Have you ever started reading a book, and felt a bit confused about what the story was about? You finish the first paragraph, and then another - but you don’t feel connected to the words you’re reading. Any accomplished writer knows that in order to get you to finish the book, they have to hook you within the first few sentences.

The same logic applies to videos online. You have, on average, a total of 8 seconds to hook your audience. Check out these tips we’ve put together for you to help you keep your audience engaged throughout your entire course. 

• Know the objective, or purpose of your story. Why are you telling it, and what do you want someone to believe or do when they’ve finished hearing your story?
  

• If you find yourself speaking about a topic that might be too broad, consider breaking your topic up into individual lessons, or even a completely separate course.
  

• Get personal, and be relatable. Step into the mind of your audience - what’s something real you can share that will resonate with them?
  

• Keep your audience engaged. Ask questions, provoke thoughts, and inspire people to follow up with you.
  

• When crafting your message, think about storytellers you admire. Think about what other great storytellers use to share compelling messages, and hook their audience.
  

• If your goal is to offer a solution to a problem, let your audience visualize the problem and the solution you’re offering.
  

• Keep it simple. Sometimes providing too many details limits the effectiveness of your story.