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.
Fit Fast
Title: The Fastest Way to a Sub 20 Min 5K (From Any Starting Point)
Framework: The Fastest Way to [Big Goal] (From Any Starting Point)
Hook score: +303
Why this works:
Desire – This creator’s audience would love to run a sub-20-minute 5k.
Speed – Everybody loves speed, and “The Fastest Way” promises that in this video.
Refute Objection – Many people might think, “I can’t run a sub 20-minute 5k, I’m currently at 30 minutes,” but “(From Any Starting Point)” gets rid of that excuse.
How you can use this framework: Tell your audience about the fastest way to achieve a goal, no matter where they’re starting.
Examples of this framework in action:
- The Fastest Way to Become an Expert Piano Player (From Any Starting Point)
- The Fastest Way to be Fluent in Spanish (From Any Starting Point)
A lot for a little
Title: These SMALL SHIFTS cut 90% of the drama w/ my kids
Framework: These SMALL SHIFTS cut 90% of (Problems)
Hook score: +632
Why this works:
Negativity – This is all about solving a problem.
Curiosity – There’s contrast and tension between “small shifts” (something small) and “cut 90% of the drama” (something big).
How you can use this framework: Tell your audience about small changes that had a big impact.
Examples of this framework in action:
- These SMALL SHIFTS cut 50% of the churn for my SaaS
- These SMALL SHIFTS cut 90% of my Procrastination
Check out Creator Hooks Pro here.
P.S. I just got this email from a customer who used Creator Hooks Pro to write a title that helped his new channel get monetized:
Polyglot Pointers
Title: What Polyglots Understand That Most People Don’t
Framework: What (Authority figures) Understand That Most People Don’t
Hook score: +1306
Why this works:
Authority – Polyglots are the professional athletes of the language learning world, so they bring trust and credibility to this video.
FOMO – This makes you feel like you’re missing out on important information polyglots have.
Curiosity – This opens a loop and makes you want to know what they understand.
How you can use this framework: Tell your audience about what the pros of your industry understand that most people don’t.
Examples of this framework in action:
- What Billionaires Understand That Most People Don’t
- What Michelin Star Chefs Understand About Food That Most People Don’t
Have it your way
Title: What Happens When You Grow a Tomato from a Burger King Whopper?
Framework: What Happens When You (Absurd action)?
Hook score: +2845
Why this works:
Curiosity – This builds curiosity in two ways:
- It asks a question.
- More powerfully, it asks an impossible or weird question. The absurdity of growing a tomato from a Burger King Whopper is what makes this video so interesting.
How you can use this framework: Ask what happens when you try to do something absurd or unexpected.
Examples of this framework in action:
- What Happens When You Catch Redfish With A Toy Rod?
- What Happens When You Put a $20,000 Engine In A $500 Car?
1 minute to memorable
Title: This 1-Minute Introduction Makes You Unforgettable
Framework: This 1-Minute (Entity) Makes You (Desired state)
Hook score: +15218
Why this works:
Time Frame – The time frame of “1-Minute” does two things here:
- It makes this introduction feel more tangible and interesting.
- It makes it feel more achievable since it’s so short.
Desire – This channel’s audience would love to be unforgettable.
Curiosity – This builds curiosity in two ways:
- It opens a loop and makes you want to know what the framework is.
- There’s contrast between “1-Minute Introduction” (short and easy) and becoming unforgettable (a huge benefit).
How you can use this framework: Tell your audience about a short or small thing that helps them achieve a big goal.
Examples of this framework in action:
- This 1-Minute Morning Routine Boosts Your Energy All Day
- This 1-Minute Routine Stops Tantrums Immediately
Flop of the Week
Title: Screen time? Chore charts? Alone time? Clutter quandaries?!
Hook score: -75
Why this flopped: We’ve got a good ol’ fashioned Q&A video here.
My #1 rule of YouTube titles: keep them clear and simple, but 4 questions in a title don’t qualify as clear and simple. So what can we do?
Option #1: Write the title addressing just the most interesting question.
Example: “The #1 Rule That Keeps My Kids Happy Without Screen Time”
Option #2: Hype up the questions.
Example: “Answering Controversial Questions About Mom Life”
Note: if you’re gonna do this, this obviously needs to be decided ahead of time, so you can pick controversial questions (or at least position the questions as controversial).
Option #3: Use a time frame.
Example: “32 Minutes of Advice For Struggling Moms”
Or “32 Minutes Answering Difficult Questions For Struggling Moms”
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.