Prime Your Vlogging Game: Top-Tier Mac MP4 Editors Reviewed

What is the Best MP4 Cutter for YouTubers On Mac?

Liza Brown

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Editing videos is a big part of YouTubers’ job including cutting MP4, customizing intros and outros, grading video colors, adding a multitude of effects, and many more. All YouTube celebrities use a diverse set of video editing features such as filters, transitions, custom titles and captions, and overlays.

These post-processing effects ensure that their videos don’t only look aesthetically pleasing but are more engaging and interactive to keep their viewers hooked from the beginning right till the end. This is exactly why cutting MP4 videos and editing have become monumentally significant for newcomers.

Having said that, most of the beginners and hobbyists either can’t afford or want to pay for professional video editing software for cutting MP4 such as Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro. In this time, FilmoraX will be a better choice to cut MP4 for Youtube

Before we further delve into the details of advanced video cutter functions, let’s first develop an understanding of the basics.

Section1. Basic Video Cutter Functions

Section2. Advanced Video Cutter Functions

Section 1. Basic Video Cutter Functions

These are the features of cutting MP4 videos that are used by almost all of the YouTuber to give their videos a more engaging look and contextualize them based on the content. For instance, almost all of the YouTubers use customized captions and titles to share information that is highly valuable for the viewers and enables them to develop a connection with the YouTuber.

Almost all of the YouTubers have customized intros and outros in their videos but some of the notable names include MKBHD, PewDiePie, and Smosh. In the process of cutting MP4 videos, they add these effects to create a brand for themselves.

• Customizing Intros & Outros

One of the most basic functions of cutting MP4 or other videos intended for YouTube audiences is to add your intro and outro.

- Intro - It is a customized beginning where YouTubers usually add their channel name or its logo along with the title of the video. This helps them to develop a personal brand and add context to what their audience is about to see.

- Outro - It is the customized ending of the video where most content creators choose to add a call to action (CTA) encouraging them to engage with the channel or the video in some manner. For example, they may add an outro that asks the users to subscribe to the YouTube channel.

• Rich Stickers & Titles

These are customized stickers, captions, and titles that enable YouTubers to add contextual information at any point in the video to add more value to their content during the process of cutting MP4 videos. For example, if a YouTuber is running a smartphone review channel, they can add rich stickers that contain specifications of the smartphone for those who are interested in particulars.

Including such information, while cutting MP4 also adds to the credibility of the content creator as they are perceived as more professional and dedicated to their job.

Steps to Perform Basic Video Cutter Effects on Filmora X

Here’s how you can add intros and outros to your YouTube videos using Wondershare Filmora X for cutting MP4 videos.

1. Add intro background and select your favorite audio or sound effect
2. Add your logo and/or text to the intro video
3. Now add cool effects to improve the appearance of your intro
4. Export your intro video and add it to shared media

You can also use Filmora templates for cutting MP4 videos to create your intro video for your YouTube content.

In Filmora, you will find a wide variety of templates for titles, openers, end credits, plain texts, callouts, and more for cutting MP4 and other video formats. You can use the premade template to add the desired text effect and then edit them according to your preferences. If you want to use these settings again, save the customized text effects as presets. It will save you a lot of time.

Section 2. Advanced Video Cutter Functions

These are the cutting MP4 effects that aren’t used by beginners but hobbyists and professional video content creators may use them to add production value and interactive dimension to their content.

• Green Screen - This effect allows YouTubers to add any type of live or static background while cutting MP4 videos adding production value to their video.
• Motion Tracking - This is a cinematic method that enables YouTubers to include digital visuals in live-action video. It ensures that everything including scale, position, relative motion, and orientation is accurate.
• Color Matching - If you are shooting your video with different cameras, every camera records the footage in its own color profile. Color matching is used to introduce color consistency throughout the video. Filmora X is perfectly capable of handling color matching while you are cutting MP4 and other videos.

Some of the channels and YouTubers that rely on advanced video cutting MP4 effects include Vlad and Niki, MKBHD, Dude Perfect, Canal KondZilla, Like Nastya Vlog, and Kids Diana Show.

Performing Advanced Cutting MP4 Video Effects on Filmora X

• Using Green Screen

Step 1 - Set up and position the green screen and add adequate lighting.

Step 2 - Make sure that you don’t wear anything that’s green and start shooting.

Step 3 - Download green screen backgrounds from the website of your choice.

Step 4 - Import your green screen footage into Filmora X and adjust the settings according to your preferences.

Step 5 - Position the background-clip so it looks natural and then export the video in your required format (MP4).

• Using Motion Tracking

Step 1 - Go to Behaviors in Control Panel and select the top clip. Then click on the “plus” button right next to Behaviors.

Step 2 - Here, select the motion track from the list and open the folder to select the footage you want to track.

Step 3 - This will automatically start motion analysis of the video clip and you’ll be notified with grey tracker points once the analysis is complete.

Step 4 - You can draw around the region that you want to follow the motion and it will be automatically applied to the object.

Step 5 - Preview the clip and adjust any settings if the result isn’t according to your liking.

• Using Color Matching

Step 1 - Drag the video clip to your timeline and move the play head to the frame you want to color match.

Step 2 - Select the remaining video clips and apply color matching through the right-click or the toolbar. Select the frame as a reference and click on ‘Match’.

Step 3 - Now, using the slider, adjust the extent to which you want the color setting of other clips that need to be matched. See the result in the ‘comparison view’.

Final Word

Cutting MP4 or other videos for YouTube content creation is a major part of the process. You need to have reliable and versatile video editing software that can get the job done without any hassle. And while there are professional packages available, they cost way too much for the YouTubers who are just starting out or are just hobbyists. That’s where Filmora X can be an exceptional alternative offering a wide variety of features at a fraction of the cost.

You can tryFilmora X for free for cutting MP4 videos before you pay for the fully-featured software.

You May Also Like:How do Beginners Make a Cool Video for YouTube on Mac>>>

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Editing videos is a big part of YouTubers’ job including cutting MP4, customizing intros and outros, grading video colors, adding a multitude of effects, and many more. All YouTube celebrities use a diverse set of video editing features such as filters, transitions, custom titles and captions, and overlays.

These post-processing effects ensure that their videos don’t only look aesthetically pleasing but are more engaging and interactive to keep their viewers hooked from the beginning right till the end. This is exactly why cutting MP4 videos and editing have become monumentally significant for newcomers.

Having said that, most of the beginners and hobbyists either can’t afford or want to pay for professional video editing software for cutting MP4 such as Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro. In this time, FilmoraX will be a better choice to cut MP4 for Youtube

Before we further delve into the details of advanced video cutter functions, let’s first develop an understanding of the basics.

Section1. Basic Video Cutter Functions

Section2. Advanced Video Cutter Functions

Section 1. Basic Video Cutter Functions

These are the features of cutting MP4 videos that are used by almost all of the YouTuber to give their videos a more engaging look and contextualize them based on the content. For instance, almost all of the YouTubers use customized captions and titles to share information that is highly valuable for the viewers and enables them to develop a connection with the YouTuber.

