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.
Forbidden Fortress
Title: The Building that Shouldn’t Exist: Fort Boyard
Framework: The (Entity) that Shouldn’t Exist: (Entity name)
Hook score: +482
Why this works:
Curiosity – A building that shouldn’t exist is counterintuitive.
How you can use this framework: Tell your audience about something that shouldn’t exist.
Examples of this framework in action:
- The Animal that Shouldn’t Exist: The Platypus
- This YouTube Hack Shouldn’t Exist
Cruise Conundrum
Title: We Cancelled Our Cruise Seconds Before Boarding
Framework: We Cancelled Our (Entity) Seconds Before (Starting)
Hook score: +494
Why this works:
Negativity – People love drama, like cancelling things.
Time Frame – The time frame of “seconds before boarding” amplifies the drama.
Curiosity – This starts a story, but doesn’t finish it, so you have to click and watch the video to find out why.
How you can use this framework: Tell your audience that you canceled or quit something at the last second.
Examples of this framework in action:
- We Backed Out Of Buying This Business Just Before Closing
- He Broke Up With Her The Morning Of Their Wedding
- Write better YouTube titles
- Grow your channel
- Save time
Check out Creator Hooks Pro here.
P.S. Here’s a big win from a Creator Hooks Pro customer:
“I got this title directly from Creator Hooks Pro’s title generator. It’s a 1 of 10 and it’s brought in 5 clients worth over $25k in less than 3 weeks.”
– Jeff Hampton, Hampton Law, 360K Subscribers
mmmistake
Title: 50mm & The Biggest Mistake You’re Making
Framework: (Entity) & The Biggest Mistake You’re Making
Hook score: +620
Why this works:
Negativity – Nobody wants to make a mistake, so mistakes make for great topics.
Curiosity – This builds curiosity because it’s about the biggest mistake (which makes it extreme and unique), plus it’s only about one mistake, which makes it more specific and interesting.
How you can use this framework: Mention a product or thing your audience is interested in and tell them about the biggest mistake they’re making.
Examples of this framework in action:
- Buying a House & The Biggest Mistake You’re Making
- Squats & The Biggest Mistake You’re Making
The Priest Has Spoken
Title: Priest Ranks Worst Addictions
Framework: (Authority Figure) Ranks Worst (Entities)
Hook score: +827
Why this works:
Authority – A priest is someone whose opinion many people value.
Curiosity – People love to see how different things rank and compare to each other.
Negativity – Controversial things like bad addictions make for interesting topics.
How you can use this framework: Have an authority figure rank controversial things.
Examples of this framework in action:
- Lawyer Ranks Worst Crimes
- Farmer Ranks Worst Vegetables
Just once…
Title: Do This Once & Watch How People Treat You Differently
Framework: Do This Once & (Observe result)
Hook score: +969
Why this works:
Curiosity – This builds curiosity 3 ways:
- It makes you wonder what “this” is.
- It makes you wonder how people will treat you differently.
- It’s counterintuitive that doing something once will have such a big impact.
Desire – This creator’s audience wants people to treat them differently, and this difference is assumed to be a good change. Plus, it says you only have to do it once, which adds even more to the desire. It feels like you’re getting a lot for a little.
How you can use this framework: Tell your audience to do something once and then watch a desirable change.
Examples of this framework in action:
- Do This Once & Watch Your Golf Swing Change Forever
- Do This Once & Never Struggle With Procrastination Again
Flop of the Week
Title: They Don’t Want You To Know This Secret
Hook score: -92
Why this flopped: This title seems good, but I think it’s too vague.
When you’re trying to build curiosity in your audience’s mind, you need to be in the middle between these two options:
- “I have no idea what this is about, I don’t care”
- “I know exactly what this is about, I don’t care”
This title falls too close to the first option.
Neither the thumbnail nor the title gives you any information or context for what this video is about, so it’s not that compelling.
Although the above title (“Do This Once & Watch How People Treat You Differently”) from the same channel is also vague, it does give you two details that make it more interesting:
- It tells you how often to do “this” (once)
- It tells you what the result will be (people will treat you differently)
If I were rewriting this title, I’d give more context about what the secret is, who “they” are, or what the stakes or impact of the secret is.
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.