01
What actually makes a viewer leave?
Six things, in rough order of damage: text covered by the interface, too many words at once, an opening line that says nothing, letters too small to read at arm's length, a wrong name or figure, and a position that moves around the frame. Every one of them is visible on a single viewing.
02
The six, in order of damage
Every one of these is visible on a single viewing of your own clip on a phone, which is why the check takes about as long as the clip does.
| Mistake | Where it is visible | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Text under the interface | Only inside the app | Keep out of the bottom fifth |
| Too many words at once | On a first viewing | Shorter grouping, not smaller type |
| Opening line says nothing | First second | Start on the point |
| Type too small | At arm's length | Judge on a phone, held normally |
| Wrong name or figure | To the people who care most | Read names and numbers before producing |
| Position moves around | Across the clip | Keep it fixed within a clip |
03
A one-minute check for all six
Watch the clip once on a phone with the app interface visible and the sound off. Ask: is any text covered, are there too many words at once, does the opening line give a reason to stay, is anything misspelled, does the text keep pace with speech and does the position jump around? Most clips pass in under a minute.
Fix the first failure you find, then watch again.
04
Fixing the most common problems
Covered text is solved by moving words up from the bottom edge. Crowded lines are solved by shorter phrases. Weak openings are solved by starting on the point or adding a written line.
These three fixes cover most issues.
05
Building the check into your routine
Make the six-point check a habit before every post. It becomes automatic within a couple of weeks.
Share it with anyone who produces clips for you.
06
Learning from your analytics
If a clip loses viewers early despite a strong moment, check its text first. Reading problems are among the easiest causes to fix.
Compare it with a clip that held viewers well.
07
Fix one thing on the next clip
- Watch your last clip once, on a phone. Not in an editor, and not paused. One pass, at real size.
- Note the second you stopped reading. There is usually one specific moment where it became effort.
- Fix that one thing on the next clip. One correction per clip compounds faster than a full overhaul.
Produce one and watch it the way a stranger would. Nothing to pay for the first.
Questions people ask
- Which mistake is most common?
- Words placed where the interface covers them, because it is invisible until the clip is inside the app.
- Is small text really that damaging?
- Yes, because the phone is held at arm's length rather than at desk distance. Type that reads on a laptop can be unreadable in the hand.
- Does a weak opening line count as a caption problem?
- In a silent feed, yes. The first line is the only thing carrying the clip for the first second.
- Should position stay fixed?
- Within a clip, yes. Moving text costs the viewer a search each time it changes location.
- How often should I check this?
- Once per week on one clip is enough to catch drift, and it takes about a minute.
- Which is most common?
- Text placed where the interface covers it, because it is invisible until the clip is inside the app and nobody checks there.
- Should I fix all six at once?
- One per clip compounds faster than a full overhaul, and it is more likely to actually happen.