Professional checking capability for video titles, thumbnails, and content continuity based on MrBeast cases, to improve click-through rate and watch time.
When to Use This Skill
This skill is automatically loaded when the following scenarios are detected:
- The user says "check title/thumbnail", "check title and thumbnail", "check content continuity"
- After the first draft of the video script is completed
- The user mentions "low click-through rate", "short watch time"
- Need to optimize the video title or thumbnail
Core Objectives
- Increase click-through rate: The title and thumbnail attract users to click
- Increase watch time: Good content continuity, users watch to the end
- Build a reusable formula: Standardized title/thumbnail and continuity strategy
Check Dimensions
1️⃣ Title Check (Strong Contrast Strategy)
2️⃣ Thumbnail Check (Result Display First)
3️⃣ Content Continuity Check (Opening Confirmation → Mid-section Surprise → Ending Fulfillment)
1️⃣ Title Check: Strong Contrast Strategy
Core Principles
Focus on the strongest contrast, do not list all content
5 Strong Contrast Formulas
Formula 1: Quantity Contrast
Format：小数量 vs 大数量
Example：
- ✅ "1 Prompt wrote 1000 lines of code"
- ✅ "3 people vs a team of 300, who can win?"
- ✅ "Replace 10 tools with 1 tool"
Applicable: Tutorial, efficiency, tools
Formula 2: Price Contrast
Format：低价 vs 高价 or 免费 vs 付费
Example：
- ✅ "200 yuan vs 20,000 yuan AI, how big is the gap?"
- ✅ "What can free AI do? I tested 10 tools"
- ✅ "For the same features, is Claude worth 10 times more than GPT?"
Applicable: Review, comparison
Formula 3: Result Contrast
Format：低成果 vs 高成果 or Before vs After
Example：
- ✅ "300k followers vs 0 followers, I only did this one thing right"
- ✅ "From 0 to 1000 views, I used 3 techniques"
- ✅ "The same video, change the title and views increase 10 times"
Applicable: Experience sharing, growth
Formula 4: Strong vs Weak Contrast
Format：新手/弱者 vs 专家/强者
Example：
- ✅ "Beginner vs Cursor: who can finish writing this feature faster?"
- ✅ "I made AI PK a programmer, the result was shocking"
- ✅ "A novice challenges developing an App with AI"
Applicable: Challenge, experiment
Formula 5: Time Contrast
Format：短时间 vs 长时间 or 快 vs 慢
Example：
- ✅ "3 minutes vs 3 hours: is AI programming really faster?"
- ✅ "I did someone else's week of work in 1 day"
- ✅ "From learning to getting started, Cursor only takes 10 minutes"
Applicable: Tutorial, efficiency
Title Type Selection Table
| Content Type | Recommended Title Type | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Tutorial type | Result comparison, time comparison | "One Cursor feature doubled my efficiency" |
| Review type | Price/performance comparison | "Free AI vs paid AI, how big is the gap?" |
| Challenge type | Strength/quantity comparison | "A beginner's challenge to develop an app with AI" |
| Experience-sharing type | Result comparison | "The same video, with a different title, got 10 times the views" |
Title types to avoid
❌ List style: "5 common Cursor features"
- Problem: no conflict, no suspense
- Improvement: focus on 1 strongest feature → "One Cursor feature doubled my efficiency"
❌ Bland style: "Cursor usage tutorial"
- Problem: unattractive, no specific value
- Improvement: add result comparison → "Get started with Cursor in 3 minutes, boost efficiency 5 times"
❌ Abstract style: "The future trends of AI programming"
- Problem: too abstract, impossible to visualize
- Improvement: make the scenario specific → "After 3 months of writing code with AI, I discovered these problems"
Title checklist
When performing the title check, confirm the following:
- Does the title have a clear comparison/conflict? (quantity, price, result, strength, time)
- Does the title focus on 1 core point? (do not list multiple)
- Can the title make people imagine a picture/scene?
