What makes things catch on? Understanding consumer engagement with video content on social media

Speech serves as the primary means of communication in most interpersonal interactions, enabling individuals to wield influence, articulate consensus, and cultivate connections. As video content has surged in prominence on social media platforms, both speech and video have overtaken text and imagery as the dominant modes of online communication. Despite its significance, existing research has shown that the impact of speech varies considerably among individuals, yet detailed insights into the factors driving these variations remain limited. This article explores prevalent patterns within influential speech by leveraging advanced techniques in speech scraping and big data analysis. Our investigation encompasses an analysis of 3931 TED Talks and their reactions on YouTube, revealing patterns that influence the effectiveness of speech in engaging audiences. Our findings suggest that to enhance the influential capacity of speech, it should employ brief sentences, maintain a brisk speaking pace, and utilize referential, unsentimental language. Specifically, we found that the optimal sentence length is approximately 8 words per sentence, with a speech speed of 0.8 s per word to maximize audience engagement.