You are a retention-focused YouTube script editor who has shaped scripts for channels from 10k to 2M subscribers. Draft a tight outline for the video below.
Channel context:
- Channel name and niche: [CHANNEL + WHAT YOU MAKE VIDEOS ABOUT]
- Subscriber count: [APPROX SUBS]
- Typical video length: [MINUTES]
- Audience profile: [WHO WATCHES — AGE, INTEREST, SKILL LEVEL]
Video to outline:
- Working title: [TITLE]
- Core promise to the viewer: [WHAT THEY WALK AWAY WITH]
- Target length: [MINUTES]
- Style: [TALKING HEAD / DOCUMENTARY / TUTORIAL / VLOG / LIST]
Produce:
1. A 15-second hook (cold open) with a specific tension or question
2. A 20-second context section explaining who this is for
3. The main body broken into 4-6 beats, each with a one-line teaser to keep retention high
4. A clear payoff that delivers the promise
5. A natural CTA at the end (no "smash that subscribe button")
For each beat, include an estimated duration in seconds. Write in plain spoken English, not blog-post English.
Why this works
Naming "retention-focused" pulls the model out of generic blog-post mode and into YouTube pacing. Forcing per-beat seconds and an explicit hook + payoff means the AI can't drift into a wall of bullet points that doesn't fit a real video runtime.
Act as a YouTube title strategist who has obsessed over click-through-rate for years. Generate exactly 10 title variants for the video below — half curiosity-driven, half value-driven.
Video:
- Topic: [WHAT THE VIDEO IS ACTUALLY ABOUT]
- Promise to the viewer: [SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR INSIGHT]
- Niche / audience: [WHO IT'S FOR]
- Channel tone: [CASUAL / EDUCATIONAL / DOCUMENTARY / SARCASTIC]
- Working title: [YOUR DRAFT IF YOU HAVE ONE]
Rules:
- Each title must be under 70 characters
- 5 must lean into curiosity (open loop, contradiction, question)
- 5 must lean into clear value (number, outcome, named benefit)
- No clickbait that the video can't deliver on
- No "You Won't Believe…" or "SHOCKING" filler
- Avoid all-caps unless it's a single word for emphasis
Output as a numbered list. Under each title, add one line explaining why it might work for this audience.
Why this works
The 5/5 split forces the AI to give you genuinely different angles instead of ten variations of the same idea. Banning the obvious clickbait phrases keeps the output usable for channels that care about long-term audience trust, not just first-week CTR.
You are a thumbnail copywriter who has helped creators rework dozens of underperforming thumbnails. Generate text overlays I can use on the thumbnail for the video below.
Video:
- Title: [FINAL OR DRAFT TITLE]
- Core promise: [WHAT THE VIEWER GETS]
- Visual concept: [WHAT THE THUMBNAIL IMAGE SHOWS — FACE, OBJECT, BEFORE/AFTER, SCREENSHOT]
- Audience: [WHO IT'S FOR]
- Channel style: [CLEAN / BOLD / MEME / DOCUMENTARY]
Output 8 thumbnail text options. For each, include:
- The text itself (3-5 words max, ALL CAPS allowed for one word of emphasis)
- A second-line tag if helpful (under 4 words)
- The emotion or hook it leans on (curiosity, fear of missing out, outcome, contradiction)
- A note on whether it pairs better with the title or contrasts the title
Avoid full sentences, vague words like "amazing," and anything the video doesn't actually deliver. Keep it skimmable from a phone screen.
Why this works
Capping at 3-5 words and asking whether each option pairs with or contrasts the title forces the AI to think about thumbnail and title as a system. The "skimmable from a phone" constraint quietly removes the long, blog-style overlays that don't survive at thumbnail size.
Act as a YouTube SEO writer who treats descriptions as both a search asset and a viewer experience. Write a complete description for the video below.
Video:
- Title: [FINAL TITLE]
- One-paragraph summary of what the video covers: [SUMMARY]
- Target keyword: [PRIMARY KEYWORD]
- Supporting keywords: [2-4 SECONDARY KEYWORDS]
- Channel name and niche: [CHANNEL + NICHE]
- Calls to action I want to include: [LIST — NEWSLETTER, PRODUCT, FREE GUIDE, SOCIALS]
- Approximate timestamps for chapters: [PASTE BELOW IF YOU HAVE THEM]
Structure the description as:
1. A 2-3 sentence opening hook that includes the primary keyword naturally
2. A short "what you'll learn" bullet list (3-5 bullets)
3. Chapter timestamps in 0:00 format
4. Calls to action grouped clearly
5. A short channel blurb (1-2 sentences)
6. Relevant hashtags (max 3)
Do not stuff keywords. Write like a human who actually watches YouTube. Keep it under 300 words excluding timestamps.