Almost all of the YouTubers have customized intros and outros in their videos but some of the notable names include MKBHD, PewDiePie, and Smosh. In the process of cutting MP4 videos, they add these effects to create a brand for themselves.

• Customizing Intros & Outros

One of the most basic functions of cutting MP4 or other videos intended for YouTube audiences is to add your intro and outro.

- Intro - It is a customized beginning where YouTubers usually add their channel name or its logo along with the title of the video. This helps them to develop a personal brand and add context to what their audience is about to see.

- Outro - It is the customized ending of the video where most content creators choose to add a call to action (CTA) encouraging them to engage with the channel or the video in some manner. For example, they may add an outro that asks the users to subscribe to the YouTube channel.

• Rich Stickers & Titles

These are customized stickers, captions, and titles that enable YouTubers to add contextual information at any point in the video to add more value to their content during the process of cutting MP4 videos. For example, if a YouTuber is running a smartphone review channel, they can add rich stickers that contain specifications of the smartphone for those who are interested in particulars.

Including such information, while cutting MP4 also adds to the credibility of the content creator as they are perceived as more professional and dedicated to their job.

Steps to Perform Basic Video Cutter Effects on Filmora X

Here’s how you can add intros and outros to your YouTube videos using Wondershare Filmora X for cutting MP4 videos.

1. Add intro background and select your favorite audio or sound effect
2. Add your logo and/or text to the intro video
3. Now add cool effects to improve the appearance of your intro
4. Export your intro video and add it to shared media

You can also use Filmora templates for cutting MP4 videos to create your intro video for your YouTube content.

In Filmora, you will find a wide variety of templates for titles, openers, end credits, plain texts, callouts, and more for cutting MP4 and other video formats. You can use the premade template to add the desired text effect and then edit them according to your preferences. If you want to use these settings again, save the customized text effects as presets. It will save you a lot of time.

Section 2. Advanced Video Cutter Functions

These are the cutting MP4 effects that aren’t used by beginners but hobbyists and professional video content creators may use them to add production value and interactive dimension to their content.

• Green Screen - This effect allows YouTubers to add any type of live or static background while cutting MP4 videos adding production value to their video.
• Motion Tracking - This is a cinematic method that enables YouTubers to include digital visuals in live-action video. It ensures that everything including scale, position, relative motion, and orientation is accurate.
• Color Matching - If you are shooting your video with different cameras, every camera records the footage in its own color profile. Color matching is used to introduce color consistency throughout the video. Filmora X is perfectly capable of handling color matching while you are cutting MP4 and other videos.

Some of the channels and YouTubers that rely on advanced video cutting MP4 effects include Vlad and Niki, MKBHD, Dude Perfect, Canal KondZilla, Like Nastya Vlog, and Kids Diana Show.

Performing Advanced Cutting MP4 Video Effects on Filmora X

• Using Green Screen

Step 1 - Set up and position the green screen and add adequate lighting.

Step 2 - Make sure that you don’t wear anything that’s green and start shooting.

Step 3 - Download green screen backgrounds from the website of your choice.

Step 4 - Import your green screen footage into Filmora X and adjust the settings according to your preferences.

Step 5 - Position the background-clip so it looks natural and then export the video in your required format (MP4).

• Using Motion Tracking

Step 1 - Go to Behaviors in Control Panel and select the top clip. Then click on the “plus” button right next to Behaviors.

Step 2 - Here, select the motion track from the list and open the folder to select the footage you want to track.

Step 3 - This will automatically start motion analysis of the video clip and you’ll be notified with grey tracker points once the analysis is complete.

Step 4 - You can draw around the region that you want to follow the motion and it will be automatically applied to the object.

Step 5 - Preview the clip and adjust any settings if the result isn’t according to your liking.

• Using Color Matching

Step 1 - Drag the video clip to your timeline and move the play head to the frame you want to color match.

Step 2 - Select the remaining video clips and apply color matching through the right-click or the toolbar. Select the frame as a reference and click on ‘Match’.

Step 3 - Now, using the slider, adjust the extent to which you want the color setting of other clips that need to be matched. See the result in the ‘comparison view’.

Final Word

Cutting MP4 or other videos for YouTube content creation is a major part of the process. You need to have reliable and versatile video editing software that can get the job done without any hassle. And while there are professional packages available, they cost way too much for the YouTubers who are just starting out or are just hobbyists. That’s where Filmora X can be an exceptional alternative offering a wide variety of features at a fraction of the cost.

You can tryFilmora X for free for cutting MP4 videos before you pay for the fully-featured software.

You May Also Like:How do Beginners Make a Cool Video for YouTube on Mac>>>

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Editing videos is a big part of YouTubers’ job including cutting MP4, customizing intros and outros, grading video colors, adding a multitude of effects, and many more. All YouTube celebrities use a diverse set of video editing features such as filters, transitions, custom titles and captions, and overlays.

These post-processing effects ensure that their videos don’t only look aesthetically pleasing but are more engaging and interactive to keep their viewers hooked from the beginning right till the end. This is exactly why cutting MP4 videos and editing have become monumentally significant for newcomers.

Having said that, most of the beginners and hobbyists either can’t afford or want to pay for professional video editing software for cutting MP4 such as Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro. In this time, FilmoraX will be a better choice to cut MP4 for Youtube

Before we further delve into the details of advanced video cutter functions, let’s first develop an understanding of the basics.

Section1. Basic Video Cutter Functions

Section2. Advanced Video Cutter Functions

Section 1. Basic Video Cutter Functions

These are the features of cutting MP4 videos that are used by almost all of the YouTuber to give their videos a more engaging look and contextualize them based on the content. For instance, almost all of the YouTubers use customized captions and titles to share information that is highly valuable for the viewers and enables them to develop a connection with the YouTuber.

Almost all of the YouTubers have customized intros and outros in their videos but some of the notable names include MKBHD, PewDiePie, and Smosh. In the process of cutting MP4 videos, they add these effects to create a brand for themselves.

• Customizing Intros & Outros

One of the most basic functions of cutting MP4 or other videos intended for YouTube audiences is to add your intro and outro.

- Intro - It is a customized beginning where YouTubers usually add their channel name or its logo along with the title of the video. This helps them to develop a personal brand and add context to what their audience is about to see.

- Outro - It is the customized ending of the video where most content creators choose to add a call to action (CTA) encouraging them to engage with the channel or the video in some manner. For example, they may add an outro that asks the users to subscribe to the YouTube channel.

• Rich Stickers & Titles

These are customized stickers, captions, and titles that enable YouTubers to add contextual information at any point in the video to add more value to their content during the process of cutting MP4 videos. For example, if a YouTuber is running a smartphone review channel, they can add rich stickers that contain specifications of the smartphone for those who are interested in particulars.

