youtube-title-creator skill

---
name: youtube-title-creator
description: Generate high-CTR YouTube titles and thumbnails using framework fitting method. Match content to 119 proven formulas from Creator Hooks, apply psychological principles, test variations.
---

# YouTube Title & Thumbnail Creator

## Purpose

Generate YouTube titles and thumbnails with a high degree of complementarity that achieve 6%+ click-through rates using the **framework fitting method**: extract your concept, match to 119 proven formulas ranked by performance, generate variations, select best.

**Core Philosophy:** Good titles follow proven frameworks. The skill is in matching your concept to the delivery mechanism that amplifies it best.

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:
- Create YouTube titles for podcast episodes or educational videos
- Generate thumbnail text that complements titles
- A/B test title variations for same content

**Do NOT use for:**
- Blog post headlines (use `hook-and-headline-writing` instead)
- Social media captions (use `social-caption-writer` instead)
- Newsletter subject lines (use `hook-and-headline-writing` instead)

---

## Channel Size Strategy (Critical Context)

**Before generating titles, determine channel size tier.** The right strategy depends on audience scale.

### Tier 1: Growing Channels (<100K subscribers)
- **Topic carries the title, NOT the guest.** Nobody knows your guest. "Neuroscientist" helps; "Dr. Claire Honeycutt" does not.
- **Use credentials as adjectives, not proper nouns.** "A neuroscientist's warning about..." beats "Dr. Claire Honeycutt on..."
- **Guest name goes in the description**, not the title. Exception: guest is genuinely famous (1M+ followers, household name).
- **Lead with the viewer's problem or curiosity**, not the guest's resume.
- **Universalize aggressively.** Remove every word that filters out potential viewers.

### Tier 2: Established Channels (100K-1M subscribers)
- Guest credentials in title can work if genuinely impressive ("Former Navy SEAL," "Billionaire")
- Guest name still goes in description unless they have independent fame
- Topic still leads, but authority framing helps ("According to Neuroscience")

### Tier 3: Large Channels (1M+ subscribers)
- Creator's brand carries the title. Guest name adds value if famous.
- Can afford niche titles because base audience is large enough.

### Podcast-Specific Title Guidance

Podcast episodes have unique challenges. The content is a conversation — not a produced video with B-roll. This means:

1. **Extract the single most provocative claim from the conversation.** Don't describe the conversation; sell the most surprising thing said in it.
2. **The title should make the viewer feel they're about to learn something urgent**, not that they're about to watch two people talk.
3. **Avoid "interview format" titles** like "Guest Name on Topic" or "Topic with Guest Name" — these telegraph "talking heads" and get skipped.
4. **Reframe the guest's insight as a discovery, warning, or challenge.**
   - Descriptive (weak): "What a Neuroscientist's Homeschool Looks Like"
   - Provocative (strong): "Your Child's Brain Can Do This at 8 — But NOT at 25"
5. **Test whether the title would work for a produced video, not just an interview.** If it only makes sense as a podcast title, it's too weak.

## Key Principles

### The Framework Fitting Method
Extract your content concept → Review ALL applicable frameworks → Test the fit → Generate volume → Select best.

**Critical Rule: Avoid First-Match Bias**
Do NOT default to first framework that seems to fit. The best framework might not be the obvious one.


### The Complementarity Principle
Title + thumbnail work TOGETHER, not repeat each other.

**Example:**
- ❌ Title: "Five Productivity Myths" + Thumbnail: "Five Productivity Myths"
- ✅ Title: "Five Productivity Myths" + Thumbnail: "You're doing it wrong"

### Universalization Strategy (Andrew Muto - July 8)
"Every word after your sexy hook is a filter to lessen the audience."

