The Terrible Truth About Retention Editing

That high-energy, in-your-face editing style is grabbing the attention of millions of viewers on platforms like KZbin. But while these videos might be effective at retaining viewers, do they truly provide an entertaining experience?
CREDIT
"Night Owl"
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"Day Bird"
Music by Broke For Free
#editing #videoessay

[@lastmanstanley]

I love your quote "the creator doesn't trust the audience to keep watching".

[@wamyy5]

YES. That’s the pressure I always feel!

[@contentprince]

​@@wamyy5you feel it as a consumer or creator

[@soirema]

I mean, isnt that true ?

[@Sr.DeathKnight]

I've seen good videos filled with trendy crap just for that reason.

[@vovlasc9817]

@@contentprince I would assume creator. Because I feel the same way, I have tried different things as a creator but in the back of my mind I usually try to cut my content shorter because It want people to watch.

[@chuchushoeTW]

Retention Editing is just like mixing a bunch of shorts into one long video, it's really tiring to watch

[@ViralPlaq]

I mean isn’t everything retention editing? Except for streamers

[@LetsGoChaseThatTrain]

@@ViralPlaq I don't think that mine are. They're more like video comfort food.

[@PokemonGowoo]

​@@ViralPlaqstreamers ARE the retention most of the time, or they use retentive strategies. There's really not much luck involved the more you learn.

[@OsmanToplica9001]

It is crazy to me that this video didn't get viral. Every second of it was valuable. Thanks.

[@awfun8172]

His title isn't good

[@dickurkel6910]

Ironically it's partly because he doesn't use retention editing

[@bermchasin]

10k views seems pretty good for this type of content.

[@kelvzx]

@@bermchasinyea plus this content is targeted at creators not viewers. The information wouldn’t necessarily be valuable to a regular viewer bc they don’t need this information nor care about it.

[@secondchairmusic]

Well, it was served to me today via the home page. Its time might be now!

[@conqueroroftheinternet]

This was needed to be said. Retention editing is the worst trend to come out of KZbin, there is no alternative to good storytelling and providing value.

[@livinghuman2085]

Wow buddy slow down with this dumb (no offense) quote ,this is 100% FAR NOT THE WORST TREND OF KZbin,ofc i enjoy these type of videos we re all different,but also i see that it messes with our brain, but at the same time,it is much fun to watch,rather than blank videos with almost no editing,no text and other engaging stuff. this editing has it s own minuses and pluses,BUT saying it s the WORST THING TO COMING OUT FROM KZbin,ur wrong IMO. Edit:ik i m a part of this "problem",but we re all different and we all like different concepts,editing styles,personalities,and i m sure there s MUCH WORSE things that can come from youtube,but anyways,im glad i vent here,and FEEL FREE to tell me ur opinion :)

[@EastSide-qc5oy]

@@livinghuman2085 Calm down

[@livinghuman2085]

@@EastSide-qc5oy k

[@ludoviajante]

Thanks for this video. I think every creator has thought about this subject, but it's difficult to put into words. You did it masterfully. Much love from Brazil.

[@jeffquest]

Até você por aqui kkk

[@conchasonora]

Realmente.

[@Dedezao.]

Eita, você por aqui ludão

[@b3naqua]

THANK YOU for saying all of this 👏🏼 retention editing drives me NUTS. I immediately click away now when the editing is ridiculous and everyone is screaming in the video. I prefer unedited/low-edit chill videos from smaller channels these days tbh, hyper glossy edited videos are not the move rn

[@supernovic99]

Fr. I completely agree. I hate videos that are overedited Sometimes when I want to watch an educational video, I need to see like 20, 30 videos to get the basic ideas. It gets irritating nowadays. Just normal people talking normally even without editing is good and tbh better in certain genres.

[@b3naqua]

agreed @@supernovic99

[@sewzrie]

real

[@OdinsHarem]

Yeah. None of that stuff has ever been my style. I don't think I've ever watched those types of videos to begin with. Your viewers will organically find your corner eventually. My gaming content is chill, laid back, sprinkled with a few dad jokes here and there, and that's it.

