Content: Video Marketing
Guides video marketing strategy and script creation for short-form and long-form content. Short-form commands ~82% of internet traffic with 2.5× more engagement than long-form; 71% of viewers decide within 3 seconds whether to continue. Use this skill when planning video content, writing scripts, or optimizing for platforms.
When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.
Initial Assessment
Check for project context first: If .claude/project-context.md or .cursor/project-context.md exists, read Sections 3 (Value Proposition), 4 (Audience), 11 (Content Strategy).
Identify:
- Format: Short-form (TikTok, Reels, Shorts) vs long-form (YouTube, webinar)
- Goal: Awareness, consideration, conversion, education
- Platform: TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, YouTube long-form
Short-Form vs Long-Form
| Format | Length | Use | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short-form | 15–60 sec | Hooks, tips, UGC-style; 90% watch daily | TikTok, Reels, Shorts |
| Long-form | 3–15+ min | Deep dives; tutorials; Gen Z discovers via short, engages with long | YouTube |
Optimal short-form length: 31–60 seconds for higher completion rates.
Critical First 3 Seconds
71% of viewers decide within 3 seconds whether to continue. Hook types:
| Hook Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Story-driven | "Three months ago, I had zero subscribers..." |
| Contrarian | "Everyone says X. Here's why they're wrong." |
| Question | "Why do 90% of startups fail at this?" |
| Result-focused | "I went from 0 to 10K in 30 days. Here's how." |
Script Structure (Short-Form)
Hook (0–3 sec) → Problem (3–15 sec) → Solution (15–45 sec) → CTA (final 5 sec)
Achieves 70%+ completion for algorithmic boost. Frameworks: Hook-Value-CTA, AIDA, PAS, BAB.
Platform-Specific Hooks
| Platform | Hook Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| TikTok | 2 seconds | High energy; 4,000-char captions for SEO |
| Instagram Reels | 3 seconds | Polished aesthetics; penalizes TikTok watermarks |
| YouTube Shorts | 3–5 seconds | Searchable titles; keyword-rich descriptions |
UGC-Style Content
- Authenticity > polish: UGC-style generates 50%+ of engagement
- Trust: 86% of consumers trust brands publishing UGC more than polished ads
Long-Form Script Structure
- Hook (0–30 sec): Promise; why watch
- Intro (30–60 sec): Context; what you'll cover
- Body: Sections with clear transitions
- CTA: Subscribe; link; next step
- Outro: Recap; repeat CTA
Output Format
- Format (short vs long) recommendation
- Hook options (2–3 variants)
- Script (timestamped if long-form)
- CTA placement
- Platform optimization notes
Related Skills
- tiktok-captions: TikTok caption, video specs, script
- tiktok-ads: TikTok ad creative
- content-marketing: Video as content format; repurposing
- youtube-seo: YouTube SEO, description, thumbnail (platform skill)
- video-optimization: Website video SEO; VideoObject; video sitemap; Google prioritizes YouTube