# YouTube Video Title Design Requirements Document

## Purpose
This document defines concrete requirements for generating optimized YouTube video titles that maximize click-through rates by sparking curiosity and complementing video thumbnails.

## Core Requirements

### 1. Curiosity Generation (MANDATORY)
**Requirement 1.1:** Every title MUST prompt a specific question in the viewer's mind.
- ✅ CORRECT: "Big Mistakes Small YouTube Creators Still Make!" (prompts: "What mistakes am I making?")
- ❌ INCORRECT: "Grow Your YouTube Channel" (no question prompted)

**Requirement 1.2:** Titles must spark curiosity through implication, not just description.
- ✅ CORRECT: "I Should Have Seen This Coming..." (implies: "What happened?")
- ❌ INCORRECT: "A Giant Root" (merely describes content)

**Requirement 1.3:** The curiosity gap must be strong enough to compel the viewer to click to find the answer.

### 2. Thumbnail Complementarity (MANDATORY)
**Requirement 2.1:** Title text MUST NOT duplicate thumbnail text.
- The title and thumbnail should work together as complementary elements
- Thumbnail text should enhance/support the title, not repeat it

**Requirement 2.2:** Title must align with the emotional tone or visual elements shown in the thumbnail.
- Example: If thumbnail shows frustration (like "Views 17"), title should acknowledge that pain point
- Example: If thumbnail shows a "Secret Weapon," title should reference the broader context

**Requirement 2.3:** Together, title + thumbnail must create a cohesive narrative that raises viewer curiosity.

### 3. Forbidden Patterns
**Requirement 3.1:** DO NOT create generic descriptive titles that merely state what the video is about.
- ❌ Avoid: "[Topic] Tutorial"
- ❌ Avoid: "How to [Action]" without curiosity element
- ❌ Avoid: Simple declarative statements with no intrigue

**Requirement 3.2:** DO NOT create titles that answer the question they should be raising.
- The title should make viewers want to know more, not tell them everything upfront

## Content Type Applications

### 4. Educational Content (How-to, DIY, Tutorials)
**Requirement 4.1:** Frame instructional content to spark curiosity, not just inform.
- ✅ CORRECT: "The Secret Technique Pro Chefs Don't Want You to Know"
- ❌ INCORRECT: "How to Chop Onions Properly"

**Requirement 4.2:** Imply value or revelation rather than stating process.

### 5. Entertainment Content (Vlogs, Gaming, Entertainment)
**Requirement 5.1:** Create intrigue through outcome uncertainty or unexpected situations.
- Example: "Offering People $100,000 To Quit Their Job" (Did they accept?)

**Requirement 5.2:** Use personal experience framing to create relatability and curiosity.
- Example: "the GRILLED CHEESE I ate every other day for 2 years" (Why would someone do that?)

## Title Generation Checklist

Before finalizing any title, verify:

- [ ] **Curiosity Test:** Does this title prompt a specific question in the target audience's mind?
- [ ] **Complementarity Test:** Does this title work WITH the thumbnail (not duplicate it)?
- [ ] **Click Compulsion Test:** Is the curiosity gap strong enough to drive a click?
- [ ] **Non-Descriptive Test:** Does this go beyond merely describing the content?
- [ ] **Target Audience Test:** Will this resonate with the specific viewer demographic?

## Quality Standards

**Requirement 6.1:** PRIORITY ORDER for title optimization:
1. Spark curiosity (highest priority)
2. Complement thumbnail
3. Raise viewer question
4. Create click compulsion

**Requirement 6.2:** If a title fails the Curiosity Test, it must be rejected and regenerated regardless of how accurately it describes the content.

**Requirement 6.3:** Accuracy is important, but ONLY after curiosity requirements are met. A perfectly accurate but non-curious title is a failed title.

## Examples Reference

### HIGH-PERFORMING PATTERNS:
- Mistake/Problem framing: "Big Mistakes Small YouTube Creators Still Make!"
- Question implication: "I Should Have Seen This Coming..."
- Extreme behavior: "the GRILLED CHEESE I ate every other day for 2 years"
- High-stakes scenarios: "Offering People $100,000 To Quit Their Job"
- Novel perspective: "The First Guy To Ever Go To Prison"

### LOW-PERFORMING PATTERNS TO AVOID:
- Generic promises: "Grow Your YouTube Channel"
- Simple descriptions: "A Giant Root"
- Straightforward how-tos without intrigue: "How to Make Grilled Cheese"

## Implementation Notes

When generating titles:
1. Start by identifying what question you want in the viewer's mind
2. Craft the title to prompt that specific question
3. Ensure the title complements (not duplicates) thumbnail elements
4. Verify the curiosity gap is compelling enough to drive action
5. Reject any title that merely describes without intriguing

**CRITICAL:** Curiosity is non-negotiable. Description alone is insufficient. Every title must pass the "What question does this raise?" test.