- Does the title create suspense? (makes you want to know the result)
- Is the title length appropriate? (15-25 characters, no more than 30 characters)
- Is the title truthful? (can it be delivered in the video)
2️⃣ Cover check: result display strategy
Core principles
Choose the cover strategy based on follower count and content type
Conditions for using a face cover (use with caution)
✅ Applicable scenarios：
- Follower count > 100,000 (a face has brand value)
- Content type: challenge type, Vlog type, strongly emotional content
- Extreme and consistent expressions (surprise/excitement/shock)
- An established fixed cover style
❌ Not applicable scenarios：
- Follower count < 100,000 (a face has no brand value, results are more direct)
- Technical tutorial type (results matter more than emotions)
- Different expressions each time (cannot establish a memory point)
Conditions for using a result display cover (recommended to test first)
✅ Applicable scenarios：
- Tutorial type: Before/After comparison
- Review type: product close-up + core data
- Technical type: code/interface screenshot + result display
- Follower count < 100,000 (results are more direct than a face)
Cover design elements
1. Strong contrast
- Color contrast: warm and cool color contrast (blue + orange)
- Size contrast: enlarge the core element, shrink the secondary elements
- Number contrast: large number vs small number (300,000 vs 0)
2. Visual focus
- 1-2 core elements: do not stuff in too many
- Clear visual focal point: What the user sees first
3. Concise text
- 0-5 characters: Visuals are information; use less text
- Consistent font: Fix the font to build a brand
4. Consistent style
- Fixed color scheme: e.g., blue + orange
- Fixed layout: e.g., result on the left, numbers on the right
- Fixed font: Consistent cover style for each episode
Cover type recommendations
| Content type | Recommended cover type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Tutorial | Before/After comparison | Original code on the left, optimized code on the right |
| Review | Product close-up + data | Product interface + performance numbers |
| Challenge | Extreme scenario + emotion | Optional face (if it works well) |
| Experience sharing | Data comparison | View count change curve |
Cover designs to avoid
❌ Text-only cover: Too much information, no visual impact ❌ Too many elements: Visual clutter, no focus ❌ Different style each episode: Cannot build a memorable impression
A/B testing recommendations
- For the same video, prepare 2 covers
- A: Face cover (if you want to test it)
- B: Result display cover
- Record click-through rate data and keep the one that performs well
Cover checklist
When performing the cover check, confirm the following:
- Does the cover type match the content and follower count? (Result display first)
- Does the cover have strong contrast? (Color, size, numbers)
- Does the cover have a clear visual focus? (1-2 core elements)
- Is the cover text concise? (0-5 characters)
- Is the cover style consistent? (Color scheme, layout, font)
- Does the cover echo the title? (Visual + text dual appeal)
3️⃣ Content follow-through check: Suspense deferral strategy
Core principle
Build suspense at the beginning, exceed expectations in the middle, deliver on the promise at the end
Standard follow-through structure
标题/封面：核心悬念（最强对比/冲突）
↓
开头（前30秒-1分钟）：
- 确认标题内容存在（建立信任）
- 建立悬念："到底能不能做到？"
- 预告后续："但在那之前，先..."
↓
中段（主要内容）：
- 主要教学/演示内容
- 加入"意外惊喜"（超出预期）
- 持续提醒悬念："快了，马上就到..."
↓
结尾（最后1-3分钟）：
- 兑现标题承诺（展示核心内容）
- 总结要点
- Call to Action（关注/点赞/评论）
Duration control guide
| Total video duration | Opening confirmation | Middle content | Ending delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-5 minutes | 30 seconds | 2-3 minutes | 1 minute |
| 5-10 minutes | 1 minute | 6-7 minutes | 2 minutes |
| 10-15 minutes | 1-2 minutes | 8-10 minutes | 3 minutes |
Follow-through check example
Example: Tutorial video
Title: One Cursor feature doubled my efficiency
✅ Correct follow-through：
Opening (30 seconds)：
"Cursor有个功能，让我每个项目省3小时。
什么功能？一会儿演示。
但在那之前，先快速过一下Cursor的基础用法，
这样你才能理解这个功能为什么这么强。"
← Confirm the promise exists, build suspense
Middle section (5-8 minutes)：
- 基础功能介绍
- 安装配置
- 常见问题
（观众：哦，还有这些，学到了）
← Unexpected surprise, exceeding expectations
Ending (2 minutes)：
"好了，现在讲那个核心功能。
就是这个（演示）...你看，是不是很强？
我用它3个月，每个项目都能省3小时..."
