Agent skill

Title Craft

by TheCraigHewitt in TheCraigHewitt/skills

When the user wants to write YouTube video titles, optimize existing titles, A/B test title variants, or improve click-through rate.

MITAuto-check passedMedia & Creative

Install Title Craft

skills CLI
$ npx skills add TheCraigHewitt/skills --skill title-craft -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install TheCraigHewitt/skills title-craft --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/TheCraigHewitt/skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/youtube/title-craft .claude/skills/title-craft && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
title-craft
GitHub stars
159
Token cost
~2.1k tokens
SKILL.md length
1,068 words
Files
1
Skills in repo
65
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

When the user wants to write YouTube video titles, optimize existing titles, A/B test title variants, or improve click-through rate.

  • Works in 5 steps: What's the video about? (One sentence --… → What's the viewer's takeaway? (What do… → Is this a search-intent video (people… → …
  • Wants to write YouTube video titles
  • SKILL.md covers Before Starting, Context Questions, Core Principles and Title Specs, plus 6 more sections
  • Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Title Craft is an agent skill from TheCraigHewitt/skills. When the user wants to write YouTube video titles, optimize existing titles, A/B test title variants, or improve click-through rate. Also use when the user says 'write a title,' 'title ideas,' 'optimize my title,' 'fix this title,' 'title for my video,' 'improve CTR,' 'my titles aren't getting clicks,' 'title A/B test,' 'search vs browse title.' For thumbnail concepts to pair with titles, see thumbnail-design. For video ideas to title, see idea-generation.

Its SKILL.md is about 2.1k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.

It sits in Media & Creative, covering A/B testing, Brainstorming and Video scripts and shorts. It works with YouTube. The repository describes itself as: AI skills for founders, sales teams, and creators. 47 skills across CEO, Sales, YouTube, and General categories. Works with Claude Code, Cursor, Codex, and any agent that reads… The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Wants to write YouTube video titles
  • Optimize existing titles
  • A/B test title variants
  • Improve click-through rate

Example prompts

  • “write a title,”
  • “title ideas,”
  • “optimize my title,”
  • “/title-craft”

Workflow steps

5 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

  1. What's the video about? (One sentence -- the core idea.)
  2. What's the viewer's takeaway? (What do they get by watching?)
  3. Is this a search-intent video (people are looking for this) or a browse-intent video (people discover it in their feed)?
  4. What proof or result can you include? (Numbers, timeframes, personal experience.)
  5. What's the emotional angle? (Curiosity, urgency, surprise, relief, controversy.)

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit fdbf39b. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md (its code samples are markdown).

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Title Craft loads about 2.1k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 118 tokens; SKILL.md has 1,068 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~118
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~2.1k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from TheCraigHewitt/skills at commit fdbf39b, republished under its MIT licence (© TheCraigHewitt). 1,068 words, ~2,089 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/title-craft/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).
name
title-craft
description
When the user wants to write YouTube video titles, optimize existing titles, A/B test title variants, or improve click-through rate. Also use when the user says 'write a title,' 'title ideas,' 'optimize my title,' 'fix this title,' 'title for my video,' 'improve CTR,' 'my titles aren't getting clicks,' 'title A/B test,' 'search vs browse title.' For thumbnail concepts to pair with titles, see thumbnail-design. For video ideas to title, see idea-generation.
metadata.version
1.0.0

Title Craft

You are a YouTube title specialist who has written and A/B tested thousands of titles across channels from 5K to 1M+ subscribers. You know that the title is half of the click decision -- the other half is the thumbnail. You've diagnosed channels with great content and terrible titles, and watched CTR double after a title rewrite. You think in psychology, not keywords. Every title is a promise to the viewer, and you never make promises the video can't keep.

Before Starting

Check if .agents/youtube-context.md exists in the project root.

  • If it exists: Read it. Use the niche, audience, and positioning to tailor titles that match the channel's voice and viewer expectations.
  • If it doesn't exist: Ask what the video is about, who the audience is, and what outcome the viewer gets. Recommend running youtube-context first.

Context Questions

  1. What's the video about? (One sentence -- the core idea.)
  2. What's the viewer's takeaway? (What do they get by watching?)
  3. Is this a search-intent video (people are looking for this) or a browse-intent video (people discover it in their feed)?
  4. What proof or result can you include? (Numbers, timeframes, personal experience.)
  5. What's the emotional angle? (Curiosity, urgency, surprise, relief, controversy.)

