Why 90% of creator clips flop (and the 10-second rule that fixes it)
Been cutting clips for creators for a while now, and the pattern is always the same: most clips die in the first 3 seconds because they open with context instead of a hook.
Here's the rule we use on every single clip: if the first 10 seconds don't work standalone with zero context, cut it.
A few things that consistently outperform:
Starting mid-sentence on the most controversial or surprising line, not the intro
Captions burned in from frame 1 (most people watch muted)
Cutting the moment energy dips, even mid-word ā momentum > completeness
Repurposing ONE piece of long-form into 15-20 clips instead of 2-3 "highlight reels" ā volume is how you find what hits
If you're a creator sitting on hours of unclipped VOD/podcast content, you're leaving reach on the table. Happy to break down your content for free if you drop a link below ā always curious what's working in different niches.