**Examples:**
- ❌ "Five Productivity Myths Every Entrepreneur Believes" (filters to entrepreneurs only)
- ✅ "Five Productivity Myths" (anyone interested in productivity)
- ❌ "What to Do When Your Team Doesn't Respect You" (filters to managers)
- ✅ "How to Handle Disrespect at Work" (universalized)

**When to narrow:** When targeting specific audience is strategic goal. Otherwise, broaden.

### What Makes Hooks Work: 10 Proven Principles

Across all 119 frameworks, these psychological principles drive clicks:

1. **Curiosity** - Open loops that make viewers need answers ("What happens to...?", "Do X really...?")
2. **Desire** - Tap into what viewers want (success, beauty, money, health, status, confidence)
3. **Negativity** - Warnings, fears, and problems grab attention faster than benefits
4. **Controversy** - Counterintuitive claims and polarizing takes create conflict and engagement
5. **Authority** - Names, titles, and credentials build trust ("Expert reveals...", "CIA officer explains...")
6. **Specificity** - Numbers, timeframes, and concrete examples feel more real ("5 habits," "in 3 seconds")
7. **Lists** - Numbered frameworks feel scannable and tangible (5, 7, 10, 50...)
8. **Constraint** - Limiting the scope makes ideas feel more valuable ("The ONE choice," "This ONE trick")
9. **Contrast** - Juxtaposing opposites creates interest ("Not X, but Y," "I'm 52 but feel 32")
10. **Speed/Ease** - Promises of quick results or easy methods (5-minute, "feel unnatural," "GENIUS mode")

**Application:** Review your generated title options and check which principles they use. Titles using 2-3 of these principles typically outperform single-principle titles.

---

## The 3-Phase Workflow

### Phase 1: Extract Content Elements

**Goal:** Identify the core components of your content

#### Step 1: Summarize Content in 1-2 Sentences

What is this video actually about? What value does it deliver?

**Example:**
"Sarah Chen explains that micromanagement kills productivity when teams lack autonomy. She suggests letting teams experience low-stakes failures early to build ownership."

#### Step 2: Identify Content Elements

Watch for these 6 elements:

1. **Problem** - What pain/struggle exists?
   - Example: "Teams are burned out and disengaged"

2. **Goal** - What result does viewer want?
   - Example: "Build a self-directed, high-performing team"

3. **Benefit** - What will their life look like after?
   - Example: "Teams with ownership, less burnout, more innovation"

4. **Concept** - What idea/principle applies?
   - Example: "Micromanagement backfires"

5. **Example/Data** - What story/stat illustrates this?
   - Example: "Let junior devs ship small features, fail on staging before production"

6. **Process** - What steps lead to result?
   - Example: "Give low-stakes ownership early, gradually increase responsibility"

#### Step 3: Determine Video Type

**Educational Content:**
- How-to, explainer, tutorial, myth-busting, comparison

**Storytelling Content:**
- Personal journey, transformation, experiment, investigation

**Controversial Content:**
- Counter-intuitive take, challenge conventional wisdom, polarizing opinion


---

### Phase 2: Framework Matching (THE CRITICAL PHASE)

**Goal:** Match content to best-fit formulas from 119 proven frameworks

#### Step 1: Review Applicable Framework Categories

Don't jump to first match. Browse these categories:

**High-Performance Frameworks (Hook Score 8000+):**
- Experiment/Test format (#1: "I tested X vs Y")
- Contradiction format (#2: "Getting ADDICTED to X is Easy")
- How-to without objection (#3: "How to X Without Y")
- Warning format (#4: "NEVER Say This...")

**Question-Based Frameworks:**
- "What Happens to X That Never Y?" (#5)
- "Is there a difference between X and Y?" (#1 variation)

**Reality/Timeliness Frameworks:**
- "The REALITY of X in 2025" (#6)
- Current year emphasis

**List Frameworks:**
- "5 X Habits That Y" (#7)
- "I Went to All X (Here Are My Rankings)" (#8)

**See full list:** `references/creator-hooks-frameworks.md` (119 frameworks)

#### Step 2: Brainstorm Framework Fits (Generate Volume)

For EACH promising framework, test the fit:

```markdown
## Framework #3: How To (Achieve goal)! Without (Unwanted action)

**Fit Assessment:** ✅ STRONG / ⚠️ MODERATE / ❌ WEAK

**Why it fits:** Directly addresses "build high-performing teams without micromanagement"

**Hook Score:** 11,492 (proven high performer)

**Psychological Principles:**
- Desire (audience wants high-performing teams)
- Refute Objection (don't have to control everything)

**Title Option:** "How to Build High-Performing Teams Without Micromanagement"

**Thumbnail Concept:** Team collaborating independently + "Let them own it"
```