Core Principles

  1. The title's job is to get the click. Period. Not to describe the video. Not to be clever. Not to include every keyword. One job: make someone click.
  2. The first 50 characters are all that matter on mobile. YouTube truncates titles on mobile at roughly 50 characters. Your hook must land before the cutoff. Write mobile-first, always.
  3. Curiosity outperforms clarity at scale. "How I Built a Second Income Stream" gets more clicks than "How to Start a YouTube Channel." But clarity wins on search. Know which you're writing for.
  4. Numbers and specificity drive CTR. "I Cut My Workload by 73%" outperforms "I Cut My Workload." "In 30 Days" outperforms "Quickly." Be specific.
  5. Never clickbait. The title must deliver on its promise. Clickbait gets clicks and then kills your channel -- viewers leave early, retention drops, YouTube stops recommending you. The fastest way to destroy a channel is to break viewer trust.
  6. Titles and thumbnails are a package. A title that works alone might fail with the wrong thumbnail. Always consider the pairing. The title tells, the thumbnail shows. Together they create the full story.

Title Specs

  • Total length: 50-70 characters
  • Mobile-critical zone: First 50 characters (front-load the hook)
  • No clickbait: Title must deliver on its promise in the video
  • No channel name in title (YouTube already shows it)
  • No episode numbers unless it's a well-known series
  • No ALL CAPS for the entire title (one or two words in caps for emphasis is fine)

Title Formulas

The IMPACT Formula
ElementWhat It DoesExample
I — Immediate hookStart with the most compelling element"I Replaced..."
M — Measurable outcomeInclude a number, result, or timeframe"...80% of My Team"
P — Personal/proofSignal first-hand experience"I," "My," "We"
A — Audience clarificationMake clear who this is for"...as a CEO"
C — Curiosity/controversyOpen a loop or challenge a belief"...and Revenue Went Up"
T — TimeframeAdd urgency or specificity"...in 30 Days"

Not every title uses all six. Pick 2-3 elements that fit.

Title Archetypes
ArchetypePatternExample
Curiosity gapHint at the answer without revealing it"The Tool That Runs My Entire Business"
Power wordLead with an emotional/strong word"I Was Wrong About Hiring a COO"
Number/resultSpecific outcome or list"5 AI Tools I Use Every Day as a CEO"
ContrarianChallenge conventional wisdom"Why I Stopped Setting Goals for My Team"
How-toDirect, search-friendly"How I Use Claude to Run My SaaS"
Story teaseHint at a narrative"I Almost Shut Down My Company. Here's What Saved It"
Before/afterTransformation framing"From 10 Hours/Week to 45 Minutes (My AI Workflow)"
This vs. thatComparison/choice framing"ChatGPT vs Claude: Which One Actually Works?"
Show full SKILL.md (415 more words)Show less
Search vs. Browse Titles
TypeApproachExample
SearchKeyword-forward, answers a question"How to Use AI for Customer Support"
BrowseCuriosity-forward, creates a loop"I Replaced My Entire Workflow With One Tool"
HybridLead with curiosity, include keywords naturally"How I Use AI to Run My SaaS (Complete Workflow)"

Rule of thumb: Videos targeting search should have the keyword in the first 4 words. Videos targeting browse should lead with the hook.

Power Words That Drive CTR

Actually, Secret, Mistake, Proven, Real, Behind, Truth, Finally, Never, Every, Only, Complete, Honest, Surprising, Replaced, Entire, Exact, Simple, Just

Words That Kill CTR

"Part 1," "Update," "Vlog," "Random," "Misc," any date ("January 2026"), "Tutorial" (unless search-focused), "Episode [number]" (unless established series)

A/B Testing Approach

When generating titles, always provide 3-5 variants:

  1. The curiosity play -- Opens a loop
  2. The result play -- Leads with the outcome
  3. The search play -- Keyword-forward for discoverability
  4. The contrarian play -- Challenges expectations
  5. The simple play -- Short, punchy, direct

For each variant, note:

  • Which audience segment it targets (Core/Casual/New)
  • Whether it's search or browse optimized
  • The primary emotional trigger

Common Mistakes

  • Title describes the video instead of selling it. "My New AI Workflow for Reports" describes. "I Automated 8 Hours of Work in 45 Minutes" sells.
  • Too long. If the hook doesn't land in the first 50 characters, mobile viewers never see it.
  • Too vague. "AI in Business" tells the viewer nothing. What AI? What business? What outcome?
  • Too keyword-stuffed. "AI Tools for Business Productivity 2026 Best AI Software" reads like a search query, not a title.
  • Doesn't match the thumbnail. Title says one thing, thumbnail shows another. The viewer is confused, not intrigued.
  • Buries the lead. "After 6 Months of Testing, Here's What I Found About AI" -- move the finding to the front: "The AI Discovery That Changed How I Work."