[@OmniMC]

KZbin has been doing an absolutely wonderful job at recommending tiny channels lately. I've never seen so many new faces with under a thousand views or subs

[@nikdg101]

I'd love to see the retention rating on this video

[@05kenny05]

i imagine everyone that clicked on the video dislikes retention editing, therefore, they are viewers who most likely have longer attention spans which leads to the retention on this video probably being decent

[@wamyy5]

Absolute love this analysis. I feel constant pressure to stimulate my viewers constantly, even though my value is in inspiring and helping people become their best selves. The best way to do that is through storytelling and connecting. Thanks for this!

[@contentprince]

😅 I found my answer

[@supernovic99]

Nice to see you here.

[@lampgod999]

As someone who just started their channel, I can relate to a certain extent. You feel like you have to learn all sorts of “hacks” just to coerce people to watch. But ultimately, the people that truly resonate with you and your story will be the ones that stick around regardless. Storytelling and being authentically you is ultimately more important for building a community of like minded people, than any sort of editing or thumbnail tricks.

[@AetherKosmos]

This is so relevant. I don't like this overuse of retention editing and since I'm just starting out in this KZbin journey, I often feel like I HAVE to incorperate some of it just to trickle in some views on my videos. But I refuse to, because it's not who I am as a person, it's not the kind of content I want to make or story I want to tell. This trend (and trends like short form content) has such an impact on so many things in society nowadays and how we consume, I sincerely hope it will turn back around and give way for more thought-provoking styles of content.

[@AkshatDAlly]

Thank You, Finally someone pointed it out well. I find it disgusting how people who hyper stimulate and fry the neurological receptors of viewers instead of giving them a fun time/emotional ride/true value, are bowed down to (metaphorically) and respected as if they are gods of video making. To be honest they don't even deserve to be called artists/creatives.

[@secondchairmusic]

THANK YOU!! You’ve clearly laid out what I’ve felt for the longest time. I’m glad the ADHD style of editing is going out!

[@JayDeeMC]

You kept my attention. I watched 100% of the video. And I agree completely. A year later, I am seeing this trend of storytelling type videos growing, while retention editing is becoming less popular. It's tiring to watch, and a lot of people have told me that they're far more interested in watching something that's relaxing and has good story. I, too, welcome this change.

[@Kelemen1919]

YES thank you for explaining this so well! It's become so unsatisfying to watch KZbin lately yet I find myself on here for hours each day. It does truly feel like a lot of creators are hacking my brain.

[@BricksburghPA]

Professional video editor here. Clients always want "retention editing" but have absolutely zero clue about how much time and effort go into it and like to pay as such. Good to know the tides are turning!

[@secondchairmusic]

I, too, am glad that this shift is happening. I got so caught up in trying to emulate the retention style editing, that I didn’t publish as much as I would’ve wanted to. I thought I had to edit in that style to get views. What I really should’ve been focusing on was STORYTELLING!!

[@SHKBKN]

😂😂😂 Dude !

[@CinematicPerspectivess]

absolutely

[@igniortix]

​@@secondchairmusicstorytelling is key, a compelling story will ensnare any reasonable viewer that has the time to watch the video. That person will even re-watch it endlessly but also recommend to friends/share on social media

[@EastSide-qc5oy]

I do some editing myself but not for these kinds of KZbin videos, and I often wonder with all the flashy fast motion graphics and zooming in and out and flashy transitions all that, if these creators are using canned preprogrammed stock effects packs or something, because a lot of these things take time to do in, say, Premiere Pro or After Effects or Resolve. They can’t be key-framing all this can they?

[@antaresvasto7343]

This is a breath of fresh air. It's interesting how it contrast with the "everyone is quitting youtube" thing. It shows that there needs to be a change. People need to feel more fulfilled with the content they are making and consumers also need more quality content. I believe this will only benefit us all. Hopefully that will also translate in the economic sense so that the content can keep flowing.

[@scartinmorsese7723]

One more thing... you embodied so many of us with your reaction to the "delayed flight" segment and the cut afterwards. So funny. The micro-dramas some creators want us to care about is insulting. Watching that segment made me start breathing out of my mouth. I'm convinced there's some sort of not-so-subtle hypnotizing effect with that type of editing.