**Minimum:** Test 5-10 frameworks before selecting

#### Step 3: Apply Andrew Muto Strategies

**Universalization:**
- Remove filters that narrow audience
- Test both specific and broad versions

**Example:**
- Specific: "Five Productivity Myths Every Founder Believes"
- Universal: "Five Productivity Myths"
- Test: "The Myth That's Destroying Your Focus"

**Dial to 11 (July 11):**
"What is the most extreme version of that title?"

- Start: "Teams Are Burned Out"
- Dial up: "Why Your Team Is Burned Out"
- Dial up: "The #1 Reason Your Team Is Burned Out"
- Dial up: "This Management Mistake Is Destroying Your Team"

Keep dialing until absurd, then pull back one notch.

**From X to Y Formula (July 1):**
- "From Screw-Up to Legend: George Washington's Biggest Failure"
- "From Micromanager to Trusted Leader"

#### Step 4: Generate 10+ Title Variations

Use different combinations:
- 3-4 different frameworks
- Universalized vs. specific versions
- "Dial to 11" variations
- Different psychological triggers

**Quality Check:**
- [ ] Reviewed 5-10 frameworks minimum
- [ ] Tested fit strength for each
- [ ] Generated 10+ title variations
- [ ] Applied universalization where appropriate
- [ ] Created "Dial to 11" options
- [ ] Avoided first-match bias

---

### Phase 3: Select Best & Create Thumbnail Strategy

**Goal:** Choose top 3 titles and pair with complementary thumbnails

#### Step 1: Apply Psychological Principles Filter

For each title variation, check which principles it triggers:

**Curiosity:**
- Opens loop without answering
- Asks question
- Creates information gap
- Uses "secret," "truth," "reality"

**Desire:**
- Promises specific outcome audience wants
- "How to," "Get," "Achieve"

**Negativity/Fear:**
- Warning, avoid mistakes
- "Never," "Don't," "Stop"
- FOMO, loss aversion

**Credibility:**
- Data, experiments, expertise
- "I tested," "After 10 years," "300 startups"

**Contrast/Controversy:**
- Contradicts expectations
- "Easy, Actually" vs hard task
- "Without" formula (have cake, eat it too)

**Timeliness:**
- Current events, trending topics
- Year/date references

**Specificity:**
- Numbers, stats, precise details
- "99%," "5 Morning Habits," "All 30"

**Goal:** Each title should trigger 3-4 principles minimum

#### Step 2: Thumbnail Complementarity Design

**Rule:** Thumbnail should NOT repeat title.

**Complementarity Strategies:**

**Strategy A: Title asks, Thumbnail hints**
- Title: "Five Dyslexia Myths"
- Thumbnail: "Schools are getting this wrong"

**Strategy B: Title promises, Thumbnail adds urgency**
- Title: "How to Raise Confident Kids"
- Thumbnail: "Before it's too late"

**Strategy C: Title states problem, Thumbnail shows emotion**
- Title: "Why Kids Are So Anxious"
- Thumbnail: Distressed child + "It's not your fault"

**Strategy D: Title broad, Thumbnail specific**
- Title: "His Kids Missed 100 Days of School"
- Thumbnail: Guest face + "CRAZY"

**Visual Rules (Andrew Muto - July 11):**
- **Shock value > recognition** (unless George Clooney-famous)
- **Stock photos > illustrations**
- **Show outcome/situation, not just person's face**
- **Dial to 11:** "Most extreme version of that title?"
- **Simplify text:** Fewer words, higher contrast, more charged

**Thumbnail Anti-Patterns (Especially for Podcasts):**
- **NEVER use a podcast recording screenshot as thumbnail.** Two unknown faces in earbuds/mics = instant skip. This is the #1 podcast thumbnail mistake.
- **NEVER use the guest's face alone** unless they're famous. An unknown face with text overlay says "skip."
- **NEVER make the thumbnail text a quote from the episode.** Quotes require context. Thumbnails must work instantly.
- **NEVER use more than 4 words of text.** If the thumbnail needs explaining, it fails.

