Majority of content creators do not have any idea what a channel trailer is. For the few that know what it is, they assume that nobody checks it out.

According to Andy Hughes at Caffeinated Projects, a channel trailer is a video which is designed to be an introduction of new customers (unsubscribed) to a new channel (YouTube Channel).

The main objectives of a Channel Trailer are-

• Hook and interest the audience
• Introduce and market your content and personality
• Convince the new subscriber or market to check out some of your videos

When it is enabled, a channel trailer is displayed automatically at the top most position of a YouTube channel page for easy view by non-subscribed visitors.

Besides other attractive features such channel icon and channel art, the channel trailer is another eye catcher that can turn convert new channel page visitors to subscribers.

There is no specific length that is considered the perfect length for a channel trailer. YouTube only advises that you should keep it short. Most market experts using YouTube recommend you limit it to 30-60 seconds. The matter of fact is that it has to be short, comprehensive and inclusive of all services you offer. The minimum length is 30 seconds.

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Despite the short period of time, it is limited to, and you should ensure that your channel trailer covers the following:

• A quick introduction of you and your channel
• A general overview of the kind of videos (if any) that you publish
• A precise and comprehensive summary of your video content
• Your posting schedule- This is optional
• A call-to-action, which is usually to subscribe to your channel

How to Structure Your Channel Trailer?

One of the easiest and most effective ways of structuring your channel trailer is via the use of the ”T.O.P” Formula. How does this work, you may wonder?

T- Target Audience

You should start off by notifying people whom your channel targets. If the audience your channel targets is amongst the new visitors, they are able to know it within the first 10 seconds.

O- Origin Story

Once the audience your channel targets discover that your channel is designed to assist them, you now delve into why you created the channel. This should be done quickly because, remember, the trailer is supposed to be kept short. Your origin story helps your channel stand out from other Channels in the same niche.

P-Pitch

This is where you finally ask the viewers and visitors to subscribe to your YouTube channel. This can be phrased and designed in a way to match your channel’s personality and style, and how you like it.

Show a Highlight Reel

Despite the fact that you should let people know about who your channel will help and why you created it, you also need to show the viewers exactly what they should expect from all your video content.

It is much easier if you have already published some videos on your channel. You simply create a highlight reel of the best clips on your channel in your trailer.

Video Title and Description

On your Channel page, both your video’s description and title appear next to your trailer. It is therefore important that they both support the message carried in your trailer.

You should avoid generic-sounding titles that are ambiguous and irrelevant to the content on your channel page. It should be content specific, welcoming and introducing visitors to your channel.

The video description of your trailer should contain the following

1. Your tagline
2. The types of videos that you produce
3. Your publishing schedule- This is optional
4. A subscription call-to-action

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Tips and Advanced strategies for making a great channel trailer

1)    Going “Trailer-less”- You decide to ditch going with the traditional trailer. You can use your best videos as your Channel Trailer. The video you use should be content specific and be able to convert many viewers into subscribers.

2)    Have a Script or Outline- it is important to have an outline or script to help you cover key point in the shortest time possible.

This is in consideration of the minimum amount of time your video has to cover so much material and information. A script is the surest way to help out in such a circumstance.

3)    Represent- You should strive to ensure that the video or trailer you create retains the look, personality, and feel of your other videos. The trailer should be a representation of all your videos.

4)    Assume You Have New Viewers- You should assume that the viewers know so little about you and your channel, and take the opportunity to introduce yourself and the uniqueness of your channel. Win your viewers to be able to convert them into subscribers.

5)    Keep your trailer short and catchy- Majority of viewers have a short attention span and any trailer that is longer than a minute will most of the time miss the target.

Short and precise videos work very well to get a viewer hooked in the smallest amount of time available.

Also, don’t let your trailer be boring. Let it be catchy and fun. This can be achieved by using helpful and unique graphics while the video is playing. This boosts viewer engagement with your content.

6)    Regularly Update your Trailer- Each time your brand changes, ensure that you update your trailer also. Your content may change periodically-like changing your look, content type, or frequency of upload- so should your trailer.

7)    Add an end screen- Besides the subscribe button automatically added by YouTube on screen at the end of your trailer, you can add a 15-second end screen to give your viewers an extra chance to subscribe.

In the making of YouTube channel trailers, you can use some of the following easy-to-use tools:

• • Wondershare Filmora
  • WeVideo
  • Virtual Dub

Creation of a channel trailer is a wonderful way to introduce yourself and your content to a new audience.

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It is a way of convincing them to watch and subscribe to your channel when you create YouTube channel trailer in a proper way, to consume content and topics which you are passionate about. Therefore, the quality of the trailer you create should be of high quality and represent you well.

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