Hey there,

I’m obsessed with the moment when people stop watching a video. Here’s what the data means and how to get people to stay to the end.

One thing you should know

It’s easy to know how many people start watching a video but do you know how long they watch?

This is called the retention rate.

It tells us in percentages how much of the video the average viewer watched. A high number means the video is interesting to the end. A low number? We’re not giving people a reason to stick around.

I’m convinced that the retention rate is the key to growth. It is the game inside the game. Not only will a healthy retention rate get more eyeballs watching your content, but it will also prove to the social platforms that people stick around if they watch your stuff.

If you meet an algorithm's goal (convincing more people to stay on a platform longer), then your goals are aligned, and they will promote you.

One of the reasons for a poor retention rate is giving away too much too quickly.

We make thousands of social media videos for our clients, giving us incredible data on what works and doesn’t. The videos that consistently do the best for our service-based clients will follow the mantra of “tease early and give the punchline late.”

I’m super guilty of this and working to get better. Many of my videos follow the outline of:

1. hook

2. punchline

3. exposition

And while that comes from a heart of wanting to give as much value as quickly as possible, my retention rate says I could do better — way better. So, I’m playing with a different outline:

1. hook

2. tease

3. proof

4. exposition

5. punchline

The hook is 1-2 sentences that gets the viewer curious.

The tease is 2-3 sentences that further expounds on the hook.

The proof is 1-2 sentences that show your expertise.

The exposition is 2-3 sentences that give context around the answer without revealing it.

And the punchline is the clear answer to the hook.

Here’s an example:

Let’s say you’re a financial planner and want to create a video explaining why it’s a mistake not to account for inflation when saving for retirement.

A basic outline goes:

1. Hook:
“Are you sabotaging your retirement?”

2. Punchline:
“The biggest mistake people make is not accounting for inflation in their retirement plan.”

3. Exposition
“By overlooking how rising costs will impact your savings, you could run out of money faster than expected, leaving you…”

Do you see it? When the biggest mistake is revealed, a viewer is satiated and off to the next video before the exposition, leaving much of the video unwatched.

A better outline goes like this:

1. Hook:
"Are you sabotaging your retirement?"

2. Tease:
"Most people think they’re set for retirement, but they’re missing one crucial factor. Ignore this, and your savings could run out far sooner than you planned, leaving you scrambling to make ends meet in your golden years."

3. Proof:
"As a financial advisor with over a decade of experience helping clients retire securely, I’ve seen firsthand how small oversights lead to major financial problems."

4. Exposition:
"While your retirement plan might look great on paper today, rising costs can eat away at your purchasing power, leaving you with far less than you expect."

5. Punchline:
"It’s called inflation. How do I help my clients fight it? The key is to…"

Viewers curious about the answer will stick around well into the video. The exposition hints at the answer, but the punchline gives it in full.

If someone leaves at that point, they’ve already stuck around for nearly 50% of your content, including the proof section, which is a win.

One thing you should do

1. Write the script for your next video

2. Paste this prompt into ChatGPT

I've written a script for a video. I am a [DESCRIBE YOURSELF] in the [DESCRIBE YOUR INDUSTRY] who creates videos for [DESCRIBE YOUR VIEWER]. I will give you the script in the next prompt. Rewrite and convert it into the following outline:

1. hook: 1-2 sentences that gets the viewer curious
2. tease: 2-3 sentences that further expounds on the hook
3. proof: 1-2 sentences that show your expertise
4. exposition: 2-3 sentences that give context around the answer without revealing it
5. punchline: the clear answer to the hook

3. After ChatGPT answers, paste your script

4. Heavily edit because ChatGPT makes people sound like robots and you’re a creative carbon-based entity with intelligence and a soul. This solution isn’t automatic — you can’t just copy and paste. But it will give you an outline to refine.

And another thing

Over at 9/8 Central we like to celebrate September 8th. It’s 9/8 day, of course!

And this year was no exception.

What should I write about next? Just hit reply and let me know.

Until next time,

Will