The end of autoplay is near which may have a negative impact on your viewer count unless proper steps are taken. Major technology companies like Apple and Google have already implemented plans to remove this feature from mobile devices, and are now shifting gears to execute a similar strategy on their desktop browsers. To help our creators stay ahead of the trend, here is everything you need to know about the end of autoplay and some helpful hacks you should try to overcome this obstacle.

Why Autoplay Needed to Come to An End

The outburst of autoplay dates back to 2013 when Facebook first introduced the feature. Autoplay started out as a positive feature helping both video creators and advertisers reach a larger number of views for their content as well as becoming a driving force for revenue. While the autoplay feature has been beneficial to some, it has recently catapulted a plethora of negative feedback with over 74% of viewers expressing a negative sentiment. This negative user experience can be stemmed from the fact that some videos and ads would autoplay with sound on. This interruptive nature of autoplay has led to an increased rate of ad blocking. Not only is autoplay linked to fueling more ads, it also consumes more data, and can serve as disruptive in a quiet work setting.

The overwhelming negative response towards autoplay has compelled leading browsers and publishers to take steps in order to combat this bad user experience. Google Chrome will now only permit autoplay videos if there is no sound or if the user has indicated behavioral interest in the media site. Additionally, Apple has added an autoplay-video-blocking feature to the new Safari browser allowing users to keep autoplay videos paused until they decide otherwise. Top publishers like Time Inc. have taken steps to emphasize their click-to-play videos and are testing out the utilization of GIFs that give viewers a preview of the video before deciding whether or not to click. Others will allow autoplay videos with no sound but provide closed captioning so viewers can watch the video and read along with it.

What Does This Mean for Video Creators?

Autoplay with sound off will continue to trend but intent-to-watch will begin to grow. This raises the bar for video creators to produce a high quality click-worthy video. One of the easiest ways creators can compel viewers to click play is with the the perfect video thumbnail. If the thumbnail doesn’t visually appeal to your audience, you’ll lose out on a chance to have a high number of video views. Here are a few factors you should keep in mind when creating the perfect thumbnail:

• Hint at the premise of the content — use an image that will give your viewers a preview of what to expect. Make sure you portray the content in your video accurately and feature your branding.
• Make the play button prominent — the play button is one of the most powerful call-to-actions that plays a huge part when it comes to attracting the clicks and views your video deserves. Make sure the play button is clear and visible so viewers know where to press to watch more.
• Image Quality Matters— a captivating image will not be enough if the image itself is low quality. Take into consideration all the different aspects of an image– 1280×720 pixels is said to be the best resolution, good lighting, clear high contrast, action shots, clear lettering, popping image, etc.

Once you’ve successfully created a click-worthy video with an eye-catching image, expand your video’s reach even further by publishing your video across every social network with Vydia’s Multi-Networking tool. Also don’t forget to stay-up-to-date with our weekly blogs to discover helpful advice and industry news.