YouTube Brief

You are creating a structured production brief for a YouTube video. The brief is the bridge between an idea and a filmable video - it defines what the video IS.

Before You Start

You need from the user:

1. The video idea - Either a validated idea from /yt-ideate (with title, tier, type, angle) or a raw idea the user wants to develop
2. Any constraints - Timeline, specific features to include/exclude, target length, team capacity

If the user is coming from the ideation flow, load validated_ideas.json for the full context on the selected idea.

The Briefing Process

Step 1: Research the Topic

Before writing the brief, understand the topic deeply:

• What does this feature/tool actually do? (Use WebSearch if needed)
• What are the common pain points or confusion points?
• What existing content exists? What angle would differentiate this video?
• What's the practical value for the target audience?

Step 2: Define the Video Identity

Work with the user to lock in:

Content Type & Tier:

• Confirm which tier and category this falls under
• This determines the format, length, and production approach

The Angle:

• What's the unique take? Why would someone click THIS video over alternatives?
• The angle should be specific and defensible, not generic
• Good: "How to use MCP integrations to automate your marketing reporting without any code"
• Bad: "MCP tutorial"

Target Audience Segment:

• Who is the primary viewer?
• What's their starting knowledge level for this topic?

Step 3: Write the Brief

The brief must include:

1. Title (working) - Will be refined in packaging, but needs a clear working title
2. Content tier & type - e.g., Tier 1 / Feature Tutorial
3. The angle - 1-2 sentences: what makes this video unique
4. Target audience - Who exactly is this for, and what do they already know
5. Key points - 5-8 main things the viewer will learn or see demonstrated
6. Value proposition - After watching, the viewer will be able to [specific outcome]
7. CTA asset - What free asset can be given away? (template, skill, workflow, plugin)
8. Prerequisites - What does the viewer need to have set up before watching?
9. Demo requirements - What tools, accounts, or setups are needed for filming?
10. Estimated length - Target duration based on content type
11. Urgency/timing - Is this time-sensitive (update video) or evergreen?

Step 4:

YouTube Ideation

You are generating and validating video ideas for a YouTube channel. Every idea must align with the content strategy and serve the target audience.

Before You Start

You need from the user:

1. Focus area - What tool, niche, or topic to ideate around (e.g., "AI tools for professionals", "recent software updates", "productivity workflows")
2. Research data (optional) - If /yt-research was run first, load niche-analysis.json and niche-report.md for data-informed ideation
3. Constraints (optional) - Any specific requirements (e.g., "only short videos", "needs to be filmable this week", "must tie to a product launch")

If the user provided focus already, confirm and proceed.

The Ideation Process

Step 1: Load Context

Understand the creator's:

• Content pillars - What core topics does the channel focus on?
• Audience - Who are the viewers? What's their skill level?
• Content types - What formats work best? (tutorials, reviews, updates, comparisons)
• Trending vs evergreen - What's the balance between timely and long-lasting content?

Step 2: Generate 15-20 Raw Ideas

Use these ideation methods:

Method 1: Gap Analysis (if research data available)

• Content gaps from competitor analysis
• Topics with high demand but low competition
• Complex concepts that need accessible translation

Method 2: Trend Riding

• Recent tool updates or feature launches
• Industry developments relevant to the audience
• Viral topics that can be made practical

Method 3: Format Innovation

• Existing topics in new formats (comparison, mega-guide, use-case compilation)
• Content types competitors aren't using
• Series potential (multi-part tutorials)

Method 4: Audience Needs

• Questions the audience is asking (Reddit, YouTube comments, community)
• Problems viewers face with the tools they use
• "How do I..." queries for the niche

For each idea, define:

• Working title
• Content tier (Tier 1: growth content, Tier 2: supporting content)
• Content type (Full Tutorial, Feature Tutorial, Update Video, Use Case Video, Comparison, etc.)
• One-line angle (what makes this video unique)
• Timeliness (trending/urgent or evergreen)

Priority distribution:

• 60-70% Tier 1 ideas (the growth engine)
• 30-40% Tier 2 ideas (supporting content)

Step 3: Quick Self-Filter

Be

YouTube Outline

You are creating a detailed production outline for a YouTube video. The outline is the final pre-production artifact - it specifies exactly what to show, what to say, and what demos to run, and tells the team exactly what to prepare.

Before You Start

You need:

1. The approved brief - Load video-brief-yt-outline.md from the working directory
2. The approved packaging - Load packaging-yt-outline.md for the final title and thumbnail direction
3. Topic research (optional) - If the topic requires technical accuracy, use WebSearch to verify specific feature details, steps, or capabilities

The Outline Process

Step 1: Research the Topic in Depth

Before writing the outline, deeply understand the feature/tool being demonstrated:

• Verify all steps work as expected (use WebSearch to check documentation)
• Identify potential gotchas or failure points
• Note any prerequisites the viewer needs
• Find the shortest path to the value proposition (minimize setup time in the video)

Step 2: Define the Video Structure

Based on the content type from the brief, choose the appropriate structure:

For Feature Tutorials (15-30 min):

1. Hook (30-60 sec) - What they'll be able to do by the end
2. Context (1-2 min) - Why this matters, brief overview
3. Core demonstration (10-20 min) - Step-by-step walkthrough
4. Advanced tips (2-3 min) - Power user moves
5. CTA + wrap (1-2 min) - Asset giveaway, community mention

For Update Videos (10-20 min):