Why this works
Splitting the description into named sections stops the AI from defaulting to a single keyword-stuffed paragraph. The "do not stuff keywords" instruction plus a word cap keeps the result readable instead of feeling like 2014-era SEO copy.
You are a YouTube chapter editor. I'll paste my final video transcript or detailed outline below. Generate clean chapter timestamps that match how a viewer actually navigates a video.
Context:
- Total video length: [MINUTES:SECONDS]
- Topic: [ONE-LINE DESCRIPTION]
- Audience: [WHO'S WATCHING]
Rules for chapters:
- Use the format 0:00 Chapter Name (no leading zeros over 10:00)
- The first chapter must be 0:00 and labeled as a hook or intro (e.g. "0:00 Why this matters")
- Use 5-8 chapters total for videos under 15 minutes, 8-12 for longer
- Chapter names must be 2-6 words, descriptive, no clickbait
- Each chapter must be at least 30 seconds apart
- Do not invent content that isn't in the transcript
Output the chapter list ready to paste into the YouTube description box, then add a one-paragraph note flagging any sections that felt too long, too short, or could be cut.
TRANSCRIPT OR OUTLINE:
[PASTE HERE]
Why this works
YouTube has hard rules for chapters to register as chapters (0:00 start, 10s+ spacing, 3+ chapters). Encoding those constraints up front means the output is paste-ready. The pacing note at the end gives you an editing pass for free.
Act as a YouTube SEO researcher who studies how viewers actually search for videos in [NICHE]. Generate a tag and keyword set for the video below.
Video context:
- Title: [FINAL OR DRAFT TITLE]
- Topic: [WHAT THE VIDEO COVERS]
- Niche: [BROADER CATEGORY]
- Audience skill level: [BEGINNER / INTERMEDIATE / ADVANCED]
- Existing best-performing videos on the channel: [2-3 EXAMPLES]
Produce:
1. The single primary keyword for the video
2. 5 secondary keywords closely related to the primary
3. 10 long-tail search phrases real viewers might type
4. 15 YouTube tags ranked from most to least relevant (mix of exact match, related, and broader category)
5. 3 keywords I should NOT chase because the search intent doesn't match this video
Avoid keyword stuffing or made-up phrases nobody searches for. Prioritize phrases a real human in this niche would type into the search bar.
Why this works
Asking for keywords you should NOT chase is the unlock — it forces the model to think about search intent rather than just matching strings. Splitting tags into ranked relevance buckets means the most important matches go in the first few slots, where YouTube weighs them heaviest.
You are a YouTube cold-open specialist who has written hooks for retention-obsessed creators. Write 6 different opening hooks (under 15 seconds each) for the video below.
Video:
- Title: [TITLE]
- Core promise: [WHAT THE VIEWER GETS]
- Audience: [WHO IT'S FOR]
- Tone: [CONVERSATIONAL / DOCUMENTARY / SARCASTIC / EARNEST]
Each hook must use a different mechanism: pattern interrupt, contrarian claim, vivid story moment, urgent stake, surprising stat, future-pacing the payoff. Output as numbered drafts with the mechanism labeled in brackets...
Act as a YouTube creator coach who has tested hundreds of in-video calls to action. Draft 5 natural CTA scripts for the video below — one mid-roll, one end-screen, one for newsletter, one for product or service, one for community engagement.
Video context:
- Topic: [WHAT THE VIDEO IS ABOUT]
- Channel goal: [SUBS / SALES / LEADS / COMMUNITY]
- Audience profile: [WHO WATCHES]
- What I'm offering: [LINK, PRODUCT, FREE RESOURCE, ETC]
Each CTA must feel earned, not bolted on. Avoid phrases like "smash the like button"...
You are a YouTube channel strategist who has scripted trailers for channels at every size. Write a 60-90 second channel trailer script for the channel below.
Channel:
- Name and niche: [CHANNEL + WHAT IT'S ABOUT]
- Who it's for: [TARGET VIEWER]
- The promise: [WHAT VIEWERS GET BY SUBSCRIBING]
- Posting cadence: [HOW OFTEN YOU UPLOAD]
- Best 3 existing videos: [TITLES]
Structure: 5-second hook, 15-second "who this is for", 25-second "what you'll get", 15-second proof or example, 10-second CTA to subscribe...
Act as a YouTube creator who turns top viewer comments and DMs into short follow-up videos. I'll paste a list of viewer questions and the original video they came from below. Draft a structured response script.
Required sections: which 3 questions to answer (and why), a 10-second hook tying back to the original video, a clean answer for each question with timestamps, a soft transition to the next video idea, an end-screen CTA...