifehacks, and an overview of useful tools. The author doesn’t use the intro in every video but shows an exciting trailer where different creative processes are demonstrated.
