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 see all of the titles and thumbnails from Creator Hooks in one place, check out Creator Hooks Pro.
I’m a Survivor
Title: 72 HOUR SURVIVAL (no food, no water, on an island)
Formula: 72 HOUR [Achievement] (no [Amenities])
Hook score: +305
Why this works:
Constraints – Constraints like “no food, no water, on an island” build a lot of curiosity and conflict, which both make for an interesting video.
Time Frame – “72 Hour Survival” lets you know exactly what this video is about, which makes you more likely to click. If it was just “SURVIVAL (no food, no water, on an island)” it would be a little more vague and less interesting.
Negativity – This video addresses a common fear people have. People like to watch videos about things they fear and live vicariously through YouTubers.
How you can use this hook: Take on a scary challenge with several constraints and a time frame.
Examples of this hook in action:
- 72 HOUR Hackathon (launching an app from scratch)
- Surviving a 24 Hour Ultra Marathon (100 miles, no rest)
Gear Heads
Title: Most Underrated Pieces of Backpacking Equipment: Inexpensive Gear That Makes a Difference
Formula: Most Underrated (Tools): (Counterintuitive Adjective)(Tools) That Make a Difference
Hook score: +340
Why this works:
Curiosity – There’s contrast (which adds curiosity) between “inexpensive gear” that “makes a difference.” And “underrated” adds to the curiosity, too.
Desire – This creator’s audience loves good gear.
How you can use this hook: Tell your audience about the most underrated pieces of equipment in your industry.
Examples of this hook in action:
- Most Underrated Smart Home Gadgets: Small Tools That Make a Big Difference
- Most Underrated Shopify Apps: Cheap Apps That Make Big Money
Style Searching
Title: this is the EASIEST way to find your style (no shopping required!)
Formula: this is the EASIEST way to [achieve goal] (no [Bothersome Activity] required!)
Hook score: +358
Why this works:
Desire – This creator’s audience would love to find their style and do it the easiest way.
Refute an Objection – The audience might be thinking they don’t have time or money to go shopping, but this title gets rid of that excuse.
How you can use this hook: Tell your audience about the easiest way to achieve their goals without one of their big excuses.
Examples of this hook in action:
- this is the EASIEST way to find a great boyfriend (no online dating required!)
- the EASIEST way to grow your own vegetables (no garden required!)
Daily Duties
Title: 3-MUST DO-Daily Strength Exercises For Seniors
Formula: 3 Must Do Daily (Activities) For (Specific Group)
Hook score: +705
Why this works:
List – Lists build curiosity and make a video feel more tangible.
Desire – This creator’s audience is looking for strength exercises to help them stay active.
Daily Tips – People seem to really like exercises or habits you can plug into your daily routine.
Specific Audience – If you’re a senior and you see this title, you feel like this video was made specifically for you, so you’re more likely to click.
How you can use this hook: Give your audience a list of daily activities to help them achieve their goal, and call them out by group name in the title.
Examples of this hook in action:
- 3 Must Do Daily Habits For YouTubers
- 3 Must Do Daily Exercises For Beginner Piano Players
Daily Dollars
Title: 15 Websites That Will Pay You DAILY Within 24 Hours (Easy Work At Home Jobs)
Formula: 15 [Tools] That Will [Help Achieve Goal] DAILY Within [Time Frame] (Easy [Action])
Hook score: +710
Why this works:
Desire – This creator’s audience would love to make money daily and get an easy work at home job.
List – Lists build curiosity and make a video feel more tangible.
Time Frame – The time frame in this title refutes an objection. Many websites take a while to pay you, but this promises to tell you about websites that pay within 24 hours.
Daily Tips – Another title with a daily benefit here.
How you can use this hook: Tell your audience about 15 tools to help them achieve their goals fast.
Examples of this hook in action:
- 10 Instagram Apps That Will Get You 100 Followers DAILY in just 24 Hours (Best Instagram Tools)
- 5 Savings Accounts That Pay Interest MONTHLY (Best Personal Bank Accounts)
Flop of the Week
Title: A Simple Day In My Life 🌱 How I Build an Outfit, Life Updates, What’s New In My Wardrobe ✨
Hook score: -76
Why this flopped: This title is all about the creator and has four different subjects, so it’s not as punchy.
Plus, it’s about a simple day in her life — there’s no conflict, which is what makes a good story.
Contrast this title with some of the others on her channel:
- “If I was starting my wardrobe from scratch, these are the pieces I’d buy (minimalist wardrobe)”
- “What I learned by getting rid of 60% of my clothes 👗”
- “7 things I cut from my budget that I don’t miss at all (where I spend & where I save)”
These are more focused, have more emotion, and talk about pain points or desires the audience has.
Alright, that wraps up this week’s Creator Hooks!
Have any questions about the hooks in this edition?
Reply to this email and let me know!
And if you know a fellow creator who needs help with writing better titles, please forward this email to them and send them to creatorhooks.com.
Here’s to the war on boring content.
– Jake
P.S. Follow me on Twitter for more title tips @jthomas__
P.P.S. If you want to see all of the videos from Creator Hooks in one place, check out Creator Hooks Pro.