Including such information, while cutting MP4 also adds to the credibility of the content creator as they are perceived as more professional and dedicated to their job.

Steps to Perform Basic Video Cutter Effects on Filmora X

Here’s how you can add intros and outros to your YouTube videos using Wondershare Filmora X for cutting MP4 videos.

1. Add intro background and select your favorite audio or sound effect
2. Add your logo and/or text to the intro video
3. Now add cool effects to improve the appearance of your intro
4. Export your intro video and add it to shared media

You can also use Filmora templates for cutting MP4 videos to create your intro video for your YouTube content.

In Filmora, you will find a wide variety of templates for titles, openers, end credits, plain texts, callouts, and more for cutting MP4 and other video formats. You can use the premade template to add the desired text effect and then edit them according to your preferences. If you want to use these settings again, save the customized text effects as presets. It will save you a lot of time.

Section 2. Advanced Video Cutter Functions

These are the cutting MP4 effects that aren’t used by beginners but hobbyists and professional video content creators may use them to add production value and interactive dimension to their content.

• Green Screen - This effect allows YouTubers to add any type of live or static background while cutting MP4 videos adding production value to their video.
• Motion Tracking - This is a cinematic method that enables YouTubers to include digital visuals in live-action video. It ensures that everything including scale, position, relative motion, and orientation is accurate.
• Color Matching - If you are shooting your video with different cameras, every camera records the footage in its own color profile. Color matching is used to introduce color consistency throughout the video. Filmora X is perfectly capable of handling color matching while you are cutting MP4 and other videos.

Some of the channels and YouTubers that rely on advanced video cutting MP4 effects include Vlad and Niki, MKBHD, Dude Perfect, Canal KondZilla, Like Nastya Vlog, and Kids Diana Show.

Performing Advanced Cutting MP4 Video Effects on Filmora X

• Using Green Screen

Step 1 - Set up and position the green screen and add adequate lighting.

Step 2 - Make sure that you don’t wear anything that’s green and start shooting.

Step 3 - Download green screen backgrounds from the website of your choice.

Step 4 - Import your green screen footage into Filmora X and adjust the settings according to your preferences.

Step 5 - Position the background-clip so it looks natural and then export the video in your required format (MP4).

• Using Motion Tracking

Step 1 - Go to Behaviors in Control Panel and select the top clip. Then click on the “plus” button right next to Behaviors.

Step 2 - Here, select the motion track from the list and open the folder to select the footage you want to track.

Step 3 - This will automatically start motion analysis of the video clip and you’ll be notified with grey tracker points once the analysis is complete.

Step 4 - You can draw around the region that you want to follow the motion and it will be automatically applied to the object.

Step 5 - Preview the clip and adjust any settings if the result isn’t according to your liking.

• Using Color Matching

Step 1 - Drag the video clip to your timeline and move the play head to the frame you want to color match.

Step 2 - Select the remaining video clips and apply color matching through the right-click or the toolbar. Select the frame as a reference and click on ‘Match’.

Step 3 - Now, using the slider, adjust the extent to which you want the color setting of other clips that need to be matched. See the result in the ‘comparison view’.

Final Word

Cutting MP4 or other videos for YouTube content creation is a major part of the process. You need to have reliable and versatile video editing software that can get the job done without any hassle. And while there are professional packages available, they cost way too much for the YouTubers who are just starting out or are just hobbyists. That’s where Filmora X can be an exceptional alternative offering a wide variety of features at a fraction of the cost.

You can tryFilmora X for free for cutting MP4 videos before you pay for the fully-featured software.

You May Also Like:How do Beginners Make a Cool Video for YouTube on Mac>>>

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Liza Brown

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

Editing videos is a big part of YouTubers’ job including cutting MP4, customizing intros and outros, grading video colors, adding a multitude of effects, and many more. All YouTube celebrities use a diverse set of video editing features such as filters, transitions, custom titles and captions, and overlays.

These post-processing effects ensure that their videos don’t only look aesthetically pleasing but are more engaging and interactive to keep their viewers hooked from the beginning right till the end. This is exactly why cutting MP4 videos and editing have become monumentally significant for newcomers.

Having said that, most of the beginners and hobbyists either can’t afford or want to pay for professional video editing software for cutting MP4 such as Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro. In this time, FilmoraX will be a better choice to cut MP4 for Youtube

Before we further delve into the details of advanced video cutter functions, let’s first develop an understanding of the basics.

Section1. Basic Video Cutter Functions

Section2. Advanced Video Cutter Functions

Section 1. Basic Video Cutter Functions

These are the features of cutting MP4 videos that are used by almost all of the YouTuber to give their videos a more engaging look and contextualize them based on the content. For instance, almost all of the YouTubers use customized captions and titles to share information that is highly valuable for the viewers and enables them to develop a connection with the YouTuber.

Almost all of the YouTubers have customized intros and outros in their videos but some of the notable names include MKBHD, PewDiePie, and Smosh. In the process of cutting MP4 videos, they add these effects to create a brand for themselves.

• Customizing Intros & Outros

One of the most basic functions of cutting MP4 or other videos intended for YouTube audiences is to add your intro and outro.

- Intro - It is a customized beginning where YouTubers usually add their channel name or its logo along with the title of the video. This helps them to develop a personal brand and add context to what their audience is about to see.

- Outro - It is the customized ending of the video where most content creators choose to add a call to action (CTA) encouraging them to engage with the channel or the video in some manner. For example, they may add an outro that asks the users to subscribe to the YouTube channel.

• Rich Stickers & Titles

These are customized stickers, captions, and titles that enable YouTubers to add contextual information at any point in the video to add more value to their content during the process of cutting MP4 videos. For example, if a YouTuber is running a smartphone review channel, they can add rich stickers that contain specifications of the smartphone for those who are interested in particulars.

Including such information, while cutting MP4 also adds to the credibility of the content creator as they are perceived as more professional and dedicated to their job.

Steps to Perform Basic Video Cutter Effects on Filmora X

Here’s how you can add intros and outros to your YouTube videos using Wondershare Filmora X for cutting MP4 videos.

1. Add intro background and select your favorite audio or sound effect
2. Add your logo and/or text to the intro video
3. Now add cool effects to improve the appearance of your intro
4. Export your intro video and add it to shared media

You can also use Filmora templates for cutting MP4 videos to create your intro video for your YouTube content.

In Filmora, you will find a wide variety of templates for titles, openers, end credits, plain texts, callouts, and more for cutting MP4 and other video formats. You can use the premade template to add the desired text effect and then edit them according to your preferences. If you want to use these settings again, save the customized text effects as presets. It will save you a lot of time.

Section 2. Advanced Video Cutter Functions

These are the cutting MP4 effects that aren’t used by beginners but hobbyists and professional video content creators may use them to add production value and interactive dimension to their content.

