It is pointed out that the time has come for the end of 'retention editing' used by the world's number one YouTuber, MrBeast

Popular YouTubers and TikTokers, including MrBeast , the world's number one YouTuber with 248 million subscribers as of April 2024, use an editing technique called 'retention editing.' However, the popularity of videos using this technology is nothing more than a ``bubble,'' and with the number of imitators increasing, some are pointing out that the time may be coming to an end.

MrBeast calls for slowing down video editing styles - The Washington Post
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/03/30/video-editing-mrbeast-retention/

The 'retention editing' used by MrBeast and others has features such as loud sound effects, fast cut switching, flashing effects, and no pauses. Specifically, the difference between videos without retention editing and videos with retention editing is clearly shown in the comparison video below.

Nick Cicero, a professor of social media and digital marketing at Syracuse University, told The Washington Post that retention editing has become the dominant format among video creators, and we are now in the 'age of retention editing.' doing.

Noah Kettle, co-founder of a consulting company related to video editing and monetization, recognizes this trend and describes it as the 'Beastification of YouTube.'

According to video editor Dara Pesheva, all retention edited videos are made up of a series of short cuts, each lasting less than 2 seconds, and within which a new cut is created every 1.3 to 1.5 seconds. It is said that editing is being done to make graphics appear or move something on the screen. The reason for this is that ``Gen Z is used to TikTok,'' and TikTok is ``training'' its users to ``not watch videos that don't draw them in within the first 0.5 seconds.'' that's right.

David McNamee, head of brand at a social media and digital agency, admitted in an interview with The Washington Post that ``retention editing is addictive,'' and he advises his clients to create video formats like MrBeast. He also advised me to do so.

However, MrBeast himself seems to feel that the age of retention editing is reaching its peak, and on March 3, 2024, MrBeast said, ``Over the past year, I have slowed down my videos, focused on the story, We added breathers between scenes, cut down on the screaming, and made it more unique and longer. As a result, the number of views skyrocketed! Fellow YouTubers, it's time to break away from super-fast, over-the-top videos. (The old method) won't work,' he posted.

This past year i've slowed down our videos, focused on story telling, let scenes breathe, yelled less, more personality, longer videos, etc. And our views have skyrocketed!

My fellow YouTubers lets get rid of the ultra fast paced/overstim era of content. It doesn't even work ???? pic.twitter.com/J7IBwHF6Jj

— MrBeast (@MrBeast) March 3, 2024

Furthermore, on March 31st, he wrote, ``Please let me know if you like the new era editing style.The new style is slower paced and shows more depth to what we are experiencing than the previous style, especially towards the end.'' 'I think we're onto something.'

Let me know if you like the editing style of the new video! It's slower and especially toward the end shows more depth of what we're experiencing than I used to show. I think we're on to something :)

— MrBeast (@MrBeast) March 30, 2024

The most viewed video MrBeast has posted in the past is ``I tried recreating the squid game in the real world!'' posted in November 2021, which has been viewed 594 million times. The video is 25 minutes long, but from the beginning, the cuts are changed in small seconds and zoomed in and out, so each cut never lasts more than a minute.

I tried to recreate the squid game in the real world! - YouTube


On the other hand, in 'Survived for 7 days in an abandoned city', which MrBeast cited as an example of the new style, each cut is longer than before, and there seem to be fewer flashing elements on the screen. To do.

Survived for 7 days in an abandoned city - YouTube


Experts analyze that MrBeast, who created the era of retention editing, has changed his editing policy and that other creators are following suit. According to Kettle, some creators are already creating 1 hour and 30 minute videos featuring just themselves and their whiteboards that are outperforming 'optimized' retention edit videos.

Cicero said that since 2020, it was easy to create a big hit with retention editing, but it has become increasingly difficult. ``Retention editing may be like the Impressionist era of YouTube.'' commented.