[@EastSide-qc5oy]

It actually makes me angry when I see crap like that because I know I’m being manipulated.

[@Mike0193Azul]

It all starts with the thumbnails. I avoid any video I suspect has loud retention editing I'm glad other people are aware of how annoying this trend is

[@yousefcreative]

Not to mention a lot of retention KZbinrs lie in their thumbnails.

[@kylespevak6781]

And now old-KZbin videos are more popular

[@midnight-reading]

Finally some truth on this matter of retention. it only leads to crappy content if you ask me 🌺 I think it is soo strange that youtube rewards this kind of “noise”

[@artofersuke]

As a newbie in video editing, I'm really tired of seeing the same types of videos on TikTok. Everyone's edits look the same with all the sound effects and movements. I hope more people find your video. Thanks for this!

[@mendozaproductions]

Your channel is everything I didn't know I needed right now... binge watched all your videos in one sitting. Can't wait for more content from you!

[@KyLives2]

I'm glad this popped up. I have felt the pull to capitalise on these techniques. It was refreshing to hear someone talk about it without glorifying it.

[@ElectricalEcho]

I have lots of shorts with 70% retention, but it is more or less only a good indicator for me, if my music sucks or not. It is getting cut from the feed anyways, because KZbin forces me to use a mobile device to get an actual half useful thumbnail.

[@thelifewithnate]

Have you noticed that there is a change on KZbin in 2023 and 2024? The era of flashy and obnoxious retention editing with videos seems to be wearing off with audiences. Now, creators like Sam Sulek in fitness or Jordan Howlett in the fast food niche are building huge audiences with videos that have a common theme: little to no editing at all. Of course, each creator is different but those two examples do little to no editing on their videos, do varying forms of content, and it also feels like you're having a conversation with them. Authenticity will build audiences, hoping to build that with my channel in 2024.

[@secondchairmusic]

Yes, yes and yes. A lot of people are predicting that minimally edited long-forms are gonna be the trend going forward!

[@sirtyn]

Great video. I’m not a fan of the people who rely on the ‘retention editing style’ it’s just lifeless. I may sound old when I say this but when I was a kid the big draw to KZbin was the creators personality and the story they would build with their videos and would rely on their personality. That’s why KZbinrs like Wendigoon are so entertaining to me they don’t have crazy editing it’s just them talking about something that’s interesting.

[@nattieCSH]

its basically reality TV editing, that 15 second airport bit reminds me of the Gift Shop Sketch, where a mundane interaction is ratcheted 😆

[@wannaplayagam3]

I love that- we aspire to make content that aspires to more than just killing boredom

[@robinsquares]

I really need to keep hearing this. I know in my bones that retention editing sucks, but KZbin so clearly incentivises me to do it that I forget sometimes. Thanks for an awesome video.

[@scartinmorsese7723]

This video was actually cathartic to watch. I get hyper-irritated with this type of editing you're talking about. I start anticipating the cut after it becomes too predictable and rhythmic as the editor attempts to refresh the attention of the viewer. I think retention editing is used tastefully sometimes, but not often. It makes me think of when channels like Discovery Channel started using this editing technique. There was a distinct shift in the feel of their shows. They take it a step further and recap so much over and over to cater to people who are not paying attention but are still "watching." That being said, there are creators coming to the forefront who trust their audience wants to watch their content.

[@burntheboxes]

I love this. It's so discouraging to make a video that gets received well by those who stick through it, but still feel like you have to cut out really good stuff because of a lower retention rate. Hopefully we see this shift soon. Thanks for the video!

[@xuntouchablex6879]

Awesome video. I completely agree. I've always hated the loud and obnoxious videos that offer terrible entertainment value but are for some reason extremely popular. I love creators like Melodysheep who tell stories through strikingly beautiful editing technqiues that clearly have an enormous about of thought and effort put into them.

[@YORRICKID]

You are completely right. The attention span of 3 seconds in combination with the time the brain needs to process what it's actually seeing. We are all getting disillusioned by seeing frames switching all the time.

[@RileySerola]

I feel compelled to commenr. You are definitely right. Story telling is king 👑

[@learning-online-online]

bro your editing style is amazing, this channel will hit 50k next year.

