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:

• 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