I was scrolling through my Instagram analytics the other day and noticed a new metric in my Reels: 3-second retention.
After the 3-second point in my video, how many of my viewers are still watching?
I thought this was interesting for two reasons:
(1) If Instagram is explicitly showing us this number, it's important and they want us to make it better, and...
(2) My highest performing videos have nearly all had above a 55% 3-second retention rate, whereas my low performing videos were sub-50%.
So, I figured I would break down what I've done differently in the first 3 seconds of my top-performing videos compared to my lower-performing videos.
Why Retention is Important
At the end of the day, Instagram wants to keep you on the app for longer.
The longer you spend on the platform, the more data they collect from you.
Which they then turn around and 'sell' to their advertisers.
Who then run ads to you.
Which means those advertisers pay Instagram (Meta) to show up on your feed.
Which ultimately means the more time you spend on the platform, the more money Instagram makes.
If your video keeps people watching for longer, that means the audience spent more time on the platform. That's good!
And you can see in the graph above - the shorter the video, the higher the retention (in most cases). The longer the video, the more people drop off.
Now that we've cleared that up, let me show you exactly how to increase retention.
The Syd Sweeney Technique
I'm going to make a bold argument here.
I think what appears on the screen in your Instagram Reel is almost, if not more, important than what comes out of your mouth.
Instagram has always been a platform of aesthetics.
I mean, it literally started off as a photo app.
And that is still deeply rooted in the content on Instagram.
The better your content looks (in most cases), the better your chances of convincing somebody that what you're about to say is worth their time.
That's not to say videos that don't look good (aesthetically) won't do well.
It's just that aesthetically pleasing videos tend to outperform non-aesthetically-pleasing videos.
Would you rather look at Sydney Sweeney or Rosie O'Donnell? (Sorry Rosie)
Exactly.
So here's how to create a Sydney Sweeney shot.
I look for symmetry in my first few frames. You want to treat your first frame as if it's a trendy picture you'd see a photographer share on their feed.
Get outside. Position yourself in the direct center of the frame and incorporate your environment. Bright colors. Contrast. And a clear place to put your captions so they're easy to read. That's it.
What You Say
Here's a simple way to structure your hook for your next video:
If you're a (X) trying to (Achieve Y), here's a (Z) way to do it.
X = Target audience
Y= Goal they want to reach
Z = Adjective
Example: If you're a content creator trying to tell better stories in your videos, here's a foolproof way to do it.
Simple. Doesn't give too much away. And forces your audience (if they fit the criteria of 'creator' in this case) to watch the entire video.
More watch time. Higher retention. Muy bueno!
Combine those two things: A great visual and a solid hook to convince people to keep watching and you'll be golden.