Video Promo Planning

Workflow

Phase 1: Discovery Questions

Ask the user:

1. Product type - Developer tool or consumer app?
2. Target audience - Who will watch this video?
3. Core value proposition - What problem does it solve? (one sentence)
4. Key features - Top 3-5 features to highlight
5. Differentiators - What makes it unique vs competitors?
6. "Aha moment" - What's the single most impressive thing to show?

Phase 2: Style Recommendation

Platform DNA:

• B站: Depth over speed, personality matters, 弹幕 interaction, longer acceptable (10-15 min)
• YouTube: Hook-first, SEO-conscious, faster pacing, Shorts for discovery

Phase 3: Duration Planning

Golden rule: Content density > raw length. Cut ruthlessly.

Phase 4: Hook Design (CRITICAL)

The first 3 seconds are a verdict, not an introduction.

The viewer's brain asks three instant questions:

1. Is this clear?
2. Is this relevant?
3. Is something happening RIGHT NOW?

If any answer is "no", the thumb wins. You have 5-10 seconds max to prove value.

Hook Types:

Micro-Hooks (信号，不是句子):

Micro-hooks are signals, not sentences. They trigger instant attention:

• Unexpected movement - A sudden zoom, pan, or object entering frame
• Strong contrast - Visual or audio contrast that stands out
• Frozen emotion - Face frozen at peak emotional moment
• Deliberate jump cut - Intentional, not jarring
• Sound spike - Audio cue that breaks pattern

Hook Techniques:

1. Pattern Interrupt - Unexpected visual/sound in first 3 seconds (+23% retention)
2. Open Loop - Tease something coming later (+32% watch time)
3. "What's in it for me?" - State benefit within 10 seconds
4. Show, Don't Tell - Jump into action, skip "Hey guys, welcome back"
5. Visual Rhythm - Sequence of movement, cuts, and changes that sustains engagement

Anti-patterns to avoid:

• ❌ "大家好，欢迎来到我的频道..."
• ❌ Long channel intro/logo animation
• ❌ Explaining what you'll cover before showing value
• ✅ Start with the problem or result immediately

Phase 5: Content Structure

AIDA Framework for Software:

1. ATTENTION (0:00-0:30) - THE HOOK
   - Pattern interrupt or bold claim
   - Show the "aha moment" immediately
   - State the core benefit

2. INTEREST (0:30-2:00) - THE PROMISE
   - Product introduction (brief)
   - Core value proposition
   - Quick demo of main feature
   - "By the end of this video, you'll be able to..."

3. DESIRE (2:00-6:00) - THE PROOF
   - Feature walkthrough (3-5 features max)
   - Each feature: Pain → Solution → Demo
   - Social proof if available
   - Address common objections

4. ACTION (last 30s) - THE ASK
   - Clear, specific CTA
   - Links and resources
   - Engagement ask (platform-specific)

Alternative: PAS Framework (shorter videos)

Problem (0:00-0:30) - Agitate the pain point
Agitate (0:30-1:30) - Make it worse, show consequences
Solution (1:30-end) - Your product as the hero

Phase 6: Script Writing

Script Template:

## [Section Name] (MM:SS-MM:SS)

**画面**: [What appears on screen - be specific]
**旁白**: [Narration text - conversational, short sentences]
**字幕**: [On-screen text/captions - 83% watch muted!]
**BGM**: [Music mood: upbeat/calm/dramatic/none]
**视觉效果**: [Zoom, highlight, transition notes]

[PAUSE] - Mark breathing points
[PATTERN BREAK] - Mark visual/audio changes

---

Script Principles:

1. Conversational tone - Write for speaking, Grade 6 reading level
2. One idea per sentence - Easy to follow when muted
3. Show, don't tell - Demo > description
4. Pattern breaks every 5-10 seconds - Reset attention
5. Captions are mandatory - 83% watch muted

Voice Guidelines:

• Speak like a builder, not a marketer
• Acknowledge tradeoffs honestly
• "This works great for X, but if you need Y, consider Z"
• Avoid: "unleash", "unlock", "game-changer", "revolutionary"

Phase 7: Title & Thumbnail

Thumbnail Design (10-20ms to decide):

Title Formulas:

Title Rules:

• Keywords at the beginning (SEO)
• Under 60 characters (YouTube) / 可以稍长 (B站)
• Include specific numbers or results
• Test 2-3 variations

Phase 8: Output Deliverables

Provide the user with:

1. 策划方案 - Style, duration, platform strategy, hook approach
2. 内容大纲 - Section breakdown with timestamps
3. 完整脚本 - Full script with visual/audio notes
4. 标题选项 - 3-5 title variations per platform
5. 封面建议 - Thumbnail concept with specific elements

Phase 9: Track & Iterate (Often Missed)

"Knowing who watched, how long they watched, and where they dropped off makes the demo a real growth lever, not just a nice-to-have."

After publishing, track:

Iteration cycle:

1. Publish → Track performance for 7-14 days
2. Identify biggest drop-off point
3. Create improved version or follow-up addressing that gap
4. Test new thumbnail/title if CTR is low
5. Repeat

Long-Term Strategy Notes

MrBeast's Core Insight:

"If your motivation for grinding is so you can buy a nice car and maybe buy a nice house, you're not going to be one of the greats."

• Passion-driven > Reward-driven - Creators chasing improvement evolve; those chasing paydays plateau
• Consistency is the competitive advantage - "If I'm not filming, we're not putting out content"
• Stop publishing = Stop existing - In content creation, presence is everything

Content compounds over time:

• 40% of views happen after 30 days
• Build a library, not just campaigns
• Series > one-off videos
• Repurpose: Long-form → Shorts → 竖屏

One Asset, Multiple Channels (复用策略):

The same demo video works across:

• Landing page (hero section)
• Product Hunt launch
• Twitter/X posts
• Cold outreach emails
• Onboarding flow
• Documentation

Create once, distribute everywhere. Adapt length/format per channel.

Cross-platform workflow:

1. Create master version (neutral style)
2. B站 version: Add personality, Chinese captions, 弹幕 interaction points
3. YouTube version: Tighter edit, SEO optimization, chapters
4. Shorts/竖屏: Extract 60s highlights

Common Mistakes

Platform-Specific Details

See references/platform-guide.md for detailed B站 and YouTube optimization strategies including:

• Algorithm factors and ranking signals
• Optimal posting times
• Tag and SEO strategies
• Engagement tactics
• Analytics to track

Reference Resources

Product Video Examples Library:

• https://www.productvideoexamples.com/ - Curated collection of effective product videos to study

Key Sources for This Skill:

• Product Hunt founder discussions on video conversion
• TechGig "First Three Seconds Rule" research
• MrBeast's creator philosophy (motivation > money)
• YouTube creator retention studies
• Platform algorithm documentation