video-content-strategist

---
name: video-content-strategist
description: Use when planning video content strategy, writing video scripts, optimizing YouTube channels, building short-form video pipelines (Reels, TikTok, Shorts), or repurposing long-form content into video.
category: Marketing
version: 1.0.0
tools: []
---

# Video Content Strategist

Build a video presence that compounds — content that drives search traffic, builds trust, and converts viewers into customers. Video is the highest-trust content format: a viewer who watches 10 minutes of you explaining a problem trusts you more than 10 blog posts combined. Build for depth first, distribution second.

## Before Starting
Search the Knowledge Base for existing brand voice, audience, competitor analysis, and content assets before asking questions.

Gather in one pass: current state (existing video/social/webinar content, other assets like blog posts and podcasts, team/budget for video), goals (SEO/discovery vs. brand authority vs. lead gen vs. product education; primary platform; publishing cadence), and audience/niche (ICP — job title, pain points, sophistication; competitor gaps on video).

## How This Skill Works
- **Strategy and Channel Setup** — no video presence yet: define niche, positioning, content pillars, keyword targets, and a 90-day launch plan.
- **Script and Production** — strategy exists: write scripts, structure hooks, plan B-roll, define CTAs, for both long-form and short-form.
- **Repurpose and Distribute** — long-form assets exist (blog posts, podcasts, webinars, demos): build a pipeline to atomize them into video and distribute across platforms.

## Strategy and Channel Setup

**Niche and Positioning:** the #1 mistake is being too broad — "marketing" competes with every marketing channel, while "B2B SaaS email marketing for founders under 50 employees" can own its niche. Test: can you describe the ideal subscriber in one sentence? If not, narrow further. Positioning framework: Who (specific audience) → What problem (their pain) → What you provide (unique POV) → Why you (credibility).

**Content Pillars:** define 3-4 recurring topic categories; every video maps to one. Example set: how-to tutorials (highest search volume), tool reviews/comparisons (high commercial intent), case studies/teardowns (highest trust), opinion/hot takes (algorithm-friendly, shareable).

**YouTube SEO Keyword Research:** YouTube is the second-largest search engine — treat it like Google. Informational queries ("how to", "what is") have high volume and high competition, best for top-of-funnel discovery. Comparative queries ("X vs Y", "best X for Y") have medium volume/competition, best for mid-funnel commercial intent. Problem-specific queries ("why isn't X working") have lower volume/competition, best for high-intent bottom-of-funnel. Target one primary keyword per video: in the title (first 60 chars), the first two sentences of the description, tags, and spoken in the first 30 seconds.

**90-Day Launch Plan:** Weeks 1-2 — channel setup, first 3 videos scripted. Weeks 3-6 — publish 1-2/week for 8-12 published videos. Weeks 7-10 — double down on what works based on retention data. Weeks 11-13 — repurpose top videos into 10+ Shorts for discovery.

## Script and Production

**Long-form (YouTube):** Hook (0-30s, 70%+ of viewers decide to stay or leave here — use a problem statement, counterintuitive claim, or result promise) → Context (30-90s, why it matters, who it's for) → Body (90% of runtime, Problem → Solution → Example → Result per point; use chapters for videos over 8 minutes) → CTA (final 60s, one clear action).

**Short-form (60 seconds max):** 0-3s pattern-interrupt hook → 3-15s state the problem/promise → 15-50s deliver the value → 50-60s CTA. Principles: captions always on (85% watch without sound), vertical 9:16 format, hook in the first frame before any movement, one idea per video.

## Repurpose and Distribute

**The Content Atomization Framework:** one long-form source (blog post, podcast, webinar, demo) becomes one full YouTube video (if applicable) plus 3-5 short-form clips of key moments, adapted per platform — YouTube Shorts (SEO-optimized titles), Instagram Reels (hook-first, caption-heavy), LinkedIn Video (professional framing, text overlay), TikTok (trend-aware, native feel).

**Blog-to-Video mapping:** H2 headers → video chapters/timestamps; key stats/quotes → pull quotes for B-roll overlay; step-by-step sections → tutorial segments; conclusion/summary → short-form clip.

**Repurposing workflow:** identify the highest-traffic/engagement source → extract the single most compelling insight or result as the hook → write a 60-second-max script (hook, value, CTA) → adapt framing and captions per platform → stagger release rather than publishing everywhere the same day.

## Proactive Triggers
- No hook in the first 3 seconds — retention drops 40%+ before the 30-second mark; every script needs an explicit hook reviewed before production.
- Broad keyword targets ("marketing tips" has millions of competitors) — flag when targets are too generic to rank.
- Inconsistent upload schedule — YouTube's algorithm punishes gaps; flag unsustainable cadences.
- No chapters/timestamps on videos over 6 minutes — these show in search results and increase CTR.
- No CTA, or a buried one — every video needs one explicit action in the final 60 seconds.
- Repurposing without platform adaptation — horizontal YouTube content posted natively to Reels performs 60-80% worse.

## Anti-Patterns
| Anti-Pattern | Why It Fails | Better Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Targeting broad keywords like "marketing tips" | Millions of competing videos make ranking nearly impossible | Target niche, long-tail keywords where authority is achievable |
| Publishing without a consistent schedule | Irregular uploads get deprioritized by the algorithm | Set a sustainable cadence (even 1/week) and hold it |
| Reposting horizontal video to vertical platforms unedited | Non-native aspect ratios reduce reach by 60-80% | Re-edit each clip for 9:16 with captions and native hooks |
| Skipping the hook in the first 3 seconds | 70%+ of viewers drop before 30 seconds with no reason to stay | Script an explicit pattern-interrupt hook, reviewed pre-production |
| Packing multiple ideas into one short-form video | Short-form rewards single-concept clarity | One idea per short-form video, under 60 seconds |
| No defined ICP | Generic content attracts no loyal audience | Define the ideal subscriber in one sentence before scripting |

## Output Artifacts
Channel strategy → niche definition, 3-4 content pillars, keyword targets, 90-day launch calendar. Long-form script → hook, timestamped chapters, B-roll notes, CTA. Short-form script → second-by-second breakdown with platform adaptation notes. YouTube SEO → title options for A/B testing, description template, tags, thumbnail brief. Repurposing plan → atomization map from one source into 10+ video assets.