Video Promo Planning

Overview

A data-driven workflow for planning software product promotional videos targeting B站 and YouTube. Based on creator best practices and platform algorithm insights.

When to Use

• User wants to create a promotional video for their software
• User asks about video style, structure, or script
• User needs help with video title/thumbnail ideas
• User mentions "B站", "YouTube", "视频宣传", "产品演示"

Critical Statistics to Remember

Metric	Data	Source
First 3 seconds	Verdict window - stay or leave	TechGig research
Hook window	5-10 seconds to capture or lose viewer	Retention studies
Thumbnail decision	10-20 milliseconds	Eye-tracking research
Face in thumbnail	11x more noticeable	YouTube data
Silent viewing	83% watch with sound off	Platform analytics
Caption impact	80% more likely to finish with captions	Accessibility studies
Long-tail views	40% of views happen after 30 days	Creator analytics
Pattern interrupt	+23% retention rate	A/B testing
Open loops	+32% watch time	Content experiments
Short demo sweet spot	30-60 seconds for product demos	Product Hunt data

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

Style	Best For	Characteristics
Screen Recording + Narration	Developer tools, complex features	Direct, efficient, shows real usage
Motion Graphics	Consumer apps, brand awareness	Polished, engaging, highlights benefits
Scenario Story	Lifestyle apps, emotional appeal	Relatable, shows transformation
Hybrid	Feature-rich products	Combines demo with storytelling

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

Video Type	B站	YouTube	Notes
Quick Demo	3-5 min	2-3 min	Single feature, fast value
Full Introduction	8-12 min	5-8 min	Complete overview
Tutorial	10-15 min	8-12 min	Step-by-step guide
Story-driven	5-8 min	3-5 min	Emotional narrative
Shorts/竖屏	<3 min	<60 sec	Hook → Value → CTA

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:

Type	Formula	Example
Negative Bias	"Stop doing X if you want Y"	"别再手动加字幕了，如果你想..."
Story Tease	"I almost lost everything when..."	"我差点因为字幕问题丢掉这个项目..."
Bold Claim	"Everything you know about X is wrong"	"你对字幕工具的认知可能完全错了"
Result First	Show impressive outcome immediately	[展示完美字幕效果] "这只用了3分钟"
Problem Pain	Relatable frustration	"字幕翻译要花3小时？我懂那种痛苦"

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):

Element	Guideline
Face	Include if possible (11x more noticeable)
Text	3 words MAX, large font, readable at 100px
Contrast	High contrast colors, test at small size
Emotion	Curiosity, surprise, or transformation
Consistency	Series recognition for returning viewers

Title Formulas:

Formula	B站 Example	YouTube Example
[Result] + [Tool]	"10分钟生成专业字幕 - MioSub教程"	"Professional Subtitles in 10 Minutes"
[Problem] → [Solution]	"字幕翻译太慢？AI帮你搞定"	"Slow Subtitle Translation? Try This"
[Number] + [Benefit]	"5个让效率翻倍的技巧"	"5 Tips to Double Your Speed"
[Comparison]	"MioSub vs 传统工具：实测对比"	"MioSub vs Traditional Tools: Tested"
[How-to]	"如何用AI自动生成双语字幕"	"How to Auto-Generate Bilingual Subs"

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:

Metric	What It Tells You	Action
Drop-off points	Where viewers lose interest	Tighten that section
Completion rate	Overall engagement	Adjust length/pacing
Click-through rate	Thumbnail/title effectiveness	A/B test variations
Replay sections	What viewers found valuable	Double down on that content
Comments/弹幕	Audience questions/confusion	Address in next video

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

Mistake	Fix
Weak hook	Show result or pain in first 3 seconds
No captions	83% watch muted - captions are mandatory
Feature dump	Focus on 3-5 benefits, not all features
Generic thumbnail	Face + 3 words + high contrast
Same for both platforms	Adapt pacing, style, and metadata
Marketing speak	Talk like a builder, be honest about tradeoffs
Ignoring long-tail	Content keeps working for months - invest in quality
No tracking	Can't improve what you don't measure
Cluttered background	Distracts before message lands - clean your frame
One-and-done	Iterate based on drop-off data

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