**What Podcast Thumbnails SHOULD Show:**
- **The concept, not the conversation.** If the episode is about removing TV from the home → show a living room with books where the TV should be.
- **Visual contrast or transformation.** Split images (before/after, vs., choice between two things) outperform single-scene thumbnails.
- **Props, environments, or situations** that tell the story without faces.
- **If you must use a face:** Show genuine emotion (shock, concern, joy) — not a neutral "podcast smile."

**Thumbnail Text Formulas:**
- "Here's how"
- "Number 3 will shock you"
- "This changed everything"
- "Schools are wrong"
- "CRAZY"
- "USE IT OR LOSE IT"
- "BEFORE → AFTER"
- "STOP DOING THIS"
- Question: "Is that even allowed?"

#### Step 3: Quality Test All Title Variations

Before finalizing your 5 titles, test each against these criteria:

**The McDonald's Test (Andrew Muto - July 8):**
"Someone who works at McDonald's should understand your headline instantly."
- [ ] No jargon
- [ ] Accessible language
- [ ] Instant comprehension

**The Ultimate Hook Test:**
- [ ] Would this make ME stop scrolling?
- [ ] Creates curiosity or emotion in first 2 seconds?
- [ ] Can my grandmother understand instantly?
- [ ] Hints at payoff without giving it away?

Discard any titles that fail these tests. Keep the strongest 5.


#### Step 4: Generate 5 Titles with 3 Thumbnail Options Each

Generate 5 distinct title variations across different frameworks and strategic approaches. For each title, create 3 complementary thumbnail options that vary the visual approach while staying simple (3 elements max).

**For each title, structure as:**
- Title (single, clear concept)
- Framework reference
- 3 thumbnail options (each with visual description + on-screen text)

**Why 3 thumbnails per title?** Testing allows you to optimize visual delivery without changing the messaging. Different thumbnail styles appeal to different viewer segments.

**Thumbnail variation strategies:**
- Option A: Direct visual (show the problem/outcome)
- Option B: Emotional/reaction (show what it feels like)
- Option C: Curiosity/question (hint at the answer without giving it)

This approach gives the video production team multiple ready-to-test options without requiring additional iteration.

---

## Output Format

**Simplified Output for Practical Use**

Create file: `[Video_Topic]_YouTube_Titles_Thumbnails.md`

```markdown
# YouTube Titles & Thumbnails - [Topic]

---

## TITLE 1: "[Title]"

**Framework:** #3 - How To (Achieve goal)! Without (Unwanted action)

**Thumbnail Option A:**
- Visual: [Description of image/scene]
- Text: [On-screen text]

**Thumbnail Option B:**
- Visual: [Description of image/scene]
- Text: [On-screen text]

**Thumbnail Option C:**
- Visual: [Description of image/scene]
- Text: [On-screen text]

---

## TITLE 2: "[Title]"

**Framework:** #6 - The REALITY of (Polarizing entity) in (Current year)

**Thumbnail Option A:**
- Visual: [Description of image/scene]
- Text: [On-screen text]

**Thumbnail Option B:**
- Visual: [Description of image/scene]
- Text: [On-screen text]

**Thumbnail Option C:**
- Visual: [Description of image/scene]
- Text: [On-screen text]

---

[Repeat for Titles 3, 4, and 5]
```

**Key Rules:**
- 5 titles total
- 3 thumbnail options per title
- Each thumbnail: 3 elements max (visual + text, keep it simple)
- No detailed explanation of principles or Hook Scores
- Focus on actionable output ready for video production



