Structuring Videos: CTA, Greeting, and Self-Presentation
In the hook of your YouTube video, you have connected with your target audience.
At this point, you need to greet your viewers. If they are returning viewers, acknowledge them; if they are new to your channel, quickly introduce yourself. Then, don’t forget to call them to action (CTA). However, be careful not to lose their attention here.
A Signature Greeting
When you start your YouTube channel, you might feel more comfortable greeting your viewers with a simple “hello.” But over time, as your channel grows and you develop a sense of community, you may want to give your viewers a unique name.
“Hello Viewers,” “Hello People,” “Hi Everyone,” and “Hello Friends” are BORING.
Did you know that Lady Gaga calls her followers “Little Monsters”? And they love it.
Short story: I heard that Lady Gaga was very conscious of her looks as she was growing up. She considered herself unattractive and spent a lot of time learning makeup and developing her voice. This might explain her extravagant stage persona. She called her followers “Little Monsters” because she understood how they felt—like outcasts, just as she did when she was younger. This nickname resonated deeply with her audience, especially teenagers.
What a fantastic backstory!
Your greeting doesn’t have to be boring. Experiment to find your signature greeting that will resonate with your viewers. You don’t have to do this right away, but keep the idea in mind, and inspiration will come.
Now, I’m curious: Have you noticed any of your competitors using a signature greeting? If so, write in the comments of this video lesson what they say.
The Self-Presentation
Alright, now it’s time to introduce yourself. Be brief!
Say only what your audience needs to know about you.
Example:
“My name is Kate Koronis, and I help coaches and aspiring coaches build extraordinary online businesses.”
Notice that my presentation doesn’t say much about me personally, but it speaks to the emotions of my audience. When they hear “build extraordinary online businesses,” it sparks curiosity and excitement:
- What kind of extraordinary?
- I want my business to be extraordinary!
- Is my coaching business ordinary?
Also, it associates my name, Kate Koronis, with “extraordinary online businesses.”
What does “extraordinary” mean? Only I know for sure. It’s my mission to help people develop online businesses that solve problems with love and empathy. However, that’s too much to explain here. Instead, I use “extraordinary” as a catchy word and let viewers discover the deeper meaning over time.
It’s crucial that your presentation clearly conveys what you do. Even though I don’t elaborate on “extraordinary,” it’s clear I’m talking about online businesses for coaches—not drop-shipping or other unrelated topics.
If you’re struggling to create a short presentation, you can ask ChatGPT for help.
Here’s a sample prompt:
“I have a YouTube channel created for [insert your target audience here]. I need help creating a greeting and self-presentation phrase to say in each video after the hook. It must:
- Be short and catchy.
- Be intriguing.
- Clearly state what I do and how it benefits the viewer.
- Naturally lead to a CTA to subscribe.”
Here’s an example response I received:
“Hi, I’m [Your Name], here to help you turn your passion for helping others into a thriving online coaching business. Subscribe to learn how to make an impact and build a life you love!”
This presentation is:
- Short and easy to remember.
- Attention-grabbing by emphasizing transformation and empathy.
- Highlights the benefit to the viewer: learning to create an impactful business aligned with their passion.
- Naturally leads to the CTA to subscribe.
You can repeat this phrase in every video or ask ChatGPT for variations to keep it fresh.
CTA – Call to Action
As you know from the Shorts course, a CTA (Call to Action) is where you tell viewers what you want them to do. Don’t assume people will know!
Typically, a CTA encourages viewers to:
- Subscribe.
- Follow.
- Like.
- Comment.
- Share.
However, timing is key.
Placing a CTA at the beginning of the video—before addressing the topic or covering the issue you raised—can feel premature. Instead, after your self-presentation, when you’ve explained the benefits of your content, it’s a logical moment to ask viewers to subscribe.
Example CTA:
“Subscribe to learn how to make an impact and build a life you love!”
Notice how this isn’t a blunt request but instead explains why subscribing is beneficial.
Do you remember Robert Cialdini’s Psychology of Persuasion? He notes that simply adding the word “because” to a request increases compliance. For example:
“Subscribe to learn” = “Subscribe because you will learn.”
Here, “subscribe” is followed by a positive outcome, making the action appealing.
You can use this phrase in every script after the hook. However, as mentioned in the previous lesson, you can sometimes skip it if the video is too long.
Now it’s time to work on the main topic of your video. See you in the next lesson!