← Deliver on the promise, complete the loop
❌ Incorrect continuation：
The opening does not mention the title content at all：
"今天教大家用Cursor。Cursor是一个AI编程工具..."
Problem: The audience does not know when the "feature that doubles efficiency" will appear → they leave midway
Everything is explained at the beginning：
"Cursor有个功能叫XX，能让效率翻倍。就是这样用..."
Problem: No suspense later → short watch time
The title says A, but the video is all B：
标题："Cursor一个功能让我效率翻倍"
视频：全程讲Cursor基础用法，没提"效率翻倍的功能"
Problem: Sense of deception → loss of followers
Suspense dragged on too long：
10分钟视频，8分钟才说"效率翻倍的功能"
Problem: The audience loses patience → they leave midway
Common mistakes (must avoid)
| Type of mistake | Consequence | Correct approach |
|---|---|---|
| The opening does not mention the title content at all | The audience does not know when it will appear → they leave midway | Confirm the promise within the first 30 seconds-1 minute |
| Everything is explained at the beginning | No suspense later → short watch time | Place the suspense toward the ending |
| The title says A, but the video is all B | Sense of deception → loss of followers | The title must be delivered on |
| Suspense dragged on too long | The audience loses patience → they leave midway | Allocate reasonably according to the duration |
Content continuation checklist
When performing the content continuation check, confirm the following items:
- Within the first 30 seconds-1 minute of the opening, is the core content from the title mentioned?
- Is clear suspense established? (Make the audience want to see the ending)
- Is there an "unexpected surprise" in the middle section? (Content beyond the title's promise)
- Does the ending deliver on the title's promise?
- Is the duration of the delayed suspense reasonable? (It will not make the audience wait too long)
- Is the suspense continuously reminded? ("Almost there, it's coming soon...")
- Is there a Call to Action at the end? (Follow/Like/Comment)
Complete inspection process
Step 1: Title check
- Identify the title type (5 comparison formulas)
- Check whether it focuses on 1 core point
- Check whether suspense is established
- Check the title length (15-25 characters)
Step 2: Cover check
- Choose a cover strategy based on follower count and content type
- Check whether there is strong contrast (color, size, numbers)
- Check visual focus (1-2 core elements)
- Check whether the text is concise (0-5 characters)
- Check style consistency
Step 3: Content continuation check
- Check whether the opening confirms the title promise (30 seconds-1 minute)
- Check whether there is an unexpected surprise in the middle section
- Check whether the ending delivers on the promise
- Check whether the duration of the delayed suspense is reasonable
- Check whether there is a Call to Action
Step 4: Comprehensive evaluation
- Are the title, cover, and content consistent?
- Can it attract users to click?
- Can it make users watch to the end?
- Is there a clear value proposition?
Reference resources
/视频创作/_knowledge_base/MrBeast视频封标与承接策略-2025年10月.md- Detailed analysis of MrBeast cases/自媒体经验梳理/内容策略/封面标题与内容承接-MrBeast案例.md- Summary of practical experience
Successful cases
- An AI programming tutorial video: Using the comparison title "Get started in 3 minutes vs 3 hours of study," click-through rate increased by 40%
- A product review video: Using a results showcase thumbnail, watch time increased by 25%
Last updated: 2025-11-07 Applicable projects: Video creation Maintainer: Huasheng
Produced by Hua Shu | AI Native Coder · Indie Developer WeChat Official Account "Hua Shu" | 300k+ followers | AI tools and productivity improvement Representative work: Little Cat Fill Light (AppStore paid chart Top 1) · "One Book to Master DeepSeek"