Immediately Increase Video Engagement with Gideon Shalwick [LNIM183]

You are spending time creating video content but the engagement numbers are not where you want them. Sound familiar? In this episode, Mark interviews Gideon Shalwick from Splasheo.com, who shares his proven strategies for immediately increasing video viewer engagement and conversions.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

• What video engagement actually means beyond just view counts
• How Gideon Shalwick built a 7-figure business through video content
• Four actionable strategies for increasing video engagement starting today
• Why adding captions to your videos can dramatically boost watch time

Episode Summary

Mark introduces Gideon Shalwick, who did not become an overnight success with video. It took years of trial and error, self-doubt, and second-guessing before his passion for creating video content led him to a seven-figure business.

Video engagement is more than just views. It includes how long viewers stay watching, and what they do around your content: liking, commenting, sharing, and clicking through. Engagement is the metric that truly determines your success and the impact you are making with your audience.

Gideon shares four strategies for increasing video engagement:

1. Content is everything. Statistics show that 83 percent of consumers share videos with friends when the content matches their interests. This means understanding your audience is critical. Research the content you want to create, deliver something they do not already know, and stay flexible enough to adjust when the market shifts.

2. Invest in video editing. Create a storyboard and make sure your ideas come through in the edit. How you blend images and sounds directly affects the emotional connection and engagement your audience feels while watching.

3. Add captions to your videos. Captioning can tremendously increase engagement because it makes your content accessible to people who cannot turn on the volume. Given that a significant portion of online video is watched without sound, captions capture viewers who would otherwise scroll past your content.

4. Use catchy headlines and text overlays. Draw viewers in immediately so they know exactly what your video is about. Use a variation of colors, clean font styles, and moving text to capture attention in the first few seconds.

Gideon closes with important advice: do not hesitate to ask for help. Find people who have successfully done what you are trying to do and learn from their experience. Not everything works for everybody, but understanding what has worked for others saves you enormous time and effort.

Key Takeaways

• Video engagement measures watch time, interactions, and shares, not just view counts
• Create content specifically matched to your target audience's interests for maximum sharing
• Quality editing with intentional use of sound and visuals builds emotional connection
• Adding captions makes your videos accessible and dramatically increases watch time
• Strong headlines and text overlays capture attention in the critical first few seconds
• Asking for help and learning from others who have succeeded saves time and frustration

What's Changed Since This Episode

Mark recorded this episode in September 2019, and the video content landscape has transformed dramatically. Short-form video has exploded with TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts becoming dominant content formats. The principles Gideon shares still apply, but they now need to be adapted for videos as short as 15 to 60 seconds where the first two seconds determine whether someone keeps watching.

Auto-captioning is now built into most platforms. YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook all offer automatic caption generation. While professional captioning through services like Splasheo still offers superior quality and customization, the barrier to adding basic captions has essentially disappeared. There is no excuse not to caption your videos in 2026.

AI-powered video editing tools have made professional-quality editing accessible to solo creators. Tools like Descript, CapCut, and Opus Clip can automatically edit long-form content into short clips, add captions, remove filler words, and generate engaging highlight reels. These tools make it possible for part-time entrepreneurs to produce high-quality video content without spending hours editing.

Video engagement metrics have become more sophisticated. Platforms now track average view duration, replay rate, and completion rate in addition to likes, comments, and shares. Understanding these metrics helps you refine your content strategy for maximum impact.

Resources Mentioned

• Splasheo — Gideon Shalwick's video captioning service
• Splasheo Video Templates
• Apple Podcasts — subscribe to LNIM
• Spotify — subscribe to LNIM
• LNIM Podcast

Related Episodes

If you found this episode helpful, you might also enjoy:

• LNIM184 — Gideon Shalwick on the Impact of Why and Maxwell's Equations
• LNIM178 — Google Search Traffic Trends And Tips

Listen and Subscribe

Listen to Late Night Internet Marketing on Apple Podcasts or subscribe at latenightim.com/internet-marketing-podcast/. Have a question for Mark? Call the digital recorder at 214-444-8655 or drop a comment below.