You’ve seen it a thousand times. You click a link for a highly anticipated YouTube Premiere or a Twitch stream, and there it is: a static lo-fi loop with the words we will begin shortly plastered across the center. Sometimes there’s a countdown timer ticking down from five minutes. Other times, it's just a vague promise.
It feels professional, right? Like a TV broadcast.
Actually, it’s a bounce-rate magnet.
In the hyper-fast world of digital attention, that placeholder screen is basically a giant "Exit" sign for about 40% of your potential audience. If you aren't careful, those four words can become the graveyard of your viewership. People don't want a waiting room; they want the doctor. They want the show. They want the value they were promised when they clicked that thumbnail.
Honestly, the psychology behind the "waiting screen" is fascinating and a bit depressing. We live in an era where TikTok has trained our brains to demand a dopamine hit within the first 1.5 seconds. When a viewer sees a we will begin shortly graphic, their brain registers a "task" rather than "entertainment." They have to decide if your content is worth the wait. Most of the time, they decide it isn't.
The Brutal Data Behind the Waiting Room
Let's look at how the biggest creators actually handle this. If you watch someone like MrBeast or a top-tier tech reviewer like MKBHD, you’ll notice they almost never use a "starting soon" screen for pre-recorded premieres. Why? Because the data shows a massive drop-off the moment the timer starts.
According to various Creator Studio heatmaps, the "intro" phase of a video is where you lose the most people. When you use we will begin shortly, you are artificially extending that danger zone. You’re asking for patience in a medium built on impatience.
There's a specific technical term for this in streaming circles: "The Void." It’s that period where the notification has gone out, people have jumped in, but nothing is happening. If you’re a small creator, this is lethal. Big names like DrDisrespect can get away with a 10-minute cinematic intro because he’s built a brand around "The Arena." He’s selling an atmosphere. You? You’re probably just selling information or gameplay.
Don't let the "broadcast standard" fool you into thinking you need a buffer.
Why Do We Even Use It?
Basically, it’s a technical crutch.
Streamers use it to make sure their RTMP feed is stable before they start talking. It gives the notification algorithms (YouTube, Twitch, X) a few minutes to blast out the "Hey, we're live!" alerts so that when the creator finally appears, there’s actually a crowd there to greet them. It feels awkward to talk to zero people.
But here’s the thing: those first thirty people who showed up early? They are your "superfans." They are the ones who clicked the notification immediately. By showing them a we will begin shortly screen, you are rewarding their loyalty with a wall of silence.
It's backwards.
The "Cold Open" Revolution
If you want to keep people around, you have to ditch the static screen for something more dynamic. Some call it a "Pre-Show," others call it a "Cold Open."
Think about Saturday Night Live. They don't start with a graphic saying "The show will begin after these messages." They jump straight into a sketch. The credits—the literal "beginning shortly" part—don't happen until you’re already hooked.
Better Alternatives to the Static Screen
- The "Behind the Scenes" Feed: Instead of a graphic, show your desk. Show you drinking coffee, adjusting your mic, or talking to your mods. It feels authentic. It feels "live."
- The Highlights Reel: If you absolutely must have a 5-minute buffer, run a loop of your best moments from previous streams. Give the new viewers a reason to stay. Show them what they’re waiting for.
- The Interactive Poll: Use an overlay that asks a polarizing question. "Is a hotdog a sandwich?" or "Which GPU should I buy?" Get the chat moving before you even say a word.
When the chat is moving, the "wait" doesn't feel like a wait. It feels like a community event. That’s the secret sauce.
Technical Pitfalls of the "Starting Soon" Loop
There’s a hidden danger to these screens that many people miss: copyright strikes.
Often, creators will throw on a "lo-fi beats to study to" playlist over their we will begin shortly screen. They think because it’s labeled "royalty-free," they’re safe. But the music industry is a mess. Rights change. Samples get flagged.
