| name | video-promo-planning |
| description | Use when planning promotional videos for software products - guides through style selection, content structure, script writing, and title/thumbnail design. Triggers on "视频宣传", "promotional video", "B站视频", "YouTube video", "产品演示视频", or video marketing requests. |
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:
- Product type - Developer tool or consumer app?
- Target audience - Who will watch this video?
- Core value proposition - What problem does it solve? (one sentence)
- Key features - Top 3-5 features to highlight
- Differentiators - What makes it unique vs competitors?
- "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:
- Is this clear?
- Is this relevant?
- 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:
- Pattern Interrupt - Unexpected visual/sound in first 3 seconds (+23% retention)
- Open Loop - Tease something coming later (+32% watch time)
- "What's in it for me?" - State benefit within 10 seconds
- Show, Don't Tell - Jump into action, skip "Hey guys, welcome back"
- 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:
- Conversational tone - Write for speaking, Grade 6 reading level
- One idea per sentence - Easy to follow when muted
- Show, don't tell - Demo > description
- Pattern breaks every 5-10 seconds - Reset attention
- 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:
- 策划方案 - Style, duration, platform strategy, hook approach
- 内容大纲 - Section breakdown with timestamps
- 完整脚本 - Full script with visual/audio notes
- 标题选项 - 3-5 title variations per platform
- 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:
- Publish → Track performance for 7-14 days
- Identify biggest drop-off point
- Create improved version or follow-up addressing that gap
- Test new thumbnail/title if CTR is low
- 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:
- Create master version (neutral style)
- B站 version: Add personality, Chinese captions, 弹幕 interaction points
- YouTube version: Tighter edit, SEO optimization, chapters
- 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:
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