[@PupsPistols]

Great video my guy 😎👍🏻 thanks for being selfless and providing real feedback

[@flippinmoose]

I pay for a youtube service that continually promotes retention. I learned more from this video than I ever retained from all of the information that I payed for. Thank you. This video is truly a gem. I have watched it several times and learn more everytime I watch it. Thank you. Story Story Story. Tell a story with audio and video.

[@dmeloTV]

How am I only getting this recommendation now? This video is great!

[@AllThingsFilm1]

Great points all around. Hopefully, the trend to storytelling over flash/bang editing will take a hold soon. The problem with flashy, fast paced editing is that you're less likely to retain the information shown in the video. It would require multiple views to absorb it all. Which, of course, benefits the marketing side of KZbin. Anyway, thanks for this video.

[@TheEclecticGoat]

I like your voice and the calmness of this video. I loathe all the crazy clips and insane videos YT is full of. I don’t have ADHD. I don’t want videos that treat me like I do.

[@WorldWide_Dom]

As someone who works hard to craft my skill to product content on things I'm passionate about (travel) the way Garbage content always seem to grown in a viral manner is so disheartening. Thank you for giving me a small piece of my confidence back in how I try to structure & improve my videos. Its all too easy to see this garbage being pushed and think that what I'm making must then just be rubbish because its not growing like theirs.

[@miriamkatze]

Most lifestyle bloggers have understood this. Storytelling and emotions are the key to why they have such dedicated audiences with long watch time that they genuinely enjoy!

[@Nautisphere]

This video was posted a year ago and it’s the first time it came up on my feed. Good stuff!!!

[@aligallop]

I'm so happy you have articulated this point in such a perfect way. It's crazy to me how people are using this retention metric as a badge of honour for great storytelling. I heard Seth Godin say recently 'trust is even more scarce than attention'. You may be able to keep peoples attention for 8 minutes, but the question is what are you doing with that opportunity. As you say, if there is zero substance and they feel nothing at the end of it, then all that attention is pointless. Thank you, great video.

[@thabangramodipa]

You articulated this issue in such a great way. I've been having trouble with the idea that holding ones attention is evidence that people enjoy it... But it's more psychological than it is entertaining. This is such a helpful perspective. And it presents an opportunity for other types of creators. Appreciate you putting this together. 100% value.

[@GavinskisTutorials]

Yes - there are so many aspects of social media algorithms that purport to be in the service of viewers but are really in the service of advertisers. Many aspects that focus on benefits to one stakeholder (in this case advertisers) while reducing benefits to the majority (in this case, the viewers). The mechanisms of systems like these often lead to a ‘race to the bottom’, and when you see what many people are watching on KZbin, when you see what’s popular, it is clear that KZbin is racing to the bottom at top speed.

[@RafaCuber]

I completely agree with everything you said and I as a creator I am trying to shift towards longer videos with less retention editing. Hope it works...

[@randomblit_z]

Zoned out 3 times while watching, time to rewatch

[@MichaeldaaKing]

The most entertaining video I’ve watched in a while

[@ventrillo9]

I like to think of a Movie and how it's edited. THE MOVIE DOESN"T TELL YOU IN AN OPENING NARRATION WHAT IS GONNA HAPPEN. Just being told what will happen right at the beginning basically says: "Okay, I know what's gonna happen, why do I need to keep watching?" And then you just get overstimulated on what you are watching and have to pause it because you can't process fast enough.

[@LogisticsWorldz]

How did this not go viral? For this niche ... I have no idea... I think the algorithm missed this one

[@ForeverDansky]

Fantastic video and perspective! Thank you for sharing 🔥

[@yousefcreative]

Excellent insights. Another gigantic problem with retention editing is you get caught up into the game of have to constantly upload because the moment you stop no one cares about you, and they don't care about you because you've edited out your personality. I was thinking about this the other day.... I barely know anything about MrBeast and who he is. Contrast that with MKBD where he's sharing his life and personality and struggles with us all the time.

[@FootageFactory]

This is a topic i wouldve watched the entire vid, no matter how dull it couldve been.

[@frankthefknbank]

Bro you should be an actor, like fr, you look really unique. Not bad to be clear, you're like a character brah

[@markwiemels]

What an absurdly good video. Thanks for talking the time to make it.