• Green Screen - This effect allows YouTubers to add any type of live or static background while cutting MP4 videos adding production value to their video.
• Motion Tracking - This is a cinematic method that enables YouTubers to include digital visuals in live-action video. It ensures that everything including scale, position, relative motion, and orientation is accurate.
• Color Matching - If you are shooting your video with different cameras, every camera records the footage in its own color profile. Color matching is used to introduce color consistency throughout the video. Filmora X is perfectly capable of handling color matching while you are cutting MP4 and other videos.

Some of the channels and YouTubers that rely on advanced video cutting MP4 effects include Vlad and Niki, MKBHD, Dude Perfect, Canal KondZilla, Like Nastya Vlog, and Kids Diana Show.

Performing Advanced Cutting MP4 Video Effects on Filmora X

• Using Green Screen

Step 1 - Set up and position the green screen and add adequate lighting.

Step 2 - Make sure that you don’t wear anything that’s green and start shooting.

Step 3 - Download green screen backgrounds from the website of your choice.

Step 4 - Import your green screen footage into Filmora X and adjust the settings according to your preferences.

Step 5 - Position the background-clip so it looks natural and then export the video in your required format (MP4).

• Using Motion Tracking

Step 1 - Go to Behaviors in Control Panel and select the top clip. Then click on the “plus” button right next to Behaviors.

Step 2 - Here, select the motion track from the list and open the folder to select the footage you want to track.

Step 3 - This will automatically start motion analysis of the video clip and you’ll be notified with grey tracker points once the analysis is complete.

Step 4 - You can draw around the region that you want to follow the motion and it will be automatically applied to the object.

Step 5 - Preview the clip and adjust any settings if the result isn’t according to your liking.

• Using Color Matching

Step 1 - Drag the video clip to your timeline and move the play head to the frame you want to color match.

Step 2 - Select the remaining video clips and apply color matching through the right-click or the toolbar. Select the frame as a reference and click on ‘Match’.

Step 3 - Now, using the slider, adjust the extent to which you want the color setting of other clips that need to be matched. See the result in the ‘comparison view’.

Final Word

Cutting MP4 or other videos for YouTube content creation is a major part of the process. You need to have reliable and versatile video editing software that can get the job done without any hassle. And while there are professional packages available, they cost way too much for the YouTubers who are just starting out or are just hobbyists. That’s where Filmora X can be an exceptional alternative offering a wide variety of features at a fraction of the cost.

You can tryFilmora X for free for cutting MP4 videos before you pay for the fully-featured software.

You May Also Like:How do Beginners Make a Cool Video for YouTube on Mac>>>

Liza Brown

Liza Brown is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Liza Brown

Fostering Fandoms: Top Three Storytelling Techniques

The Best Storytelling Techniques to Grow Your YouTube Channel

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

In the distracting world, we live in, you need to be a good storyteller to grow your YouTube channel. Your audience is not going to stick around to watch your whole video if your content isn’t enticing or relatable. If you want to get people to watch all your videos, you need to get them emotionally invested with your stories.

Here are 3 methods for creating an awesome story:

• Method 1: CREATE SUSPENSE
• Method 2: USE EMPATHY
• Method 3: TAKE THE AUDIENCE ON A MEANINGFUL JOURNEY

1. Create Suspense

The hero has an objective, but the plan might fail.

The likelihood of something going wrong is what makes a story suspenseful. When you tell a suspenseful story, your audience will have a heightened focus and a strong motivation to continue listening. They want to know if the hero succeeds. Keep the audience waiting and expecting. Don’t give away the ending right away.

What Does a Suspenseful Story Sound Like?

When we talk about a story that is dragging on, it is because there is no suspense. There is nothing at stake, there are no obstacles, there is no problem and, with no problem, there is no promise of resolution.

Here are a few examples you can use to pump more suspense into your story:

- Address a fear (example: being alone for the prom)

- An objective (example: asking the crush out to the dance)

- Consequences of failing (example: being embarrassed in front of the whole school)

- Limited time (example: prom is next week)

- Obstacles (example: the crush has an aggressive ex.)

You can feel your heart rate speeding up simply thinking about the character’s story in the example. Does it have a happy ending or not? We want to know!

Raise Questions After Questions

A good storyteller knows that as soon as they answer a question for their audience, they need to present another one. The audience will always need to have a puzzle in their mind, one that needs to be solved. That is what will keep their interest.

For example: If the hero ends up going to the prom with his crush, the next big question can be: Will they kiss at the last dance?

This continues building on the tension and increasing the stakes evermore.

Check out the suspenseful story from YouTuber, MissRemiAshten . The way she tells the story, we discover more and about her psycho neighbor and the incident gradually. A little bit of information about the neighbor is revealed at a time… not all at once.

Include a Cliffhanger

We’ve all had those moments at the end of an intense television show where we are shouting at the screen because it suddenly cut to black as the main characters were left in a precarious position. That emotional outburst is brought to us by a good cliffhanger, and a good cliffhanger can assure us that the audience will return for more.

But there needs to be more! A cliffhanger is a promise to the viewer that eventually they will be rewarded for their patience and it will be satisfying.

In this cliffhanger from Casey Neistat, he simply asks us a question, “Was that good?” This calls upon us to recall all the awesome YouTube videos we have seen created by filmmakers that aren’t considered “prestigious.” A cliffhanger does not have to end with an epic reveal; it can wrap up with loose ends and allow the audience to tie it up themselves.

How to Deliver a Good Cliffhanger

Applying good cliffhangers to your YouTube videos is a balancing act. You want to draw your audience in, but you also need to have a payoff that is worth the wait.

Done well, a cliffhanger will leave your audience wanting more. Done poorly, a cliffhanger will leave your audience feeling to mislead and a little ripped off, hesitant to listen to more stories from you.

A good cliffhanger does not have to be life or death, but it does have to be the moment the story has been leading up to.

Before you start telling your story, consider the key details that are most impactful.

Once you have the points you want to hit, plan out the reveal. Weave the story together, but withhold the pivotal details until the cliffhanger. Thendeliver it on camera confidently .

Here are two ways you can present your cliffhanger for amplified effect:

1. Slow Down and Have Pauses

As your story intensifies, bring the pace down — or stop completely. The silence becomes the cliffhanger. It can last a second or more, depending on how confident you are in the tension you have built.

Your next words or shots can be the reveal. If you are skilled enough, you can lead into another story one that connects to the previous. If you are trying this, make sure that in the end, the payoff has double the impact. The reveal needs to be twice as powerful if you are going to take the audience on another journey before wrapping up and answering the long-awaited questions.

2. Use Repetition

Whether you want to misdirect your audience or hammer home a point, using repetition throughout your story will help you build the tension you need to establish the cliffhanger.

In this example, we see YouTuber, A little bit of Monika uses both pace and repetition in her storytelling method.

The video starts off at a speedy pace, all the way until the last scene where the confrontation occurs. That’s her slowing down the story so that we are all anticipating the reveal. Is she or is she not actor, Saoirse Ronan?