## Bundled Resources

### Framework Libraries
- `references/creator-hooks-ranked.md` - All 119 frameworks sorted by Hook Score
- `references/psychological-principles-guide.md` - Deep dive on each trigger
- `references/ctr-benchmarks.md` - Performance expectations and troubleshooting

### Strategy Guides
- `references/universalization-examples.md` - Before/after comparisons
- `references/thumbnail-complementarity.md` - Visual pairing strategies
- `references/andrew-muto-formulas.md` - Additional formulas from sessions

### Examples
- `examples/katie-kimball-walkthrough.md` - Complete framework fitting process
- `examples/dyslexia-universalization.md` - Narrowing vs. broadening analysis
- `examples/george-washington-from-x-to-y.md` - Transformation formula

---

## Common Pitfalls to Avoid

### Phase 1 Issues
❌ **Vague content summary** - Can't match frameworks without clarity
❌ **Missing elements** - Incomplete extraction leads to weak options
❌ **Wrong video type** - Misclassifying content limits framework options

### Phase 2 Issues
❌ **First-match bias** - Using first framework that fits
❌ **Insufficient volume** - Testing only 2-3 frameworks
❌ **Ignoring Hook Scores** - Not prioritizing proven performers
❌ **Over-filtering** - Adding too many audience limiters
❌ **Descriptive over provocative** - "What X Looks Like" describes content; "Your Brain Can Do This at 8 But NOT at 25" provokes emotion. Always ask: does this title describe or provoke?
❌ **Leading with unknown guest name** - Guest names are only hooks if the guest is famous. Use credentials as adjectives instead.

### Phase 3 Issues
❌ **Thumbnail repetition** - Title and thumbnail say same thing
❌ **Failing McDonald's Test** - Using jargon or complexity
❌ **Single variation** - Not creating A/B test options
❌ **Low principle count** - Triggering only 1-2 psychological levers
❌ **Podcast screenshot thumbnails** - Two faces in mics/earbuds is the lowest-performing thumbnail archetype. Show the concept, not the conversation.
❌ **Quote-as-thumbnail-text** - Episode quotes need context. Thumbnail text must land instantly without context ("USE IT OR LOSE IT" beats "TV'S NOT WHO WE ARE").


---

## Advanced Techniques

### The False Binary
Present two extremes as only options:
"Burnout or Boredom: Where Most Careers End"

### The Credibility Bomb
Drop credentials mid-controversy:
"After Managing 300 Teams: This Generation Can't..."

### The Mirror Moment
Make viewer see themselves:
"If Your Team Can't Do This One Thing..."

### Time-Based Urgency
Add current year or timeframe:
"The Reality of Remote Work in 2025"

### Reverse Expectations
Flip the expected outcome:
"My First Launch Failed. Perfect."

---

---

## Related Skills

- `hook-and-headline-writing` - Provides foundational hook strategies
- `cold-open-creator` - Creates opening that delivers on title promise
- `social-caption-writer` - Adapts titles for social platforms

---

## Version History

- **v1.1** (2026-02-12): Channel-size strategy & podcast-specific guidance
  - Added Channel Size Strategy section (Tier 1/2/3) — topic carries title for small channels, not guest name
  - Added Podcast-Specific Title Guidance — extract provocative claims, avoid interview-format titles
  - Added Thumbnail Anti-Patterns for podcasts — never use podcast screenshots, never use episode quotes as thumbnail text
  - Added "descriptive vs provocative" pitfall — titles must provoke emotion, not describe content
  - Added new thumbnail text formulas (USE IT OR LOSE IT, BEFORE → AFTER, STOP DOING THIS)
  - Synced updates to podcast-production skill (Checkpoint 3) and checkpoint-3-template

- **v1.0** (2025-10-28): Initial skill creation
  - Framework fitting method from social-content-creation
  - 119 Creator Hooks frameworks integrated
  - Andrew Muto strategies (universalization, dial to 11, CTR benchmarks)
  - Complementarity principle
  - 3-phase workflow
  - Quality control systems

---

*For complete framework library, psychological principles, and examples, see references folder*