[@treacadelic]

Love this video. I despise the copy and paste nature of KZbin. It's getting as dull and formulaic as the music charts.

[@jordanchou]

Super interesting ideas and you portrayed them super well! Great criticism of today's KZbin. This is also why a lot of new KZbinrs have started making different kinds of videos that are slower, more cinematic, and focusing on good story telling.

[@janmckenzie]

I couldn't agree more. Thank you.

[@TweakedProductions]

Absolutely delightful. I have been jaded by content that seeks my retention rather than delivering quality. It is my goal to make philosophical music videos, but I am faced with the reality that my approach is too boring. I hung upside down and lit my beard on fire, but who cares if it didn't happen in 5 seconds?

[@jttasso753]

Love the analysis you put out here. Was never much into watching retention edited stuff myself and always gravitate towards slower paced, intentional content. Where retention edits succeeds "beating" the algorithm, it subsequently also loses out on intention, substance and meaningful storytelling to slower paced content.

[@DannysHauntedJourney]

The thing that retained me on this video... was that neck retention.

[@HomeStudioCorner]

“We have short attention spans.“ people say this a lot, but I’m not sure it’s true. People will binge watch a TV show for five hours a night. That’s not short attention span. We will give our attention to things that we value.

[@benjaminfairbourne]

PLEASE MAKE MORE VIDEO LIKE THIS!

[@anti-youTV]

i found this GEM of a channel by accidentally finding your video analysis on the opening scene of the social network, and i am so grateful

[@FanClubsOfficial]

Fantastic video, and well said! P.S. I'm in the 100% retention club for this video. No tricks necessary 🙌

[@Namadadi_iddi]

You know its good when a video about it is using it

[@HarryRoperMckay]

As a small youtuber this was an interesting video to watch. Especially as I delve more into retention and furthering my editing skills. You're editing and delivery in this video especially was brilliant. Thanks !

[@showtale8325]

I usually watch any video I click all the way. I don't click on just any old thing. The price is if it's not good...I avoid the creator passionately. Often leaving with a headache

[@rchltmedia]

watching those videos with "retention-based" editing is breaking my brain. thank god i'm not only one.

[@LexiVAD]

I'll no longer feel bad about 20-40% retention, if anything proud of finding my audience

[@Cheetah_Pipe_Tight_Games]

I like your approach to how this kind of editing really affects the human brain. I've been trying to do a small amount of retention editing, but not so much that it affects the narrative of the story in my videos. I'm glad people are starting to look back toward story telling these days, it gives small creators like me hope that I can still grow.

[@jamesbowdenclassics]

Very well spoken and concise. Nice job with this. Excellent stuff 👏🏻

[@hamzadidit_]

Yesssss!!!! Pleaseeee change the meta!!!

[@JohannesDalenMC]

This was an excellent video and I'm glad I clicked. I have too many thoughts about the subject to share, but I am too excited for this upcoming shift in videomaking on KZbin - more storytelling, less attention grabbing.

[@STUDIOBO]

Great video! Glad the algo is pushing it now.

[@the_flipside]

Incredible video that deserves so much more love. Subscribed.

[@SkyGuy96]

I feel this 100% as a creator but I’m trying to keep my content away from that type and stick to telling a story, stick to creating what I ENJOY and not what I think other people want to see

[@Raju.paramita]

Amazing video you also managed to retain me, without the loud flashy bangs

[@AGNisbad]

fantastic video, it really has me rethinking how i'm making content

[@ExitStrategyTV]

I just stumbled across this and THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. I have a new channel that's a cross between educational/info-tainment with off-the-beaten-path travel and I am finding myself editing to match this style and I absolutely hate it. I have no idea where to turn, and my footage is rather rare. It's baffling that this video is not 1 million views (or at least in the hundreds of thousands). I am now subscribed. Thanks for making this.

[@salvatoreocello]

3:55 you’re legendary for this

[@heavymetaldiecast]

Great video, I felt compelled to watch it completely and to at least comment on a job well done. I enjoyed the way you presented it!! I have my own channel and purely make videos based on what I want to show those that are into my hobby which is diecast models. I use a format not so I hold random viewer attention, but in a way I can show the average diecast collector each model and what I hope they would want to see. So in that my viewer retention is usually 20 to 30% of a video, which doesn't bother me either. I'm not here to make money, but to try and share the hobby. Thanks again for a very informative video!!

