How to pick the best moments of a video

The first second decides

In the feed, viewers decide in a second or two whether to stay. The clip has to open with something that grabs attention: a question, an unexpected claim, a number, a conflict.

If the best part of the idea only comes at the end, see whether the clip can start closer to it.

Does it stand on its own?

A simple test: would someone who never saw the original video understand it? If it depends on "like I said earlier" or on something off screen, it is not a good clip.

It carries emotion or usefulness

The clips that travel furthest usually do one of two things: they get a reaction (a laugh, surprise, disagreement) or they deliver something useful enough to save or send to someone.

Length: as long as the idea

There is no magic length. A clip should last as long as the idea needs and no longer. In practice many good clips land between 20 and 60 seconds, but a well-told story can run longer.

Signs it is worth dropping

• It starts or ends mid-sentence and cannot be adjusted
• It relies on visuals that will not fit the vertical frame
• It repeats an idea another clip already covers better
• Its audio is too poor for captions to save it