My SECRET Formula for Editing YouTube Videos

​In this article, you'll learn our secret formula for editing YouTube videos. How you edit a YouTube video is just as important as how you plan them and record them. Follow along as we introduce the ICIC strategy to planning and editing YouTube videos.

How you edit your YouTube videos is just as important as how you plan them and how you shoot them. As a YouTube creator, you may think that you need to make these great videos that look a certain way and have great effects; however, this is not the case. In actuality, you just need a video that is formatted in a particular way to keep the viewer interested. The special formatting is something that we call ICIC. It’s our secret YouTube video marketing formula for scripting, editing, and producing YouTube video. Keep reading to learn the secrets to our ICIC secret YouTube video marketing formula…..well it’s not so secret anymore.

Before you ever turn on your camera and hit record, the first crucial step is to plan your video using the ICIC method – Identify, Connect, Influence, and Convert.  Your video should be broken down into these 4 parts. This 4- part ICIC formula takes the guesswork out of your video production. A lot of times when we talk to video creators/editors, we find that they’re spending a lot of time trying to recreate the wheel. They’re always trying to make something different and truthfully with YouTube videos that’s not necessary.
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Simplify your video production with our 4-part formula, ICIC – Identify, Connect, Influence, and Convert. If you can remember this as you plan your YouTube videos, you will be more successful and it will take you less time to shoot and edit. Let’s break down the ICIC formula now and help you to create more successful YouTube videos in less time. 

ICIC YouTube Video Editing Formula

Identify

​Identify: Since you're competing for a viewer’s attention, you want to make it extra clear that they'll going to get exactly what they expected to get when they clicked to watch your video. So, we need to hook them right off the bat. The first 5-10 seconds of the video is where the hook takes place. The hook needs to reaffirm the title of the video as well as provide a reason to keep them watching. Typically, this is an exciting headline that teases exactly what viewers are going to get from watching the video, so they will want to stick around to experience it.
 
Example: "Tired of making videos that generate little to no results? In this video you'll learn how to put video to work for you, and we'll do that right now."

Connect

​Connect: Now that you've hooked the viewer who wants to experience more of the video, you'll provide a brief introduction to yourself, your channel and your purpose. Doing this helps viewers understand who you are and your purpose for delivering the content. You'll want to remind viewers to like and subscribe to the channel and/or start offering them additional resource opportunities; such as downloading a free guide, speaking to an expert, or acknowledging that you do this particular thing professionally, etc.
 
Example: "Hi everyone! I'm Brian White and welcome back to VideoZeus. On this channel, we produce weekly content for creators, educators, and marketers, all in an effort to help them create videos that get results. My clients find this content helpful, so if you're looking for the same results, please consider clicking that subscribe button now."

Influence

​Influence: Now it's time to deliver the compelling content that was promised in the hook. You can reinforce your hook by presenting the problem once more, then explaining the solution throughout the remainder of the video. The key thing to remember when delivering the content is to be direct in your explanations. If you're indirect, your viewer will likely become uninterested in watching the rest of the video. Keep their attention by breaking down your content into bite-sized chunks.
 
Example: "One of the most common reasons people have trouble making videos is they don't follow a clear process. Throughout this video you'll learn my best practices for planning, shooting, editing, and marketing your videos. And that can sound like a lot of steps. But if you follow my proven process for making videos then you'll learn how to spend less time making more videos. Step number one is..."

Convert

​Convert: At the end of the video, you once again want to remind viewers to continue engaging in your content. This is what is known as the Call To Action. After all, it's great that someone watched your video. But it's a game-changer if you can keep them under your influence. This is where you reference the seed you planted at the beginning of the video during your introduction. Perhaps it's to download a free guide, to watch the next video in the series, to subscribe to your channel or all of the above. The point is to tell them in the video that they need to take action without alluding that the video is ending.
 
Example: "If you haven't already downloaded my "Before Your Shoot Guide", please do so in the show notes below. This guide will prove as a useful resource for your video making journey. And should you want to learn how to properly market your videos online, I suggest watching this video next. Once again, thanks for watching VideoZeus, helping you create videos that get results."

The Secret's Out - ICIC Formula for YouTube Video Editing

​Now take these 4 parts from the ICIC formula – Identify, Connect, Influence and Convert and edit away. Within your video editing application, look at your timeline and lay it out in the order of Identify – Connect – Influence – Convert. Trim your clips and put them in the ICIC order, it’s that simple, a 4-part story that provides an easy visual on your editing app timeline. The layout is always the same – ICIC – Identify, Connect, Influence and Convert. Super simple yet effective. Plan these 4 parts, shoot these 4 parts, and edit these 4 parts – that’s your video. 

Watch Video: My SECRET Formula For Editing YouTube Videos

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