[@BillDyszel]

Soon, I hope to see an AI that summarizes videos to weed out the crap and show me if there's anything worthwhile.

[@FranFyrhart]

I'd like to tell y'all about bobby broccoli. dude makes hour long science history documentaries that he narrates, paces and visualizes so well that his videos will keep you entertained for the full hour.

[@JUICEfromtheBOXv2]

Great video. I'm hoping people moving away from Retention editing and also going back to appreciating PERSONALITY in videos makes a comeback.

[@FriarTuck81]

Reminds me of my days in recruiting when you have the young kids in there and all you wanna do is tell them how much money they can make and stuff like that. Nobody wants to hear about the hard work behind it.

[@tetsudigital]

Working video editor here! I'm glad you said that retention editing should still be utilized but just to a lesser extent. Recently I've been seeing this topic and I was afraid the pendulum would overcorrect and swing fully in the other direction. There's a time and place for flashy editing and there's a time and place to slow down. Know the difference editors and make something entertaining.

[@FightSceneFilmSchool]

Subscribed.👍 I've tried retention editing on my channel and I f-ing HATE it! It's exhausting to work on, watching that style for hours as you make tweaks here and there. I hope you're right about videos trending away from that, but even if you're wrong it was cathartic to hear another creator bash it instead of calling it genius.

[@scartinmorsese7723]

Ha! I just used the word "cathartic" in my comment, too. It really is that way to hear someone articulate so well what we're feeling.

[@vvarietyshow]

I go back and forth on how many of these tricks I should use, but it goes against everything I feel like I should stand for which is quality over quantity. But when I work for a month on a video and only get 150 views, it makes me want to just give up. It's a cruel game sometimes.

[@litendurance]

Gg ez you just made an absolutely banger video that’s soooo true dude it’s genuinely sad what’s been done to society

[@KitchenGardenTours]

Thank you for this! I’m trying to establish a calming gardening vlog and I have been trying to research how to edit better. I have only found information that promotes the quick edit which doesn’t fit my goals.

[@brad_podray]

yeah

[@KahliTheNerd]

Aaaaah, thank you for this! It just popped up on my recommended and I NEEDED to hear this so bad! I completely agree with what you're saying.. Just look at all the AI content and stuff as well. It's insane. Anyway, thank you. I felt fantastic after watching your vid :)

[@Ryan7oo]

now THIS is the content i want to be recommended haha

[@WritingwiththeCamera]

This is great, subbed

[@HammyAndSammy]

You got me to watch the whole way The truth spoken here is very sad, hope the change comes soon I subbed

[@axzarria]

i agree with this video completely, retention editing has RUINED my channel , with school work and a child to take care of at only 19 retention editing taking hours upon hours to finish it just isn’t plausible and frankly unfun to make, i’ve noticed that my story telling videos raked in more views im only a small itty bitty channel in a sea of content creators in my niche who have endless time i am glad to see so many people who agree keep up the great work and fighting the good fight

[@BenjaminDelmas-v1o]

Awesome video! Everything you said is why I start now to enjoy watching podcast. It has zero edit, with zero cut, all conversations, all kind of blanks in it etc... And feels and is more natural. I may watch videos of MrBeast or others but then: 1. I feel exhausted after because of the non stop push of adrenaline, 2. At the end of the day the content of the video is not fulfilling.

[@RCodyWanner]

"Retention Editing is a tool. and like all tools is not inherently good or bad" - whewwwwww!!!!!! just love that so much, so so true

[@BladedAngel]

Retention editing reminds me of when Shows used to always end episodes on Cliffhangers. I found myself always wondering what was next, but once I'm done with the series, it leaves no mark on my life. I wasn't touched by that work at all, just baited into dealing with it. Shows that had slower Narratives with more gradual buildup spread through several episodes...those ones tended to be stories I'd recall even years later in my life.

[@Chris_Teaches_English]

Very thought provoking and well worth my time. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.