Title Generation

Overview

This skill generates high-performing titles and headlines optimized for engagement across any content type. Titles are designed to spark curiosity, complement visual assets where applicable, and compel the audience to click, open, or engage.

Core Principle

Every title must prompt a specific question in the audience's mind. Description alone is insufficient — curiosity is non-negotiable.

When to Use

Use this skill when:

The user asks to create a title, headline, or subject line

The user requests title ideas or brainstorming for content

The user wants to improve or optimize an existing title

Working on content creation and a title is needed

The user asks for multiple title variations to test

Content Type Resolution

Before generating titles, determine the content type and load the appropriate platform-specific reference file:

Content Type

Reference File

Key Focus

YouTube video

references/youtube-title-formulas.md

CTR, curiosity, thumbnail complementarity

Newsletter / email

references/newsletter-subject-lines.md

Open rate, preview text, inbox competition

Social media post

references/social-headlines.md

Scroll-stopping, platform-specific hooks

Essential

Read the relevant reference file before generating titles — each platform has unique patterns and constraints that directly affect performance, and skipping this step leads to generic titles that underperform.

If the content type does not match any reference file, apply the universal principles below and adapt to the format.

Prerequisites

Gather Context

Before generating titles, gather the following information from conversation context, the user's filesystem, or by asking the user directly.

Required Information:

Content topic

What is the content about?

Target audience

Who is this for?

Key message

What is the main takeaway or hook?

Highly Recommended Information:

Visual asset description

What does the thumbnail, header image, or preview show?

Target emotion

What emotion should the title evoke? (curiosity, shock, excitement, urgency)

Content type

Video, newsletter, social post, blog article, etc.

Title Generation Workflow

Step 1: Gather Context

Collect required information if not already provided. Ask the user for anything missing:

To create an optimized title, I need to understand:

1. What is the content about? (topic)

2. Who is your target audience?

3. What is the main hook or takeaway?

4. Do you have a visual asset (thumbnail, header image)? If so, what does it show?

5. What emotion should the title evoke?

Step 2: Load Platform Reference

Read the appropriate platform-specific reference file

based on the content type identified in Step 1.

Step 3: Identify the Question

Before writing any title, identify the specific question you want in the audience's mind:

What question will make them curious enough to engage?

Does this question align with the content?

Is the curiosity gap strong enough to drive action?

Examples of effective questions to prompt:

"What mistakes am I making?" (mistake framing)

"What happened?" (outcome uncertainty)

"Why would someone do that?" (extreme behavior)

"How is that possible?" (surprising claim)

Step 4: Generate Title Options

Generate 3-5 title variations that:

Prompt the identified question

Complement (not duplicate) any visual assets

Align with the target emotion

Follow platform-specific best practices from the reference file

Step 5: Verify Against Checklist

For each title, verify against the universal checklist:

Curiosity Test

Does this prompt a specific question?

Complementarity Test

Does this work WITH visual assets (not duplicate them)?

Click/Open Compulsion Test

Is the curiosity gap strong enough?

Non-Descriptive Test

Does this go beyond merely describing content?

Target Audience Test

Will this resonate with the intended audience?

Step 6: Present and Refine

Present title options to the user with:

The title itself

The question it prompts in the audience's mind

How it complements the visual asset (if applicable)

Why it should drive engagement

Example presentation:

Here are 3 optimized title options:

1. "The AI Agent Mistake That Cost Me 10 Hours"

- Prompts: "What mistake? How can I avoid it?"

- Complements thumbnail showing frustrated face + error message

- Creates urgency through time cost

2. "I Built This AI Agent Wrong (Here's What I Learned)"

- Prompts: "What did they do wrong? What's the lesson?"

- Personal experience framing creates relatability

3. "Why Your AI Agents Keep Breaking (And Mine Don't)"

- Prompts: "Why do mine break? What's their secret?"

- Creates contrast and curiosity

Step 7: Iterate Based on Feedback

If the user requests changes:

Understand what aspect needs adjustment (curiosity, tone, length, etc.)

Regenerate while maintaining checklist compliance

Re-verify against the checklist

Voice Application

Before finalizing any written output, invoke the

creator-stack:voice

skill to apply voice rules. Titles should sound authentic to the user's voice, not generic.

Brand Compliance

When creating assets for The AI Launchpad, invoke

creator-stack:brand-guidelines

to resolve the correct design system and check anti-patterns.

Quality Assurance

Priority Order

Spark curiosity

(highest priority)

Complement visual asset

Raise audience question

Create click/open compulsion

Rejection Criteria

Regenerate if the title:

Merely describes the content without sparking curiosity

Duplicates text that appears on the visual asset

Answers the question instead of raising it

Uses generic patterns without intrigue

Fails the "What question does this raise?" test

Success Criteria

A successful title:

Prompts a specific, compelling question in the audience's mind

Works synergistically with any visual asset

Creates a curiosity gap strong enough to drive engagement

Aligns with the target audience and content type

Passes all 5 universal checklist items

Common Pitfalls

Generic Description

"AI Agents Tutorial" describes but does not intrigue. Add curiosity.

Answering the Question

"How to Fix AI Agent Memory in 3 Steps" gives away too much. Tease, do not tell.

Ignoring Platform

A YouTube title and a newsletter subject line have different constraints. Load the right reference.

Thumbnail/Asset Duplication

If the thumbnail says "BROKEN", the title should not also say "broken." Complement, do not repeat.

Single Option

Always provide 3-5 variations for the user to choose from.