Through this short video, the repetition of the name is used to show her confidence that her roommate is not who she said it is. The more affirming she becomes, the more likely we as the viewers are going to side with her. This is a simple example of misdirection.

The more you say something or show something, the more important it becomes for the audience — at least, you want it to appear important.

2. Use Empathy

A storyteller must be empathetic.

If your audience cannot empathize with what you are communicating, it would not have the intended effect. Storytelling is all about taking people out of their bodies and putting them in someone else’s.

If you are telling a story about the time your car broke down, you want people to empathize and feel the helplessness of being stuck on a highway, waving cars down to help.

Empathy makes people feel more human. Telling a story people can relate to, even if it didn’t happen to them, is a sign of a quality storyteller.

Don’t Use Too Many Facts and Figures

If you began your story by saying that 1/1,000 cars on the highway break down, that doesn’t evoke any major emotion. There is nothing human about it.

It’s an interesting stat, sure, but the audience is unsure how they should respond. Is that a lot? Is that because of the highway? Is it because of the drivers? Nobody knows… it’s numbered with no context.

However, if you told the story about that time you had to abandon your vehicle and walk down the highway in order to make your important appointment. Suddenly, the audience can empathize with the tribulations you have gone through.

Facts and figures are useful in reports, but not as much in compelling stories.

Evoke the Senses

If I talk about hot melting chocolate, standing in the rain, or the smell of your grandmother’s bedroom, your senses are activated. From all your life experiences, your brain is able to form familiar sensations without any physical changes to your surrounding. That’s the power of storytelling.

Good storytellers use these sensory details and descriptive imagery to spice up a story. This draws the audience in and gives them a more immersive experience when listening to your stories.

Ask yourself these questions:

- What does it smell like?

- What can you hear?

- What do you see?

- What can you physically feel?

This example from YouTuber, Kiril Dobrev perfectly exemplifies what sensory igniting storytelling can do. He illustrates the sensation of being in Hong Kong, not simply through visuals but physical motions and audio effects.

Use Metaphors

As a YouTube storyteller, sometimes you will have to communicate complex ideas. When that happens, use a metaphor to increase the impact.

If you are telling a story about how much you dislike your teacher, you can list off all the ways she is unlikable or you can sum it up with a line like this: “My teacher makes the school a prison.”

That is a metaphor comparing school to prison. Most people haven’t been to prison, but understand what the metaphor is insinuating. School is not a fun place to be because of that teacher.

By connecting two different things, you allow the audience to paint the image in their mind quickly. It doesn’t take a lot of words to create a memorable metaphor. I encourage you to use metaphors anytime you need to address something complicated.

3. Take the Audience on a Meaningful Journey

Perhaps the most important element of a good story is that the journey is meaningful.

- Is it educational?

- Is it entertaining?

- Is it motivational or inspiring?

Knowing how you want to leave your audience feeling is foresight that will improve your YouTube storytelling abilities. Before you start telling your tale, ask: How do I want to change my audience?

YouTuber, Jamie Windsor tells a few stories connected to creativity and plagiarism. Anyone who has ever created anything can relate to his story and thus his audience can empathize.

It is also clear as a viewer that at the end of this 15-minute long video, his audience will have gone on a meaningful journey with him.

His story is a cautionary tale. He wants to educate us so that we can avoid making the same mistakes he did. He used his real-life experience to teach us and that makes it a meaningful video to watch. That was a good story.

Are there any YouTubers that you consider to be fantastic storytellers? Please share it in the comments box below.

Select a Versatile Video Editing Software to Stand Up from Numerous YouTubers

Users worldwide highly recommend Filmora because it comes loaded with various features, which helps to discover the editing skills, add an image to the imagination, and empower creativity.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

In the distracting world, we live in, you need to be a good storyteller to grow your YouTube channel. Your audience is not going to stick around to watch your whole video if your content isn’t enticing or relatable. If you want to get people to watch all your videos, you need to get them emotionally invested with your stories.

Here are 3 methods for creating an awesome story:

• Method 1: CREATE SUSPENSE
• Method 2: USE EMPATHY
• Method 3: TAKE THE AUDIENCE ON A MEANINGFUL JOURNEY

1. Create Suspense

The hero has an objective, but the plan might fail.

The likelihood of something going wrong is what makes a story suspenseful. When you tell a suspenseful story, your audience will have a heightened focus and a strong motivation to continue listening. They want to know if the hero succeeds. Keep the audience waiting and expecting. Don’t give away the ending right away.

What Does a Suspenseful Story Sound Like?

When we talk about a story that is dragging on, it is because there is no suspense. There is nothing at stake, there are no obstacles, there is no problem and, with no problem, there is no promise of resolution.

Here are a few examples you can use to pump more suspense into your story:

- Address a fear (example: being alone for the prom)

- An objective (example: asking the crush out to the dance)

- Consequences of failing (example: being embarrassed in front of the whole school)

- Limited time (example: prom is next week)

- Obstacles (example: the crush has an aggressive ex.)

You can feel your heart rate speeding up simply thinking about the character’s story in the example. Does it have a happy ending or not? We want to know!

Raise Questions After Questions

A good storyteller knows that as soon as they answer a question for their audience, they need to present another one. The audience will always need to have a puzzle in their mind, one that needs to be solved. That is what will keep their interest.

For example: If the hero ends up going to the prom with his crush, the next big question can be: Will they kiss at the last dance?

This continues building on the tension and increasing the stakes evermore.

Check out the suspenseful story from YouTuber, MissRemiAshten . The way she tells the story, we discover more and about her psycho neighbor and the incident gradually. A little bit of information about the neighbor is revealed at a time… not all at once.

Include a Cliffhanger

We’ve all had those moments at the end of an intense television show where we are shouting at the screen because it suddenly cut to black as the main characters were left in a precarious position. That emotional outburst is brought to us by a good cliffhanger, and a good cliffhanger can assure us that the audience will return for more.

But there needs to be more! A cliffhanger is a promise to the viewer that eventually they will be rewarded for their patience and it will be satisfying.

In this cliffhanger from Casey Neistat, he simply asks us a question, “Was that good?” This calls upon us to recall all the awesome YouTube videos we have seen created by filmmakers that aren’t considered “prestigious.” A cliffhanger does not have to end with an epic reveal; it can wrap up with loose ends and allow the audience to tie it up themselves.

How to Deliver a Good Cliffhanger

Applying good cliffhangers to your YouTube videos is a balancing act. You want to draw your audience in, but you also need to have a payoff that is worth the wait.

Done well, a cliffhanger will leave your audience wanting more. Done poorly, a cliffhanger will leave your audience feeling to mislead and a little ripped off, hesitant to listen to more stories from you.

A good cliffhanger does not have to be life or death, but it does have to be the moment the story has been leading up to.

Before you start telling your story, consider the key details that are most impactful.

