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.
Career Killer
Title: Adobe Just Killed My Career
Framework: (Popular tool) Just Killed My (Possession)
Hook score: 2.4x
Why this works:
Negativity – This leverages negativity in two ways:
- People love drama like this.
- A lot of people are scared of this same thing happening to them.
News – The word “Just” also makes this feel like news.
How you can use this framework: Tell your audience about a dramatic event that just happened (that could happen to them).
Examples of this framework in action:
- ChatGPT Just Killed My Business
- Carnival Just Killed Cruises
Walking Wonders
Title: I Tested 7 Walking Hacks to Burn More Fat Than 10,000 Steps
Framework: I Tested 7 (Activity) Hacks to (Achieve goal better than current standard method)
Hook score: 3.2x
Why this works:
Credibility – “I Tested” brings some credibility, trust, and believability.
List – Lists make videos feel more tangible (you know exactly what the video will be about), and they add some curiosity.
Curiosity – This challenges the assumption that 10,000 steps is the best way to walk and burn fat.
Desire – This creators audience would love hacks to burn more fat.
How you can use this framework: Test hacks that achieve a goal better than the current most popular method.
Examples of this framework in action:
- I Tested 7 Morning Routines to Get More Done In A Morning Than A 16-Hour Day
- I Tested 7 Meal Prep Hacks to Lose 30 Lbs In 6 Months
New Creator Hooks is Here!
We’ve been working hard for the last 3 months and have totally rebuilt Creator Hooks.
Here are some of the new features:
- An AI chatbot to generate titles and thumbnail text, and help you with strategic decisions
- An outlier database so you can easily find proven videos for inspiration
- Ability to follow channels you like and get a feed of their latest videos
- A title and thumbnail preview tool to help you decide which title and thumbnail to go with
You can try it for free here: https://app.creatorhooks.com/
P.S. Here’s what one person said about a title we generated for her:
Glitch Game
Title: Using GLITCHES To Cheat In Rivals Hide & Seek!
Framework: Using GLITCHES To (Activity) In (Entity)
Hook score: 6.6x
Why this works:
Curiosity – “Glitches” bring so much interest and have curiosity baked in because they’re unique and abnormal.
Negativity – “Cheat” is a more controversial and attention-grabbing word than something more bland and acceptable like “win”.
How you can use this framework: Tell your audience about glitches you used to cheat the system.
Examples of this framework in action:
- Using GLITCHES To Cheat The YouTube Algorithm
- Using Legal GLITCHES To Outsmart The Cops
Derp derp derp
Title: Things You Do That Science Has Proven Makes You Dumber
Framework: Things You Do That Science Has Proven Makes You (Unwanted attribute)
Hook score: 7.2x
Why this works:
Curiosity – This opens a loop and makes you wonder what these things are.
Negativity – Nobody wants to get dumber, so this title leverages that fear.
Authority – Dropping in “Science” adds some authority and trust here.
How you can use this framework: Tell your audience about things they do that actually move them away from their goal, that’s proven by an authority figure.
Examples of this framework in action:
- Exercises You Do That Science Has Proven Makes You Slower
- Things You Do That The Bible Says Makes You Less Christ-like
It’s finally my time
Title: How “Regular” People Are Blowing Up On Youtube in 2026
Framework: How “Regular” People Are (Achieving goal) in 2026
Hook score: 8.4x
Why this works:
Desire – This creator’s audience would love to blow up on YouTube.
Specific audience & refuting an objection – By saying this video is for “regular” people it:
- Calls out the exact audience this video is for.
- Refutes the objection that you have to be special, unique, etc. to blow up on YouTube.
Year – Dropping in the current year grabs the audience’s attention and makes it clear this video is relevant right now.
How you can use this framework: Tell your audience how “regular” people are achieving a special goal in the current year.
Examples of this framework in action:
- How “Regular” People Are Making Viral Apps in 2026
- How “Bad” Golfers Are Breaking 80 in 2026
Flop of the Week
Title: People in Powerful Positions That Prove The System Is Still Broken Today
Hook score: 0.01x
Why this flopped: I think there are two reasons this video didn’t do that well.
The first is that it’s worded a little awkwardly.
“People in Powerful Positions That Prove” is just way too many Ps.
“Powerful People That Prove The System Is Still Broken Today” is simpler and easier to read.
We could also use more emotional language, like:
“Evil Leaders That Prove The System Is Still Broken Today”
The second (and most important) is that the idea is too political. Most of the videos that have done well for this channel lean more towards science:
- “Terrifying Things That Science Still Cannot Explain” (270K views)
- “Scientifically Proven Facts People Still Cannot Believe” (457K views)
- “Things You Do That Science Has Proven Makes You Dumber” (425K views)
It’s possible that these viewers just aren’t into spicy political takes from this channel.
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.