Boost Your YouTube Watch Time with These 6 Hollywood Storytelling Techniques

Only a handful of channels can captivate audiences like Hollywood productions. These channels, although rare, all implement the six secret Hollywood storytelling techniques to increase YouTube watch time and keep viewers hooked. 

Now let's jump into these powerful storytelling secrets that will explode your viewer retention and create videos that are impossible to ignore. Please note that this article assumes you have a working knowledge of video production and or have a team to help you.

Technique 1. Using Words on Screen 

Many successful YouTubers incorporate text on the screen to provide additional context to their narrative, a tactic also used heavily in Hollywood films. Whether you're highlighting the specifications of a gaming PC or showing a road sign to indicate your location, on-screen text is crucial for keeping viewers engaged.

It's time for you to adopt this for your YouTube content. Text on the screen makes it impossible for the user to look away because their brain processes text automatically to avoid missing context. You can hack this natural occurrence to increase your viewership length but use it tastefully.

Best Practices for Using Text on Screen to Increase Watch Time:

• Show, don't tell. For instance, display your location with a shot of a road sign instead of simply describing it with text or saying it on camera.

• Use the text to emphasize the main points or break up slower parts in your video.

• Ensure your font choice and the amount of text align with your brand. Avoid using wild fonts for serious brands.

Technique 2. Creating Characters 

Character creation is another Hollywood storytelling technique that can significantly boost your watch time. Introducing different personalities on screen can greatly enhance viewer retention. Thankfully, you don't need a Hollywood budget to achieve this. 

Channels like Liquor Store 352 effectively create characters based on real-life customers and encounters in their liquor store.

From students with fake IDs to regulars who forget their orders, this approach produces captivating videos that viewers can't resist. Not to mention, it gets served well in the algorithm.

Best Practices for Creating Characters to Increase Watch Time:

• There is no need for extras or actors. You can portray the other character yourself or have a friend or colleague step in as well. 

• If you're out of people, consider using stock images to represent characters in your video.

• Align character usage with your brand. Avoid comedic characters for serious topics.

Technique 3: Transform Old Ideas into Fresh Content

Before filming your YouTube videos, ensure your ideas are unique or at least being shown in an original way. Putting a new spin on an old concept adds interest. This engages viewers, making them eager to see what you've done differently from existing content.

To refine this process for your YouTube channel, consider seeing what's popular on the platform, how they've formatted their video, and determine how you can do it differently and better. This technique can also help you create and refresh your stale YouTube sales content.

Best Practices for Turning Old Ideas New: 

• If you have yet to get a new idea, try using an old idea with a specific format, editing style, or story structure to make it more appealing.

• Try 'one-upping' previous video ideas you've seen be successful.

• Always try to tie back into your brand so you're not seen as too much of a copycat.

Technique 4: Utilize Visual Metaphors 

Understanding the content is key to maintaining viewer interest in a video. People lose focus and switch videos when they don't grasp what they're watching. Using metaphors in your content can help prevent this.

A solid visual metaphor relates a simple, everyday situation to your topic. If done successfully, you can simplify complex concepts and keep viewers watching. Bonus points for making it visually appealing.

A great example is seen in BrainCraft's video, "The Neuroscience of Creativity":

This elegant example showcases how you can convey complex ideas simply and affordably using basic craft materials and camera equipment. Around the one-minute mark, they use crumpled tissue paper to visually demonstrate how neurons in the brain communicate. Keep this technique in mind when you're looking to entertain and educate your viewers during a dry topic.

Best Practices for Using Visual Metaphors:

• You don't need a graphic designer or motion graphics expert. Creating a visual metaphor could be done by filming yourself drawing on paper, or making the metaphor with tissue paper, as seen in the example, is just as effective.

Technique 5: Incorporate Sound Effects

Since the 1920s, sound effects have been integral to Hollywood blockbusters. These subtle audio cues stimulate the brain's reward system and significantly impact audience retention.

Sound plays a vital role in highlighting key concepts in your videos. They are an auditory way to transition scenes and highlight important information that unobtrusively engages the viewer. Adding sound effects can be challenging and time-consuming, but even a few can positively affect your watch time. 

Best Practices for Using Sound Effects:

1. Utilize whooshes, film booms, and other noises to add depth and dimension to your videos.

2. Avoid repetitive use of the same effects; experiment with various sounds instead.

3. Include ambient and realistic sound effects for your b-roll to enhance realism.

4. Keep the sound effects volume lower to prevent competition with your main audio track.

Technique 6: Tailor Editing to Match Your Branding

Top YouTubers often use flashy effects, cuts, and transitions in their videos to keep viewers engaged. While editing is crucial for maintaining viewer retention, overdoing it can negatively impact watch time, depending on your audience's preferences. We recommend incorporating some editing every 5-10 seconds in your content. However, even this rule should be broken based on your audience's preferences. 

For instance, you might increase the editing frequency if your target audience is young, hip, and energetic. On the other hand, if your brand focuses on investment strategies, it's better to reduce flashy edits and concentrate on the content.

Best Practices for YouTube Editing:

1. Treat your content like TV Show, adding what you believe is best for your audience.

2. When in doubt, include edits that contribute to the storyline or provide essential information to the audience.

3. Remember that you don't need Mr. Beast-like editing to be effective and engaging; a few well-placed edits can significantly boost viewer retention.

Get Your B2B YouTube Script Hollywood-ized

Do you have a dry B2B concept you're trying to change into a highly converting youtube video? We can help. Our script writers are experts at taking dry B2B concepts and using the Hollywood storytelling techniques mentioned here to create educational and entertaining evergreen content pieces. Click the button below to use our creatives to transform your B2B YouTube content today:

Creative YouTube Consulting