How long do video creators have to initially catch a viewers attention?

You typically have only three to five seconds to grab someone before they scroll past your content. Because platforms like YouTube and Facebook rely heavily on first impressions, using an eye catching custom thumbnail is absolutely essential to stop people in their tracks and get them to start watching.

Why do people get bored watching Doodly whiteboard videos?

The initial amazement of seeing a hand sketch out images usually fades after about thirty seconds. If you only rely on the drawing animation without introducing new elements, the audience will quickly lose interest. You must actively introduce changes every five seconds to maintain engagement.

What are the best practices for maintaining audience interest in a whiteboard animation?

To keep people engaged, you should limit each scene to sixteen seconds or less and change visual assets frequently. Additionally, it helps to use smooth fading techniques, apply proper pan and zoom effects, and ensure your voiceover is clear and well edited. You should also only animate the specific areas where you want the audience to focus.

What common mistakes cause viewers to stop watching a presentation?

People often click away if scenes drag on for too long or if there is not enough on screen action. Other major issues include playing background music too loudly, having voiceovers that are hard to hear, or overusing visual effects like the revealing hand and exit animations.

How can you use Doodly features to create visual interest?

Even though the software is restricted to two dimensional scenes without various camera angles, you can still create dynamic movement using pan and zoom tools. You can also draw the eye by swapping out background images, introducing colored text, changing font types, or adding distinct audio cues like music and voiceovers.

Doodly Intermediate Tutorial: Keeping a Viewer’s Attention

Keeping a Viewer’s Attention

Kamal Webb image demonstrating how to keep a viewer’s attention. A Lady screaming with a hidden man behind her.

Doodly is a great piece of software and wonderful for keeping a viewers attention until after the first 30 seconds when the WOW factor wears off on the viewer and now they are bored. This document explains tips and tricks to help keep the viewers attention.

Catching the viewers attention

The first thing the viewer sees is what will catch their attention. This highly depends on the medium in which you are advertising. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn all show Thumbnails and so an eye catching custom thumbnail is necessary to catch the viewers attention. We, as video creators, have 3 – 5 second to catch someone’s attention.

Keeping the viewers attention

Every 5 seconds until the end of the video, we need keep that viewers attention through our video production. Watching a hand draw over and over again does not accomplish this task.

Note: In order to know how we can keep a viewers attention, we need to know the limitations of the software for which we are working; Doodly.

2D – no various camera angles
audio – music or audible change
canvas – background image or asset change
colored text – asset change
different font types – asset change
exit animations – movement
pan and zoom – movement
revealing arm – movement
voiceover – audible change

*Asset change means that something changed in the scene or on the canvas to draw your eye’s attention to that portion.

Losing a viewers attention

Working with Audio

Behind the Scenes

These practices have a good chance of losing a viewers attention or driving them away.

Scene Length: Too long of a scene
Loud Music: Too loud
Doodly Beginner Video Tutorial: Watch our Working with Audio video tutorial
Overuse of Exit Animations
Inaudible voiceovers
Inaccurate pan and zoom implementations
In correctly used colored text
Overuse of the reveal hand
Not enough action

Best Practices for keeping a viewers attention

Pan and Zoom

Smooth Fading

Each scene to 16 seconds or less
Editing your voiceover to enhance our audio
Watch our Behind the Scenes in a Video Production tutorial
Changing images or assets frequently
Only drawing where the viewers attention should be focused.
Correct use of pan and zoom
Watch our Pan and Zoom video tutorial
Use of fading techniques
Watch our Smooth Fading Made Easy video tutorial

Keeping a Viewer’s Attention

Keeping a Viewer’s Attention

Catching the viewers attention

Keeping the viewers attention

Losing a viewers attention

Best Practices for keeping a viewers attention

Frequently Asked Questions

About the author

Keeping a Viewer’s Attention

Keeping a Viewer’s Attention

Catching the viewers attention

Keeping the viewers attention

Losing a viewers attention

Best Practices for keeping a viewers attention

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long do video creators have to initially catch a viewers attention?

2. Why do people get bored watching Doodly whiteboard videos?

3. What are the best practices for maintaining audience interest in a whiteboard animation?

4. What common mistakes cause viewers to stop watching a presentation?

5. How can you use Doodly features to create visual interest?

About the author