Hooks, 15-60 second scripts, trend adaptations, batching and performance reviews. Below are 7 copy-ready prompts. Fill in the [BRACKETS], copy, and paste into ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini or any capable assistant.
Short-form video is decided in the first second and won on one idea. AI is useful for generating hook options, cutting scripts to the bone and adapting trends to your niche – and it is useful afterwards, for reading your analytics without fooling yourself with a small sample.
The 7 prompts
Write a 30-second TikTok, Reel or Short script
Script a vertical video that hooks in the first second and delivers one idea.
Write a short vertical video script (TikTok / Instagram Reels / YouTube Shorts). TOPIC: [TOPIC] THE ONE THING THE VIEWER SHOULD TAKE AWAY: [TAKEAWAY] FORMAT: [talking to camera / voiceover with B-roll / text on screen only / skit / tutorial] LENGTH: [15 / 30 / 45 / 60 seconds] AUDIENCE: [WHO] MY STYLE: [DESCRIBE, or paste a caption I wrote] Give me: 1. THE HOOK (first 1-2 seconds) - 5 options: a bold claim, a question, a visual surprise, a "stop doing this", and a result-first opener. Mark the one you would use. 2. THE SCRIPT - in a table: Seconds | What I say | What is on screen | On-screen text 3. THE LOOP - an ending that connects back to the start so rewatching feels natural, or a clear payoff 4. CAPTION - under 150 characters, with a reason to comment 5. 3-5 HASHTAGS - specific, not #fyp 6. SOUND IDEA - original audio, voiceover, or the type of trending sound that would fit (tell me to check the platform's commercial-use rules for music if this is a business account) Rules: one idea per video. Cut anything that does not serve the takeaway. Spoken lines under 12 words each.
What you get: Hook options, a timed script table, a loop ending, caption, hashtags and a sound idea.
Tip: Business accounts often cannot use the same music library as personal accounts. Original voiceover avoids the problem entirely.
Turn a trend into content that fits your niche
Adapt a trending format to your brand without copying or looking off-topic.
Help me adapt a trend for my account. THE TREND: [DESCRIBE THE FORMAT, SOUND OR MEME, AND AN EXAMPLE] MY NICHE AND AUDIENCE: [NICHE] MY BRAND VOICE: [e.g. playful, expert, calm, sarcastic] WHAT I MUST AVOID: [e.g. anything political, competitors, profanity] Give me: 1. WHY THE TREND WORKS - the underlying pattern (surprise, relatability, transformation, in-joke), not just the surface 2. 5 ADAPTATIONS - each keeps the pattern but uses my niche's situations. For each: concept, script outline, what is on screen. 3. FIT CHECK - rate each adaptation for brand fit and for how obviously "forced" it would look. Kill any that feel like a brand trying too hard. 4. TIMING - how fast I need to post before the trend fades, and what to do if I am late (use the pattern, drop the sound). 5. RISKS - anything in the trend's origin or sound that could backfire.
What you get: The trend's underlying pattern, five niche adaptations with a fit check, timing advice and risks.
Tip: Copy the pattern, not the surface. Late to a trend? Use its structure with your own audio and it still works.
Batch a week of short videos in one session
Plan and script 7 short videos you can film in a single recording session.
Help me batch-create a week of short-form videos. NICHE: [NICHE] PLATFORMS: [TikTok / Reels / Shorts] MY FILMING SETUP: [phone only / camera / screen recording], [LOCATIONS AVAILABLE] TIME FOR THE FILMING SESSION: [HOURS] CONTENT MIX I WANT: [e.g. 3 tips, 2 behind the scenes, 1 story, 1 myth-bust] Produce: 1. 7 VIDEO CONCEPTS with hook, 3-beat outline, and ending 2. A FILMING ORDER grouped by location, outfit and setup so I change things as few times as possible 3. A SHOT CHECKLIST for each video (A-roll lines, B-roll clips) 4. CAPTIONS for all 7 5. A POSTING SCHEDULE across the week with a note on which to post when my audience is most active (tell me where to find that in my platform's analytics) 6. REPURPOSING - which videos can be cross-posted as-is and which need changes per platform
What you get: Seven scripted concepts, an efficient filming order, shot checklists, captions, schedule and cross-posting notes.
Tip: Group by outfit and location, not by posting day. That is where batching saves the most time.
Write on-screen text and captions for silent viewers
Make short videos understandable with the sound off.
Write on-screen text for my short video so it works on mute. SCRIPT OR TRANSCRIPT: [PASTE] VIDEO LENGTH: [SECONDS] STYLE: [minimal / bold / meme-style / educational] Produce: 1. TITLE CARD - 3-6 words that appear in the first second and tell the viewer what this is 2. TEXT BEATS - a table: Seconds | On-screen text (max 6 words) | Placement (top / middle / avoid bottom where platform buttons cover it) 3. EMPHASIS WORDS - which words to highlight in colour 4. ACCESSIBILITY - confirm I should also turn on auto-captions and correct them; list words auto-captions will probably get wrong 5. A version of the text beats for a text-only video with no voice at all Rules: never cover faces or the key action; keep text inside the safe zone away from the right-side buttons and bottom caption area.
