Editing determines the pacing of a video, that is, how quickly information and shots alternate. In corporate videos, the most effective intervention tends to be removing pauses, repetitions and run-up sentences, which often shortens the length by a third without losing content. It also helps to vary the shots, so-called cutaways to whatever is being talked about, because an uninterrupted view of one talking person tires the viewer quickly. The pacing should match the format: a short video for social media can take a significantly faster cut than an expert interview. Watching the audience retention graph makes it possible to pinpoint exactly where people leave – usually a point where the pacing slowed down or the topic wandered off. These are precisely the points that show what to do differently in the next shoot.
See also: Viewer retention, Hook in the first seconds, Video performance metrics.