Once you have the points you want to hit, plan out the reveal. Weave the story together, but withhold the pivotal details until the cliffhanger. Thendeliver it on camera confidently .

Here are two ways you can present your cliffhanger for amplified effect:

1. Slow Down and Have Pauses

As your story intensifies, bring the pace down — or stop completely. The silence becomes the cliffhanger. It can last a second or more, depending on how confident you are in the tension you have built.

Your next words or shots can be the reveal. If you are skilled enough, you can lead into another story one that connects to the previous. If you are trying this, make sure that in the end, the payoff has double the impact. The reveal needs to be twice as powerful if you are going to take the audience on another journey before wrapping up and answering the long-awaited questions.

2. Use Repetition

Whether you want to misdirect your audience or hammer home a point, using repetition throughout your story will help you build the tension you need to establish the cliffhanger.

In this example, we see YouTuber, A little bit of Monika uses both pace and repetition in her storytelling method.

The video starts off at a speedy pace, all the way until the last scene where the confrontation occurs. That’s her slowing down the story so that we are all anticipating the reveal. Is she or is she not actor, Saoirse Ronan?

Through this short video, the repetition of the name is used to show her confidence that her roommate is not who she said it is. The more affirming she becomes, the more likely we as the viewers are going to side with her. This is a simple example of misdirection.

The more you say something or show something, the more important it becomes for the audience — at least, you want it to appear important.

2. Use Empathy

A storyteller must be empathetic.

If your audience cannot empathize with what you are communicating, it would not have the intended effect. Storytelling is all about taking people out of their bodies and putting them in someone else’s.

If you are telling a story about the time your car broke down, you want people to empathize and feel the helplessness of being stuck on a highway, waving cars down to help.

Empathy makes people feel more human. Telling a story people can relate to, even if it didn’t happen to them, is a sign of a quality storyteller.

Don’t Use Too Many Facts and Figures

If you began your story by saying that 1/1,000 cars on the highway break down, that doesn’t evoke any major emotion. There is nothing human about it.

It’s an interesting stat, sure, but the audience is unsure how they should respond. Is that a lot? Is that because of the highway? Is it because of the drivers? Nobody knows… it’s numbered with no context.

However, if you told the story about that time you had to abandon your vehicle and walk down the highway in order to make your important appointment. Suddenly, the audience can empathize with the tribulations you have gone through.

Facts and figures are useful in reports, but not as much in compelling stories.

Evoke the Senses

If I talk about hot melting chocolate, standing in the rain, or the smell of your grandmother’s bedroom, your senses are activated. From all your life experiences, your brain is able to form familiar sensations without any physical changes to your surrounding. That’s the power of storytelling.

Good storytellers use these sensory details and descriptive imagery to spice up a story. This draws the audience in and gives them a more immersive experience when listening to your stories.

Ask yourself these questions:

- What does it smell like?

- What can you hear?

- What do you see?

- What can you physically feel?

This example from YouTuber, Kiril Dobrev perfectly exemplifies what sensory igniting storytelling can do. He illustrates the sensation of being in Hong Kong, not simply through visuals but physical motions and audio effects.

Use Metaphors

As a YouTube storyteller, sometimes you will have to communicate complex ideas. When that happens, use a metaphor to increase the impact.

If you are telling a story about how much you dislike your teacher, you can list off all the ways she is unlikable or you can sum it up with a line like this: “My teacher makes the school a prison.”

That is a metaphor comparing school to prison. Most people haven’t been to prison, but understand what the metaphor is insinuating. School is not a fun place to be because of that teacher.

By connecting two different things, you allow the audience to paint the image in their mind quickly. It doesn’t take a lot of words to create a memorable metaphor. I encourage you to use metaphors anytime you need to address something complicated.

3. Take the Audience on a Meaningful Journey

Perhaps the most important element of a good story is that the journey is meaningful.

- Is it educational?

- Is it entertaining?

- Is it motivational or inspiring?

Knowing how you want to leave your audience feeling is foresight that will improve your YouTube storytelling abilities. Before you start telling your tale, ask: How do I want to change my audience?

YouTuber, Jamie Windsor tells a few stories connected to creativity and plagiarism. Anyone who has ever created anything can relate to his story and thus his audience can empathize.

It is also clear as a viewer that at the end of this 15-minute long video, his audience will have gone on a meaningful journey with him.

His story is a cautionary tale. He wants to educate us so that we can avoid making the same mistakes he did. He used his real-life experience to teach us and that makes it a meaningful video to watch. That was a good story.

Are there any YouTubers that you consider to be fantastic storytellers? Please share it in the comments box below.

Select a Versatile Video Editing Software to Stand Up from Numerous YouTubers

Users worldwide highly recommend Filmora because it comes loaded with various features, which helps to discover the editing skills, add an image to the imagination, and empower creativity.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

In the distracting world, we live in, you need to be a good storyteller to grow your YouTube channel. Your audience is not going to stick around to watch your whole video if your content isn’t enticing or relatable. If you want to get people to watch all your videos, you need to get them emotionally invested with your stories.

Here are 3 methods for creating an awesome story:

• Method 1: CREATE SUSPENSE
• Method 2: USE EMPATHY
• Method 3: TAKE THE AUDIENCE ON A MEANINGFUL JOURNEY

1. Create Suspense

The hero has an objective, but the plan might fail.

The likelihood of something going wrong is what makes a story suspenseful. When you tell a suspenseful story, your audience will have a heightened focus and a strong motivation to continue listening. They want to know if the hero succeeds. Keep the audience waiting and expecting. Don’t give away the ending right away.

What Does a Suspenseful Story Sound Like?

When we talk about a story that is dragging on, it is because there is no suspense. There is nothing at stake, there are no obstacles, there is no problem and, with no problem, there is no promise of resolution.

Here are a few examples you can use to pump more suspense into your story:

- Address a fear (example: being alone for the prom)

- An objective (example: asking the crush out to the dance)

- Consequences of failing (example: being embarrassed in front of the whole school)

- Limited time (example: prom is next week)

- Obstacles (example: the crush has an aggressive ex.)

You can feel your heart rate speeding up simply thinking about the character’s story in the example. Does it have a happy ending or not? We want to know!

Raise Questions After Questions

A good storyteller knows that as soon as they answer a question for their audience, they need to present another one. The audience will always need to have a puzzle in their mind, one that needs to be solved. That is what will keep their interest.

For example: If the hero ends up going to the prom with his crush, the next big question can be: Will they kiss at the last dance?

This continues building on the tension and increasing the stakes evermore.

Check out the suspenseful story from YouTuber, MissRemiAshten . The way she tells the story, we discover more and about her psycho neighbor and the incident gradually. A little bit of information about the neighbor is revealed at a time… not all at once.

Include a Cliffhanger

We’ve all had those moments at the end of an intense television show where we are shouting at the screen because it suddenly cut to black as the main characters were left in a precarious position. That emotional outburst is brought to us by a good cliffhanger, and a good cliffhanger can assure us that the audience will return for more.