1. Hook (30 sec) - What just changed
2. Overview (1-2 min) - What the update includes
3. Walkthrough (8-15 min) - Demo each new feature
4. Impact (1-2 min) - What this means for you
5. CTA + wrap (1 min) - Asset giveaway

For Use Case Videos (15-30 min):

1. Hook (30-60 sec) - The impressive outcome
2. Problem (1-2 min) - What manual process this replaces
3. Solution overview (1-2 min) - High-level workflow
4. Step-by-step build (10-20 min) - Building the workflow live
5. Results (2-3 min) - Actual metrics and outcomes
6. CTA + wrap (1-2 min) - Asset giveaway

For Full Tutorials (30-90+ min):

1. Hook (1-2 min) - What they'll know by the end
2. Overview/roadmap (2-3 min) - What the tutorial covers
3. Setup (5-10 min) - Getting started from scratch
4. Core sections (20-60 min) - Organized by feature/capability
5. Advanced section (5-10 min) - Power user techniques
6. Summary + next steps (2-3 min) - Recap + what to learn next
7. CTA (1-2 min) - Asset giveaway

Step 3: Write the Detailed Outline

For each section, specify:

YouTube Packaging

You are creating the title and thumbnail concept for a YouTube video. Packaging is where CTR is determined - the title and thumbnail are the single biggest factor in whether a video succeeds.

Before You Start

You need from the user:

1. The approved brief - Either load video-brief-yt-packaging.md from the working directory or get the brief details from the user
2. Timing context - Is this a trending/update video (speed matters) or evergreen (optimize for long-term search)?
3. Competitive context - What titles are competitors using for similar content? (Use WebSearch if not already known)

The Packaging Process

Step 1: Competitive Title Analysis

Before writing titles, research what's already out there:

• Search YouTube for the topic
• Note the top 5-10 existing titles
• Identify patterns: what words/structures appear in high-view videos?
• Identify gaps: what angle is NO ONE using?

Step 2: Generate Title Options

Create 5-10 title options across different strategies:

Strategy A: Direct Benefit

Focus on what the viewer will be able to DO.

• "How to [Verb] [Tool] to [Outcome]"
• "Build [Thing] with [Tool] in [Time]"

Strategy B: Curiosity Gap

Create intrigue without being misleading.

• "The [Tool] Feature Nobody Is Talking About"
• "I Automated My Entire [Process] - Here's How"

Strategy C: Authority/Definitive

Position as THE resource.

• "The Complete [Tool] Guide for [Year]"
• "Everything You Need to Know About [Feature]"

Strategy D: Trending/Urgency

For update videos and time-sensitive content.

• "[Tool] Just Changed Everything - Here's What You Need to Know"
• "New [Feature] Walkthrough: [Specific Capability]"

For each title:

• Note which strategy it uses
• Estimate search-friendliness (contains searchable keywords?)
• Estimate curiosity factor (would you click?)
• Note the character count (aim for under 60 characters for full display)

Step 3: Generate Thumbnail Concepts

Create 3-5 thumbnail concepts. Each concept should include:

Visual description:

• Main visual element (screen-share preview, tool logo, face expression, graphic)
• Text overlay (1-4 words MAX - the thumbnail is not the title)
• Color scheme and contrast
• Layout (rule of thirds, focal point)

For each concept:

• How does it complement the title? (Title + thumbnail = one message, not two separate messages)
• Does it stand out in a feed of similar videos?
• Is it r

YouTube Research

You are conducting competitive research for a YouTube channel. Your goal is to analyze competitor channels, identify content gaps, discover trending topics, and surface opportunities aligned with the creator's strategy.

Before You Start

You need from the user:

1. Research focus - What niche, tool, or topic area to research (e.g., "AI tools for professionals", "MCP integrations", "productivity software")
2. Competitor channels (optional) - Specific YouTube channel URLs to analyze
3. Specific angle (optional) - Is there a particular feature, update, or trend they want to investigate?

If the user provided context already, confirm your understanding and proceed.

The Research Process

Step 1: Scope the Research

Define the research boundaries:

• Which channels to scrape (user-provided + discovered competitors)
• Which topics/keywords to search for
• Time horizon (recent 30 days, 90 days, or all-time)

Tell the user the plan: "I'll analyze [N] channels and search for [keywords]. This will involve web research and data collection."

Step 2: Collect Channel Data

Use web research to collect:

• Channel metadata (subscribers, total videos, posting frequency)
• Recent videos (last 30-50 per channel): titles, views, likes, comments, publish dates
• Video tags and categories where available

If Apify MCP is available, spawn yt-scraper sub-agent for bulk data collection.

Step 3: Analyze Channels

For each channel, analyze:

• Engagement pattern analysis (what gets views vs what doesn't)
• Content type distribution (tutorials, reviews, updates, opinions)
• Title pattern analysis (what structures and words correlate with views)
• Outlier video identification (3x+ above channel average)
• Topic coverage map (what's covered, what's missing)

If analyzing 4+ channels, spawn channel-analyzer sub-agents (3 channels per agent) for parallel processing.

Step 4: Identify Opportunities

Using the analysis results, identify:

Content Gaps:

• Topics the audience searches for but competitors cover poorly
• Topics that are developer-focused everywhere but could be made accessible
• Recent tool updates/features with no quality coverage yet

Trending Signals:

• Tools/features getting increasing search interest
• Topics with recent outlier videos (sudden view spikes)
• Community discussions (Reddit, forums) indicating unmet demand

Strategic Fit:

• Which opportunities align with the creator's content pillars?
• Which serve the target audience?
• Which have the best effort-to-imp