Best AI Prompts for YouTube

AI summary

Seven AI prompts for YouTubers: hook banks, script outlines, thumbnail-title pairing, descriptions and chapters, b-roll plans, comment strategy, analytics audits. Built to scaffold the channel without flattening voice.

Prompt 1

Hook Bank for the First 15 Seconds

YouTube viewers leave in the first 15 seconds. This prompt produces 10 hooks for one video.

Video context:

TOPIC: [SPECIFIC]
MY AUDIENCE: [WHO, what they care about]
MY CHANNEL'S FORMAT: [LONG-FORM / SHORTS / TUTORIAL / VLOG / etc.]
THE VIDEO'S CORE PAYOFF: [WHAT THEY LEAVE WITH]
MY VOICE on hooks: [BRIEF]
WHAT MY CHANNEL HAS DONE WELL recently: [BRIEF]

Produce 10 hooks:

1. CURIOSITY GAP: 2 variants.
2. CONTRARIAN: 2 variants.
3. PROBLEM-AGITATE: 2 variants.
4. PROMISE FIRST: 2 variants.
5. STORY HOOK: 2 variants.

For each: under 12 seconds when spoken aloud. No "What's up, guys," "Today we'll talk about," "In this video." Each must work without context.

Name your top 3 and the one most likely to underperform.

When to use: Before scripting. · Best model: Claude. No-cliche discipline matters.

Prompt 2

Script Outline Drafter

Most YouTube scripts get written without structure. This prompt builds the outline.

Video context:

TOPIC: [SPECIFIC]
TARGET LENGTH: [MINUTES]
MY AUDIENCE: [WHO]
MY THESIS or main point: [ONE SENTENCE]
KEY EVIDENCE or examples: [LIST]
MY VOICE: [BRIEF]

Draft an outline:

1. HOOK (0-15 sec): the strongest opening.
2. PROMISE (15-30 sec): what they will know by the end.
3. THE STORY or framing.
4. SECTION 1 with payoff moment.
5. SECTION 2 with retention re-hook.
6. SECTION 3 with depth.
7. THE CALL TO ACTION integrated, not bolted on.
8. THE END SCREEN connection to another video.

Use a retention re-hook every 60-90 seconds.

When to use: Before scripting line by line. · Best model: Claude.

Prompt 3

Thumbnail and Title Pairing

Thumbnails and titles do 90 percent of CTR work. This prompt pairs them.

Video context:

WORKING TITLE or thesis: [BRIEF]
MOST VISUAL MOMENT in the video: [BRIEF]
MOST QUOTABLE LINE: [BRIEF]
MY AUDIENCE: [WHO]
MY CHANNEL'S thumbnail style: [BRIEF]
COMPETING VIDEOS in this niche: [BRIEF]

Produce 5 title-thumbnail pairs:

1. SPECIFIC PROMISE pair.
2. CONTRARIAN pair.
3. CURIOSITY GAP pair.
4. STORY MOMENT pair.
5. UNEXPECTED COMPARISON pair.

For each:
- Title under 60 chars.
- Thumbnail description in 1-2 sentences including text overlay (max 4 words).
- Color palette and emotional expression notes.

Do NOT use clickbait that does not pay off. The video must deliver on whichever pair you pick.

Name your top 2 with reasoning.

When to use: After the script is locked. · Best model: Claude.

Prompt 4

Description and Chapter Markers

YouTube descriptions and chapters do SEO and retention work. This prompt drafts them from the script.

Video context:

FINAL SCRIPT or strong outline: [PASTE]
VIDEO LENGTH: [MINUTES]
MY CHANNEL focus and what I want to rank for: [BRIEF]
LINKS or resources to include: [LIST]

Draft:

1. CHAPTER MARKERS: 5-8 timestamped chapters that survive the YouTube SEO scan.
2. DESCRIPTION OPENING: first 2 sentences that earn the click from search.
3. FULL DESCRIPTION: 200-300 words with relevant keywords appearing naturally.
4. TAGS: 5-7 tags that match the niche.
5. LINKS: organized by category.
6. CTA AT END of description.
7. PINNED COMMENT draft.

Do not pad. Avoid "Subscribe for more," "Smash the like button."

When to use: After publish-ready video render. · Best model: Claude.

Prompt 5

B-Roll and Visual Pattern Plan

Most YouTube videos lose viewers because the visual stays static. This prompt drafts the visual plan.

Visual planning:

SCRIPT or section being planned: [PASTE]
MY VIDEO STYLE: [TALKING HEAD / FACELESS / VLOG / etc.]
MY EDITING capability: [BRIEF]
KEY POINTS that need visual emphasis: [LIST]
B-ROLL I already have available: [BRIEF]

Produce a visual plan:

1. THE OPENING VISUAL pattern.
2. THE B-ROLL CALLOUTS by timestamp.
3. THE GRAPHIC OVERLAYS at key moments.
4. THE PATTERN INTERRUPT every 60-90 sec.
5. THE EMOTIONAL MOMENTS where to hold on camera.
6. THE TRANSITION style between sections.
7. THE WHAT-I-NEED-TO-FILM list.

Do not over-edit. Visual variety helps retention; visual chaos kills it.

When to use: Before filming or before edit. · Best model: Claude.

Prompt 6

Comment Engagement Strategy

Most creators respond to comments at random. This prompt drafts the engagement strategy.

Engagement context:

VIDEO just published: [BRIEF]
TYPICAL COMMENT volume: [#]
FIRST 20 COMMENTS observed: [BRIEF]
MY CHANNEL'S engagement style: [BRIEF]

Draft a strategy:

1. THE FIRST-HOUR plan to seed engagement.
2. THE PINNED COMMENT to drive specific conversation.
3. WHICH COMMENT TYPES to reply to first (specific questions vs generic praise).
4. THE TEMPLATE-LIKE REPLIES vs personalized ones.
5. THE COMMENTS TO IGNORE vs engage.
6. THE COMMENT-TO-VIDEO IDEA mining process.
7. THE 24-HOUR follow-up.

Do not use bot-like generic replies. YouTube algorithm rewards real conversations.

When to use: Within first hour of publish. · Best model: Claude.

Prompt 7

Channel Analytics Audit

Most creators check views and stop. This prompt audits the metrics that actually predict growth.

Analytics period (past 30 days):

VIDEOS published: [#]
IMPRESSIONS, CTR, AVERAGE VIEW DURATION per video: [BRIEF]
TOP RETENTION moments and drop-offs: [BRIEF]
SUBSCRIBER growth: [#]
TRAFFIC sources: [BRIEF]

Produce an audit:

1. CTR pattern across videos.
2. RETENTION pattern: where do viewers leave.
3. SUBSCRIBER conversion: which video formats add subs.
4. TOPIC pattern: which topics earned views.
5. THE NEXT 4 VIDEOS to test what is working.
6. THE FORMAT to stop using.
7. THE METRIC I am not yet tracking that I should be.

Do not let me confirm what I want to believe.

When to use: Monthly. · Best model: Claude or Grok.

Connectors are now standard

Claude, ChatGPT, and Grok all support connectors that let your AI read live data from your work tools (Gmail, Notion, GitHub, Asana, HubSpot, Stripe, and many more) instead of relying on you to paste context. For YouTubers this means AI can read your Descript transcripts, your Notion content calendar, your Google Drive script library.

For YouTube creators, the connectors worth pairing with these prompts:

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