Creating the perfect YouTube intro

One thing nearly all successful YouTuber use is a YouTube Intro. These short video elements sit at the beginning of the video OR they appear shortly into the video.

In either case, the intro tells the viewer who they are watching and builds brand recognition. So how can you develop the perfect YouTube intro for your channel? What are the tips and tricks that top YouTubers use for their intros? And where can you get access to pre-built intros that you can customize for yourself?

What makes the perfect YouTube intro?

There are a few common elements that make for a great YouTube intro. The majority of creators that have intros use at least 4 of these elements.

You will need to decide which ones make the most sense for your channel and content. But, if you can make sure all are included, your intro should have a stronger impact.

• A jingle or other unique tune. We’ve written about YouTube Jingles and their effectiveness for your channel. A jingle is far better than picking something unrecognizable or a mainstream song.
• A logo sting or other channel branding. Show the audience a recognizable logo or brand from your channel. It will help your audience recognize your content and build a relationship with it. By keeping branding consistent, it will make things like selling merch at a later date easier.
• Keep it short. YouTube intros needs to be short and sweet, lest they start working against you. As an intro is a common feature for all your content, you want it to be recognizable but not annoying. Keep it under 10 seconds long.
• Animate it in some way. Don’t put a static image up on screen as your intro. Instead, add some motion graphics to make it slightly more exciting to look at.
• Make it yours. Many YouTubers use their channel name with some effect alongside dubstep music. It’s hard to remember because so many people do the same thing. Instead find something unique that no one else is doing. It’s YOUR channel, make your intro stand out.

Where to find YouTube intro templates

If you’re not technically able to develop your own intro, there are websites that sell templates. You can also look to YouTube for free intros that have been uploaded by designers. While they are a good (often free) option for those without cash, they are used by MANY others. The view count alone will confirm that. As such, it’s hard for them to be unique.

For a less common, but still affordable YouTube intro, check out Fiverr. There, you will find people who can customize basic templates to your specific needs. While this option is better, there will still likely be significant carry over among other creators.

You can pay for premium logo sting and intro templates on a site like VideoHive. The benefit of this is that fewer people pay such a premium, meaning you are likely to find something that blows people away. The templates are more expensive, but come with instruction on how to update them to your needs. Lastly, you can either build your own intro from scratch OR hire someone else to build something custom. That last option is generally a great idea as your channel grows and you want to stand out even more.

No matter how you create your perfect YouTube intro, it will become a valuable part of your content. It brands your content and channel, builds loyalty and sets your content out from others. The Perfect YouTube Intro may not build your channel to a million subscribers, but it will help towards that goal!

Are you a YouTuber? Whether you’re an editing master or just a beginner, discover what Epidemic Sound has to offer on our Epidemic Sound for YouTube page. And, just in case you’re looking for some sound effects for YouTube, we got you covered.