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.
Btw, if you want to save more time and use a title generator that uses all the titles ever featured in Creator Hooks, check out Creator Hooks Pro.
Fuji Flicks
Title: BEAT THE HYPE: 3 Affordable Cameras Better Than the Fujifilm X100VI
Framework: BEATH THE HYPE: 3 Affordable (Products) Better Than the (New, Expensive Product)
Hook score: +398
Why this works:
List – Lists make videos feel more tangible (you know exactly what the video will be about) and they add some curiosity.
Timeliness – This video was published soon after the Fujifilm X100VI was released.
Desire – This creator’s audience loves good, affordable cameras.
Broad Audience – “Affordable” brings in a broad audience because more people can afford it.
Note: I don’t particularly love the “BEAT THE HYPE:” part of this title. It feels unnecessary and I think it would’ve done just as well without it… but this video did get 201,000 views, so who am I to judge?
How you can use this framework: Tell your audience about 3 affordable products better than a new or trending expensive product.
Examples of this framework in action:
- BEAT THE HYPE: 3 Affordable VR Headsets Better Than the Apple Vision Pro
- 3 Affordable Smokers Better Than the Traeger Grill
Departure Drama
Title: Why These Popular “Christian” Worship Artists Left Christianity
Framework: Why These Popular “(Group Members)” Left (Group)
Hook score: +482
Why this works:
Negativity – Leaving something you’re known for supporting brings a lot of drama.
Curiosity – This title builds curiosity two ways:
- It’s counterintuitive for Christian Worship Artists (people you’d assume would be strong in their faith) to leave Christianity.
- It makes you wonder why these people left Christianity.
Authority – “‘Christian’ Worship Artists” are influential in the Christian community, so them leaving grabs extra attention.
How you can use this framework: Tell your audience why popular members of a group left that group.
Examples of this framework in action:
- Why Popular YouTubers Are Quitting YouTube
- Why These Popular “CrossFit Influencers” Left CrossFit
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Quiet Killers
Title: Ghost Warriors: The German Tribes That Hunted Romans | Ancient Black Ops | Odyssey
Framework: (Epic Group of People): The (Entity) That (Aggressive Action) (Other Entity)
Hook score: +518
Why this works:
Simple Language – This title is easy to read and uses simple language. And even if you don’t know who the “Ghost Warriors” are, this still sounds cool.
Negativity – There’s fear, drama, and conflict here with “Hunted Romans” and “Ancient Black Ops”.
How you can use this framework: Tell the epic story of a conflict using simple language.
Examples of this framework in action:
- PayPal Mafia: The Unknown Nerds That Took Over The World
- The Black Sox: The Baseball Team That Changed Sports Betting Forever
Guru Gaffes
Title: Horrible YouTube Advice that’s KILLING Small Channels
Framework: Horrible (Niche) Advice that’s KILLING (Beginners)
Hook score: +524
Why this works:
Negativity – “Horrible YouTube Advice” grabs your attention because it’s so negative, and when you read this title you get a little fear because you wonder if you’ve taken some advice that might be killing your channel.
Curiosity – This makes you wonder what the advice is.
Beginners – By calling out “Small Channels” this title appeals to a big, but specific audience and makes them feel like this video was made specifically for them.
How you can use this framework: Tell your audience about the horrible advice killing beginners in your niche.
Examples of this framework in action:
- Horrible Dating Advice that’s KILLING Your Relationship
- Horrible Golf Advice that’s KILLING Your Swing
The Forbidden 9
Title: 9 Things Smart Men Should Not Do With Women | Stoicism
Framework: 9 Things Smart (Specific Audience) Should Not Do With (Entity)
Hook score: +23965
Why this works:
List – Lists make videos feel more tangible (you know exactly what the video will be about) and they add some curiosity.
Negativity – This warning grabs the audience’s attention and gets them to click.
How you can use this framework: Warn your audience about things smart people should not do.
Examples of this framework in action:
- 9 Things Smart Business Owners Should Not Do When Selling Their Business
- 9 Things Smart Home Owners Should Not Do To Their House
Flop of the Week
Hook score: -75
Why this flopped: “I Quit” videos often get loads of views because they’re full of drama and represent big milestones.
But this one did significantly worse than other videos on this channel.
Why? Here are my two hypotheses:
First, there’s a mismatch between the title and thumbnail. In an “I Quit…” video I would expect a more raw, emotional thumbnail with the creator front and center.
Instead, we get this thumbnail. If I need hope (like the thumbnail text calls out), I don’t really want to watch a video where somebody else quit.
My other theory is that this title is too vague.
What did he quit? He gives zero context in the title, so we can’t know if this video is relevant for us.
If the title was, “I Quit Feeling Bad For Myself…” then the thumbnail would work and the people it’s relevant for would know that this video is for them.
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 see all of the videos from Creator Hooks in one place, check out Creator Hooks Pro.