5 things I wish I knew before I started YouTube

I’ve asked some of the best creators on YouTube, “How do you write such great titles?”

And they’ve all said the same thing: “I just model what works.”

So this email will show you 5 videos worth modeling to help you write great titles and save time.

P.S. If you want to save more time and use a title generator that uses all the titles from this newsletter, check out ​​Creator Hooks Pro​​.

Risky Kitty

cat and toy

Title: I Bought Cat Products With No Reviews

Framework: I Bought (Niche Products) With No Reviews

Hook score: +550

Why this works:

Curiosity – There’s a lot of tension and uncertainty in buying products with no reviews because we don’t yet know what they’re like.

Negativity – “No Reviews” and the thumbnail text both hint that these are bad products, and people love drama like that.

How you can use this framework: Buy or do something that very few people have done before.

Examples of this framework in action:

  • I Bought Amazon Guitars With No Reviews
  • I Visited Countries Nobody Ever Talks About

Results are in.

man thinking

Title: I did Duolingo for 2000 days. Can I speak Spanish?

Framework: I did (Activity that people assume works) for (Long time frame). Can I (Achieve Goal)?

Hook score: +1115

Why this works:

Credibility – This isn’t just a review of Duolingo. He shows that he’s used it for a long time, which makes this video more trustworthy.

Time Frame – The long time frame of 2,000 days provides credibility and makes this video feel more tangible and specific.

Curiosity – This builds curiosity by asking a question.

How you can use this framework: Do something for a long time and ask if it actually worked.

Examples of this framework in action:

  • I tried vibe coding for 30 days. Did I make a real app?
  • I meditated for 365 days to cure my anxiety. Am I more calm?

3 New Creator Hooks Pro Updates

new design for creator hooks pro

We just added 3 new updates to Creator Hooks Pro:

1. We redesigned and color-coded the title generator results to make them easier to read:

  • Blue click triggers = curiosity-based titles
  • Red = negativity-based titles
  • Green = desire-based titles

2. We added the ability to reword titles so you can find the perfect way to word your titles

3. We added the ability to add banned words to your style guide so you can get titles that match your channel’s style.

Check out Creator Hooks Pro here.

sean cannell's thoughts on creator hooks pro

Age of AI

AI agent

Title: How to Get Rich in the New Era of A.I. (2025)

Framework: How to [Achieve Goal] in the New Era of [Trend]. ([Current or upcoming year])

Hook score: +1414

Why this works:

Desire – This creator’s audience would love to get rich in the AI era.

Timeliness – This leverages timeliness in two ways:

  1. It’s about a trending topic — AI.
  2. It was published in the beginning of the year and drops in the current year to let you know this is relevant right now.

New – People love new things, like “the New Era of A.I.” here.

How you can use this framework: Tell your audience how to achieve a goal in this new environment.

Examples of this framework in action:

  • How to Be a Real Artist in the New Era of A.I. (2025)
  • Where to Invest in the New Era of A.I. (2025)

Killer Confession

priest

Title: Priest Answers: If Someone Confesses A Murder, What Do You Do?

Framework: (Authority Figure) Answers: If (Difficult situation), What Do You Do?

Hook score: +1571

Why this works:

Authority – This title leverages authority by dropping “Priest Answers” right in the front.

Negativity – People love controversial and conflicting topics like this.

Curiosity – This builds curiosity by asking a question.

How you can use this framework: Share an authority figure’s answer to a difficult situation.

Examples of this framework in action:

  • Lawyer Answers: If Someone Confesses A Crime, What Do You Do?
  • Realtor Answers: If You Find Out A House Is Haunted, What Do You Do?

Watercolor Wishes

watercolor supplies

Title: 5 things I wish I knew before I started watercolor

Framework: 5 things I wish I knew before I started (Activity)

Hook score: +1910

Why this works:

List – Lists make videos feel more tangible (you know exactly what the video will be about) and they add some curiosity.

Regret – Regrets like this make for great video topics because they’re such common, powerful emotions.

How you can use this framework: Tell your audience about a list of things you wish you knew before starting something.

Examples of this framework in action:

  • 5 things I wish I knew before I started camping
  • 5 things I wish I knew before I started investing

Flop of the Week

cats and toys

Title: Donating PetSmart Toys to a Cat Cafe

Hook score: -92

Why this flopped: This is a nice title, but it’s too bland and boring.

There’s no drama, curiosity or any strong emotion to make you click.

Here are some alternate titles that could’ve been more emotional:

“Cats React To The Weirdest New Petsmart Toys”

“Homeless Cats React To New Petsmart Toys”

“I Donated Every Petsmart Cat Toy To A Cat Cafe”

“10 Minutes of Homeless Cats Playing With New Toys”

Now all these titles may not necessarily fit this video, but that’s why it’s so important to come up with a clickable title BEFORE you make a video.

To avoid a flop like this, make sure your title is emotional enough to get people to click.

Alright, that wraps up this week’s Creator Hooks!

Hope you enjoyed this week’s edition and if you know a fellow creator who needs help writing better titles, please send them to creatorhooks.com.

– Jake

(@jthomas__ on Twitter)

P.S. Read previous editions here.

P.P.S. If you want to write better titles and grow your channel, check out Creator Hooks Pro.

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