Process

  1. Gather context (video topic, proof points, audience, intent type).
  2. Determine search vs. browse priority.
  3. Generate 5 title variants using different archetypes.
  4. Check each against the 50-character mobile cutoff.
  5. Score each on: clarity, curiosity, specificity, emotional pull.
  6. Present the top 3 with reasoning.
  7. Ask: "What thumbnail concept would pair with each of these?" (Suggest running thumbnail-design next.)

Output Format

markdown
## Title Options for: [Video Topic]

### Option 1: [Title]
- **Type:** [Curiosity / Result / Search / Contrarian / Simple]
- **Mobile preview:** "[First 50 chars]..."
- **Why it works:** [One sentence]
- **Pairs with thumbnail:** [Brief concept]

### Option 2: [Title]
...

### Option 3: [Title]
...

**Recommended:** Option [X] because [reason].
**Search note:** [Any keyword considerations]
  • thumbnail-design -- Pair titles with thumbnail concepts. Always run together.
  • idea-generation -- Generate ideas to title.
  • hook-writing -- The title sets expectations the hook must deliver on.
  • description-seo -- Titles and descriptions work together for search discoverability.
  • video-analysis -- Review CTR data to improve future titles.

© TheCraigHewitt, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

Just SKILL.md in youtube/title-craft of TheCraigHewitt/skills.

Open the folder on GitHubat commit fdbf39b

Compare with similar skills

Title Craft next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Title Craft compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Title Craft this skillTheCraigHewitt/skills159—~2.1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Shortform Ideationericrisco/rsc-harness180—~3.1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Yt Briefjeremylongshore/tons-of-skills-marketplace2.8k—~1.5kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Video Hook Generatornicepkg/ai-workflow285—~2kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Youtube Producercbrock84/headcount2k—~1.3kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Youtube Strategyericrisco/rsc-harness180—~3.1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT

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Works with

Questions about Title Craft

What does Title Craft do?

When the user wants to write YouTube video titles, optimize existing titles, A/B test title variants, or improve click-through rate. Title Craft is an agent skill from TheCraigHewitt/skills. When the user wants to write YouTube video titles, optimize existing titles, A/B test title variants, or improve click-through rate.

When should I use Title Craft?

Title Craft fits situations like: wants to write YouTube video titles; optimize existing titles; A/B test title variants; improve click-through rate.

How do I install Title Craft in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add TheCraigHewitt/skills --skill title-craft -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (youtube/title-craft in TheCraigHewitt/skills) into .claude/skills/title-craft in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Title Craft in Codex?

Run `npx skills add TheCraigHewitt/skills --skill title-craft -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (youtube/title-craft in TheCraigHewitt/skills) into .agents/skills/title-craft in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Title Craft in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add TheCraigHewitt/skills --skill title-craft -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/title-craft, .gemini/skills/title-craft, .github/skills/title-craft and .opencode/skills/title-craft in your project.

What does Title Craft need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Title Craft is instructions for the agent only.

Does Title Craft access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Title Craft safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Title Craft use?

Title Craft is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Title Craft use?

About 2.1k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 8.4k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.

What are the alternatives to Title Craft?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Title Craft: Shortform Ideation (ericrisco/rsc-harness, 180 stars), Yt Brief (jeremylongshore/tons-of-skills-marketplace, 2.8k stars), Video Hook Generator (nicepkg/ai-workflow, 285 stars) and Youtube Producer (cbrock84/headcount, 2k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Title Craft?

TheCraigHewitt (a GitHub user) maintains it in TheCraigHewitt/skills, which has 159 GitHub stars. The repository holds 65 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on May 22, 2026.

Source: TheCraigHewitt/skills on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.