But there needs to be more! A cliffhanger is a promise to the viewer that eventually they will be rewarded for their patience and it will be satisfying.

In this cliffhanger from Casey Neistat, he simply asks us a question, “Was that good?” This calls upon us to recall all the awesome YouTube videos we have seen created by filmmakers that aren’t considered “prestigious.” A cliffhanger does not have to end with an epic reveal; it can wrap up with loose ends and allow the audience to tie it up themselves.

How to Deliver a Good Cliffhanger

Applying good cliffhangers to your YouTube videos is a balancing act. You want to draw your audience in, but you also need to have a payoff that is worth the wait.

Done well, a cliffhanger will leave your audience wanting more. Done poorly, a cliffhanger will leave your audience feeling to mislead and a little ripped off, hesitant to listen to more stories from you.

A good cliffhanger does not have to be life or death, but it does have to be the moment the story has been leading up to.

Before you start telling your story, consider the key details that are most impactful.

Once you have the points you want to hit, plan out the reveal. Weave the story together, but withhold the pivotal details until the cliffhanger. Thendeliver it on camera confidently .

Here are two ways you can present your cliffhanger for amplified effect:

1. Slow Down and Have Pauses

As your story intensifies, bring the pace down — or stop completely. The silence becomes the cliffhanger. It can last a second or more, depending on how confident you are in the tension you have built.

Your next words or shots can be the reveal. If you are skilled enough, you can lead into another story one that connects to the previous. If you are trying this, make sure that in the end, the payoff has double the impact. The reveal needs to be twice as powerful if you are going to take the audience on another journey before wrapping up and answering the long-awaited questions.

2. Use Repetition

Whether you want to misdirect your audience or hammer home a point, using repetition throughout your story will help you build the tension you need to establish the cliffhanger.

In this example, we see YouTuber, A little bit of Monika uses both pace and repetition in her storytelling method.

The video starts off at a speedy pace, all the way until the last scene where the confrontation occurs. That’s her slowing down the story so that we are all anticipating the reveal. Is she or is she not actor, Saoirse Ronan?

Through this short video, the repetition of the name is used to show her confidence that her roommate is not who she said it is. The more affirming she becomes, the more likely we as the viewers are going to side with her. This is a simple example of misdirection.

The more you say something or show something, the more important it becomes for the audience — at least, you want it to appear important.

2. Use Empathy

A storyteller must be empathetic.

If your audience cannot empathize with what you are communicating, it would not have the intended effect. Storytelling is all about taking people out of their bodies and putting them in someone else’s.

If you are telling a story about the time your car broke down, you want people to empathize and feel the helplessness of being stuck on a highway, waving cars down to help.

Empathy makes people feel more human. Telling a story people can relate to, even if it didn’t happen to them, is a sign of a quality storyteller.

Don’t Use Too Many Facts and Figures

If you began your story by saying that 1/1,000 cars on the highway break down, that doesn’t evoke any major emotion. There is nothing human about it.

It’s an interesting stat, sure, but the audience is unsure how they should respond. Is that a lot? Is that because of the highway? Is it because of the drivers? Nobody knows… it’s numbered with no context.

However, if you told the story about that time you had to abandon your vehicle and walk down the highway in order to make your important appointment. Suddenly, the audience can empathize with the tribulations you have gone through.

Facts and figures are useful in reports, but not as much in compelling stories.

Evoke the Senses

If I talk about hot melting chocolate, standing in the rain, or the smell of your grandmother’s bedroom, your senses are activated. From all your life experiences, your brain is able to form familiar sensations without any physical changes to your surrounding. That’s the power of storytelling.

Good storytellers use these sensory details and descriptive imagery to spice up a story. This draws the audience in and gives them a more immersive experience when listening to your stories.

Ask yourself these questions:

- What does it smell like?

- What can you hear?

- What do you see?

- What can you physically feel?

This example from YouTuber, Kiril Dobrev perfectly exemplifies what sensory igniting storytelling can do. He illustrates the sensation of being in Hong Kong, not simply through visuals but physical motions and audio effects.

Use Metaphors

As a YouTube storyteller, sometimes you will have to communicate complex ideas. When that happens, use a metaphor to increase the impact.

If you are telling a story about how much you dislike your teacher, you can list off all the ways she is unlikable or you can sum it up with a line like this: “My teacher makes the school a prison.”

That is a metaphor comparing school to prison. Most people haven’t been to prison, but understand what the metaphor is insinuating. School is not a fun place to be because of that teacher.

By connecting two different things, you allow the audience to paint the image in their mind quickly. It doesn’t take a lot of words to create a memorable metaphor. I encourage you to use metaphors anytime you need to address something complicated.

3. Take the Audience on a Meaningful Journey

Perhaps the most important element of a good story is that the journey is meaningful.

- Is it educational?

- Is it entertaining?

- Is it motivational or inspiring?

Knowing how you want to leave your audience feeling is foresight that will improve your YouTube storytelling abilities. Before you start telling your tale, ask: How do I want to change my audience?

YouTuber, Jamie Windsor tells a few stories connected to creativity and plagiarism. Anyone who has ever created anything can relate to his story and thus his audience can empathize.

It is also clear as a viewer that at the end of this 15-minute long video, his audience will have gone on a meaningful journey with him.

His story is a cautionary tale. He wants to educate us so that we can avoid making the same mistakes he did. He used his real-life experience to teach us and that makes it a meaningful video to watch. That was a good story.

Are there any YouTubers that you consider to be fantastic storytellers? Please share it in the comments box below.

Select a Versatile Video Editing Software to Stand Up from Numerous YouTubers

Users worldwide highly recommend Filmora because it comes loaded with various features, which helps to discover the editing skills, add an image to the imagination, and empower creativity.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

0

In the distracting world, we live in, you need to be a good storyteller to grow your YouTube channel. Your audience is not going to stick around to watch your whole video if your content isn’t enticing or relatable. If you want to get people to watch all your videos, you need to get them emotionally invested with your stories.

Here are 3 methods for creating an awesome story:

• Method 1: CREATE SUSPENSE
• Method 2: USE EMPATHY
• Method 3: TAKE THE AUDIENCE ON A MEANINGFUL JOURNEY

1. Create Suspense

The hero has an objective, but the plan might fail.

The likelihood of something going wrong is what makes a story suspenseful. When you tell a suspenseful story, your audience will have a heightened focus and a strong motivation to continue listening. They want to know if the hero succeeds. Keep the audience waiting and expecting. Don’t give away the ending right away.

What Does a Suspenseful Story Sound Like?

When we talk about a story that is dragging on, it is because there is no suspense. There is nothing at stake, there are no obstacles, there is no problem and, with no problem, there is no promise of resolution.