I’ve seen dozens of streamers have their entire 4-hour VOD muted or deleted because of a song that played during the first 3 minutes while they were literally off-camera fixing their hair.
If you’re going to use music during a transition, use something you own or a service like Epidemic Sound that specifically whitelists your channel. Better yet? Use no music and just talk to your audience while you set up.
The Psychology of the Countdown
Wait, isn't a countdown better?
Kinda.
A countdown at least gives the viewer an end-point. It tells them, "Hey, don't leave, something is happening in 120 seconds."
But there is a psychological "cliff" at the 60-second mark. If a viewer joins and sees a timer with more than a minute left, they are significantly more likely to click away than if the timer is under 30 seconds.
If you use a we will begin shortly screen with a timer, keep it short. Seriously. Three minutes is the absolute maximum. Anything longer and you’re just testing people's patience for no reason.
How to Transition Like a Pro
The moment you switch from your placeholder to your actual face/content is the most important second of your broadcast.
Most people mess this up. They switch the scene in OBS, then spend 20 seconds saying, "Oh, okay, are we live? Can you guys hear me? Let me check the levels."
Absolute energy killer.
You should be mid-sentence or mid-action when that screen disappears. You want to "hit the ground running."
- Step 1: Check your levels before you hit "Start Streaming."
- Step 2: Have a "hype" transition (a stinger) that lasts 1-2 seconds.
- Step 3: Start your "hook" the moment the transition ends.
"Alright guys, today we are breaking down exactly why the new Nvidia drivers are crashing your system, but first..."
Boom. You’ve got them. They forgot they were even waiting.
The SEO Impact of the Placeholder
Believe it or not, Google’s AI is getting really good at "watching" videos. When Google crawls a YouTube video to see if it’s worth recommending in the "Discover" feed or "Watch Next" sidebar, it looks at the retention graph.
If your retention graph shows a massive "valley" at the start because of a we will begin shortly screen, the algorithm marks your video as "low engagement."
This means your video won't be pushed to new audiences. You are effectively throttling your own growth because you wanted a "professional" intro. In 2026, "professional" means "fast."
A Note on Accessibility
Don't forget that "waiting" screens are a nightmare for accessibility. Screen readers don't always play nice with text embedded in a video stream. If a visually impaired user joins and all they hear is a repetitive 10-second music loop with no verbal context, they have no idea if the stream is broken or if they just need to wait.
Always, always have a "Live" tag in your title and, if possible, a pinned comment in the chat explaining when the actual content starts.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Stream
If you're ready to stop losing viewers to a static screen, here's what you need to do right now.
Audit your VODs. Go back to your last three streams. Look at the "Audience Retention" tab in your analytics. See that giant drop in the first two minutes? That’s your placeholder screen's fault. Note exactly how many people you lost.
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Shorten the window. If you can't go "cold open" yet, limit your we will begin shortly screen to exactly 60 seconds. Use that time to share the link on X/Twitter and Discord, then get to work.
Change the visual. Get rid of the static text. Use a video background of the game you're playing or a blurred-out shot of your studio. Anything that suggests motion and life is better than a flat graphic.
Talk to the "Early Birds." The people who show up 5 minutes early are your most valuable fans. Don't ignore them. If you have to be off-camera, at least have your mic on and tell them, "Hey everyone, just finishing my water, we're starting in about 45 seconds. How's everyone's Friday going?"
Prepare a "Hook" script. Write down the first three sentences you will say when you go live. Don't wing it. Having a clear, punchy opening prevents that awkward "Can you hear me?" phase that makes people close the tab.
Test your audio routing. Use a "Loopback" or "Virtual Cable" to ensure your music and mic are separate. This allows you to kill the music the exact millisecond you start talking, creating a clean professional transition without the 1990s public-access television vibe.
The goal isn't just to "begin shortly." The goal is to begin with impact. Every second you spend behind a placeholder is a second you're giving your audience to find someone else who's already started. Stop waiting for the crowd to show up and start the show for the people who are already there.