What you get: A title card, timed text beats with placement, emphasis words and an accessibility checklist.
Tip: Most short videos are watched with sound off at least part of the time. If the text alone does not tell the story, you are losing those viewers.
Review a short video before you post it
Get an honest pre-post critique of a script or draft video.
Review my short video before I post it. SCRIPT OR DESCRIPTION OF THE VIDEO, SECOND BY SECOND: [PASTE] CAPTION: [CAPTION] GOAL: [followers / saves / shares / clicks / sales] AUDIENCE: [WHO] Score 1-10 and explain: 1. HOOK - would a stranger stop scrolling in the first second? Why or why not? 2. CLARITY - is there exactly one idea? 3. PACING - any second where nothing new happens? 4. PAYOFF - does the ending deliver what the hook promised? 5. SHAREABILITY - would someone send this to a friend? Who and why? 6. CALL TO ACTION - does it fit the goal without begging? Then give me: - The single biggest fix - A rewritten hook - A rewritten ending Be direct. Do not praise things that are average.
What you get: A six-part scored critique, the single biggest fix, and rewritten hook and ending.
Tip: Ask for the single biggest fix. A list of ten small fixes usually means none of them get done.
Script a product or service video that does not feel like an ad
Create short-form content for a business that people watch willingly.
Script a short video that promotes my product or service without feeling like an advert. PRODUCT / SERVICE: [WHAT IT IS] WHO BUYS IT AND WHY: [CUSTOMER AND PROBLEM] PROOF I HAVE: [REAL RESULTS, REVIEWS, BEFORE/AFTER, DEMOS - only real ones] PLATFORM: [TikTok / Reels / Shorts] LENGTH: [SECONDS] Write 3 different concepts: 1. PROBLEM-FIRST - start with the customer's frustration, show the product solving it 2. BEHIND THE SCENES - how it is made, packed or delivered 3. DEMONSTRATION - show it working with a clear result in the first 3 seconds For each: hook, timed script, on-screen text, caption and a soft call to action. Rules: - Only use the proof I provided. No invented testimonials, numbers or results. - If it is a paid partnership or ad, remind me to use the platform's branded content / paid partnership label. - The product should appear by second 3, not at the end.
What you get: Three non-salesy concepts with hooks, timed scripts, captions and soft calls to action, using only real proof.
Tip: Showing the product working beats describing it. The demonstration concept usually performs best for physical products.
Find your best-performing pattern from past videos
Analyse your short-form stats to find what actually works for your audience.
Analyse my short-form video performance. DATA (paste a table or list): [VIDEO TOPIC | HOOK | LENGTH | VIEWS | AVG WATCH TIME | LIKES | COMMENTS | SHARES | SAVES | FOLLOWS] PLATFORM: [PLATFORM] GOAL: [GOAL] Do this: 1. Rank videos by the metric that matches my goal (shares for reach, saves for value, follows for growth) - not just views 2. Find patterns in the top 20%: topic, hook type, length, format, posting time 3. Find patterns in the bottom 20% 4. Separate what is probably a real pattern from what could be luck (too few videos to tell) 5. Give me 3 experiments for the next 2 weeks, each testing one variable 6. Write 5 video ideas that follow my winning pattern Rules: do not overfit. If I have fewer than 15 videos, tell me the patterns are weak and suggest what to test instead.
What you get: Goal-based ranking, top and bottom patterns with a luck check, three experiments and five ideas.
Tip: Shares and saves predict future reach better than likes. Rank by the metric that matches your goal.
Where AI actually helps here
- Writing five hook options for the same idea
- Timing a script to 15, 30 or 60 seconds
- Adapting a trend’s underlying pattern rather than copying it
- Batching a week of videos into one filming session
Where it falls down
- Knowing which trends are rising right now
- Knowing whether a sound is licensed for business accounts
- Judging how your delivery on camera comes across
The mistake almost everyone makes: Two ideas in one video
If a 30-second video tries to make two points, it makes none. Ask the model to name the single takeaway before it writes anything, and cut every line that does not serve it.
Free tool: Social Character Counter
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Questions people ask
How long should a TikTok or Reel be?
As long as the idea needs and no longer. Many strong short videos are 15-30 seconds; tutorials can run longer if every second earns its place.
Can I post the same video on TikTok, Reels and Shorts?
Often yes, but remove other platforms’ watermarks and check captions, text placement and sound rights for each platform.
What makes a good hook?
A specific promise, surprise or question in the first second, shown on screen as well as spoken.