Here are a few examples you can use to pump more suspense into your story:

- Address a fear (example: being alone for the prom)

- An objective (example: asking the crush out to the dance)

- Consequences of failing (example: being embarrassed in front of the whole school)

- Limited time (example: prom is next week)

- Obstacles (example: the crush has an aggressive ex.)

You can feel your heart rate speeding up simply thinking about the character’s story in the example. Does it have a happy ending or not? We want to know!

Raise Questions After Questions

A good storyteller knows that as soon as they answer a question for their audience, they need to present another one. The audience will always need to have a puzzle in their mind, one that needs to be solved. That is what will keep their interest.

For example: If the hero ends up going to the prom with his crush, the next big question can be: Will they kiss at the last dance?

This continues building on the tension and increasing the stakes evermore.

Check out the suspenseful story from YouTuber, MissRemiAshten . The way she tells the story, we discover more and about her psycho neighbor and the incident gradually. A little bit of information about the neighbor is revealed at a time… not all at once.

Include a Cliffhanger

We’ve all had those moments at the end of an intense television show where we are shouting at the screen because it suddenly cut to black as the main characters were left in a precarious position. That emotional outburst is brought to us by a good cliffhanger, and a good cliffhanger can assure us that the audience will return for more.

But there needs to be more! A cliffhanger is a promise to the viewer that eventually they will be rewarded for their patience and it will be satisfying.

In this cliffhanger from Casey Neistat, he simply asks us a question, “Was that good?” This calls upon us to recall all the awesome YouTube videos we have seen created by filmmakers that aren’t considered “prestigious.” A cliffhanger does not have to end with an epic reveal; it can wrap up with loose ends and allow the audience to tie it up themselves.

How to Deliver a Good Cliffhanger

Applying good cliffhangers to your YouTube videos is a balancing act. You want to draw your audience in, but you also need to have a payoff that is worth the wait.

Done well, a cliffhanger will leave your audience wanting more. Done poorly, a cliffhanger will leave your audience feeling to mislead and a little ripped off, hesitant to listen to more stories from you.

A good cliffhanger does not have to be life or death, but it does have to be the moment the story has been leading up to.

Before you start telling your story, consider the key details that are most impactful.

Once you have the points you want to hit, plan out the reveal. Weave the story together, but withhold the pivotal details until the cliffhanger. Thendeliver it on camera confidently .

Here are two ways you can present your cliffhanger for amplified effect:

1. Slow Down and Have Pauses

As your story intensifies, bring the pace down — or stop completely. The silence becomes the cliffhanger. It can last a second or more, depending on how confident you are in the tension you have built.

Your next words or shots can be the reveal. If you are skilled enough, you can lead into another story one that connects to the previous. If you are trying this, make sure that in the end, the payoff has double the impact. The reveal needs to be twice as powerful if you are going to take the audience on another journey before wrapping up and answering the long-awaited questions.

2. Use Repetition

Whether you want to misdirect your audience or hammer home a point, using repetition throughout your story will help you build the tension you need to establish the cliffhanger.

In this example, we see YouTuber, A little bit of Monika uses both pace and repetition in her storytelling method.

The video starts off at a speedy pace, all the way until the last scene where the confrontation occurs. That’s her slowing down the story so that we are all anticipating the reveal. Is she or is she not actor, Saoirse Ronan?

Through this short video, the repetition of the name is used to show her confidence that her roommate is not who she said it is. The more affirming she becomes, the more likely we as the viewers are going to side with her. This is a simple example of misdirection.

The more you say something or show something, the more important it becomes for the audience — at least, you want it to appear important.

2. Use Empathy

A storyteller must be empathetic.

If your audience cannot empathize with what you are communicating, it would not have the intended effect. Storytelling is all about taking people out of their bodies and putting them in someone else’s.

If you are telling a story about the time your car broke down, you want people to empathize and feel the helplessness of being stuck on a highway, waving cars down to help.

Empathy makes people feel more human. Telling a story people can relate to, even if it didn’t happen to them, is a sign of a quality storyteller.

Don’t Use Too Many Facts and Figures

If you began your story by saying that 1/1,000 cars on the highway break down, that doesn’t evoke any major emotion. There is nothing human about it.

It’s an interesting stat, sure, but the audience is unsure how they should respond. Is that a lot? Is that because of the highway? Is it because of the drivers? Nobody knows… it’s numbered with no context.

However, if you told the story about that time you had to abandon your vehicle and walk down the highway in order to make your important appointment. Suddenly, the audience can empathize with the tribulations you have gone through.

Facts and figures are useful in reports, but not as much in compelling stories.

Evoke the Senses

If I talk about hot melting chocolate, standing in the rain, or the smell of your grandmother’s bedroom, your senses are activated. From all your life experiences, your brain is able to form familiar sensations without any physical changes to your surrounding. That’s the power of storytelling.

Good storytellers use these sensory details and descriptive imagery to spice up a story. This draws the audience in and gives them a more immersive experience when listening to your stories.

Ask yourself these questions:

- What does it smell like?

- What can you hear?

- What do you see?

- What can you physically feel?

This example from YouTuber, Kiril Dobrev perfectly exemplifies what sensory igniting storytelling can do. He illustrates the sensation of being in Hong Kong, not simply through visuals but physical motions and audio effects.

Use Metaphors

As a YouTube storyteller, sometimes you will have to communicate complex ideas. When that happens, use a metaphor to increase the impact.

If you are telling a story about how much you dislike your teacher, you can list off all the ways she is unlikable or you can sum it up with a line like this: “My teacher makes the school a prison.”

That is a metaphor comparing school to prison. Most people haven’t been to prison, but understand what the metaphor is insinuating. School is not a fun place to be because of that teacher.

By connecting two different things, you allow the audience to paint the image in their mind quickly. It doesn’t take a lot of words to create a memorable metaphor. I encourage you to use metaphors anytime you need to address something complicated.

3. Take the Audience on a Meaningful Journey

Perhaps the most important element of a good story is that the journey is meaningful.

- Is it educational?

- Is it entertaining?

- Is it motivational or inspiring?

Knowing how you want to leave your audience feeling is foresight that will improve your YouTube storytelling abilities. Before you start telling your tale, ask: How do I want to change my audience?

YouTuber, Jamie Windsor tells a few stories connected to creativity and plagiarism. Anyone who has ever created anything can relate to his story and thus his audience can empathize.

It is also clear as a viewer that at the end of this 15-minute long video, his audience will have gone on a meaningful journey with him.

His story is a cautionary tale. He wants to educate us so that we can avoid making the same mistakes he did. He used his real-life experience to teach us and that makes it a meaningful video to watch. That was a good story.

Are there any YouTubers that you consider to be fantastic storytellers? Please share it in the comments box below.

Select a Versatile Video Editing Software to Stand Up from Numerous YouTubers

Users worldwide highly recommend Filmora because it comes loaded with various features, which helps to discover the editing skills, add an image to the imagination, and empower creativity.

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

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