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Writer's pictureVitali Baukunovich

The Key to creating engaging content

Has it ever happened to you when you watch an interesting video on YouTube and think why it's so good? You pause, rewind, memorize the points and meanings.


How does high-quality content apart from the run-of-the-mill? In this context, quality means content that will be viewed by thousands of other users—quality as defined by metrics, objectively speaking.


The secret is the use of "open loops."


Remember your favorite TV series? Each episode ends with something that compels you to watch the next one.


That's an example of an open loop, deliberately left unresolved to be picked up in another video. Yet within a single video, you'll find multiple open loops.


Essentially, it's a question that will be answered later in the video or text. It can be explicit, like "How to make a million?" or implied, such as "I made a million in a week by doing nothing."


This is an open loop: any question to which the audience subconsciously wants an answer. Open loops capture our attention until the mystery is resolved.


Loops aren't just sequential:

they can be nested, with dozens included in a good video.

For instance, the question "How did I earn a million doing nothing?" draws you in. But first, let's explore why some people earn while others don't. Consider this: you work tirelessly at McDonald's, while your friend inherits a fortune from a wealthy uncle. What's the difference?


This demonstrates three open loops nested within each other. Do you feel uneasy because they aren't closed yet? More on that later.


In effective videos, a new open loop is introduced at least once every four minutes and in top-tier content, every 1.5 to 2 minutes. In an hour-long video, this means there will be at least 30 loops. Is that a lot? It's ten times more than in a typical product presentation I reviewed as a comparison.


An important aspect of loops is that an unresolved loop creates a "dangling" effect—a discomfort we naturally seek to resolve. This tactic encourages viewers to watch the next episode or video for the promised answer. Therefore, loops must be closed; otherwise, viewers won't receive what they came for, leading to disappointment.


Where else do we find loops? They are not confined to videos. Well-written texts also abound with open loops, utilizing them just as effectively. However, they are most easily observed in videos. Every popular video employs open loops, among other techniques, but this is a crucial one.


The side effect of deconstructing videos is that, once you do it, you can't unsee the tricks and hooks used, making it challenging to just enjoy a show. Nevertheless, this is the key to crafting successful content. You can only create what you understand, and understanding requires deconstruction before creation.


If you want good metrics for your content, practice this exercise.

This text is filled with numerous open loops — can you count how many remain unresolved?

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