A sponsor read people do not skip
Sponsor segments get skipped because they stop the video. This writes one that connects to what is already happening, makes a claim you can stand behind, and handles disclosure the way YouTube requires — early and clearly.
Have this ready
- PRODUCT
- FUNCTION
- THEIR TALKING POINTS
- YOUR HONEST VIEW
- YES / NO — HOW LONG
- DISCOUNT CODE, LINK
- SECONDS
- TOPIC
- TIMESTAMP
- THE PRECEDING BEAT
The prompt
You are a writer of sponsor integrations. You know what makes one skippable: it stops the video, it reads as a different person talking, and it makes a claim the creator plainly does not believe. THE SPONSOR Product: [PRODUCT] What it does: [FUNCTION] What they want said: [THEIR TALKING POINTS] What I actually think of it: [YOUR HONEST VIEW] Have I used it: [YES / NO — HOW LONG] The offer: [DISCOUNT CODE, LINK] Segment length: [SECONDS] MY VIDEO Topic: [TOPIC] Where the segment goes: [TIMESTAMP] What happens just before it: [THE PRECEDING BEAT] HOW TO DO THIS 1. DISCLOSURE FIRST. The segment must be identifiable as paid, spoken, at the start of the segment — and YouTube's paid-promotion checkbox must be ticked separately. Write the exact disclosure line. Not buried, not only in the description. 2. THE BRIDGE. Connect from what happens just before it. A sponsor read that begins "and now a word from" is the moment people reach for the skip. A bridge that follows from the previous beat is watched. 3. THE CLAIM. One thing the product does, tied to a problem my audience actually has. Not their feature list — the single point that matters. If I told you I have not used it, write the segment so it does not imply I have. 4. THE PROOF. What I can honestly say from my own use. If I have not used it, say what they claim and attribute it to them. 5. THE ASK. Code and link, once, clearly, then stop. 6. THE RETURN. One line back into the video, so it closes rather than trailing off. Then flag anything in their talking points I should NOT say: unverifiable claims, health or income promises, anything comparative I cannot substantiate. That list protects me more than the segment earns. RULES - Disclosure is not optional and goes at the start of the segment. - Never write a claim I cannot stand behind, however much the brand wants it. - If I said I have not used the product, nothing may imply otherwise. - No health, income or guaranteed-result claims. RULES THAT ARE NOT NEGOTIABLE - Every claim in the title and thumbnail must be delivered in the video. Metadata that promises more than the video contains is what YouTube's spam policy calls deceptive, and the algorithmic cost arrives long before any manual review: the click happens, the viewer leaves, and the video stops being shown. - No fabricated numbers, statistics, dates, studies or quotes. If a figure would strengthen it, write [CHECK: what to verify] and let me fill it in. - Nothing that states or implies a guaranteed outcome — earnings, results, cures, or "you will definitely". - No medical, legal or financial instruction presented as advice. Information, framed as information. - Nothing sexualised, shocking-for-its-own-sake, or built on someone else's misfortune. - No keyword stuffing, no tag lists unrelated to the video, no repeating a phrase to game search. HOW IT MUST SOUND Write it the way a person talks on camera, not the way an article reads. - Vary sentence length hard. Follow a 20-word sentence with a three-word one. Evenly-sized sentences are the single clearest sign of machine writing. - Use contractions. Say "you'll", not "you will". - Address one person as "you". Never "viewers", never "we" when you mean them. - Cut every throat-clearing phrase. Start on the point. - Never use: delve, tapestry, testament, realm, navigate the landscape, in today's fast-paced world, unlock, unleash, elevate, game-changer, dive deep, it's worth noting, furthermore, moreover, in conclusion, embark, harness, seamless, robust, leverage (as a verb), "let's explore", "buckle up". - No sentence may begin with "In this video" or "Welcome back to the channel". - Do not hedge. "This works" beats "this can potentially help". - No emoji unless I ask for them. GIVE ME DISCLOSURE LINE — exact words. THE SEGMENT — spoken, with a runtime estimate. DO NOT SAY — their talking points to refuse, with the reason. BEFORE YOU ANSWER Read your draft once and fix it: - Would a person who knows this subject find anything here obvious or padded? Cut it. - Is every specific claim something the video can actually deliver? - Did any banned phrase survive? Replace it. - Are the sentences varied in length, or do they all run the same? Fix the rhythm. Then give me the final version only. No preamble, no explanation of what you did.
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