---
name: youtube-description-optimizer
description: Audit, draft, or template YouTube descriptions and metadata for promise-match, search clarity, CTA hierarchy, links, chapters, hashtags, and upload readiness
type: research
version: v0.5
argument-hint: "<video URL | video ID | script/outline path | channel slug> [--mode audit|draft|template] [--series <name>] [--compare-channel <slug>]"
interview_depth: none
---

## Pack Availability Guard

Before telling the user to run a skill from another project-local pack, check `.agents/project.json.enabled_packs`. If the target pack is not enabled, recommend `npx skillpacks install <pack>` instead of the target skill. Global skills are always valid. Skills from this same pack are valid because the current skill is already running from that pack.

# YouTube Description Optimizer

Invoke as `$youtube-description-optimizer`.

## Report-First Approval Gate

Default to scope-first approval: before synthesized research, inspect only enough repository, user, and source context to propose research scope, source plan, assumptions, output paths, and approval questions in a `review` alignment page plus a concise conversation summary.

Do not perform synthesized research, rank candidates, make recommendations, or write working packets or canonical deliverables until final compiled YAML approves the research scope. Minimal pre-approval discovery may identify available files, source categories, and open questions; label it as scope evidence, not findings.

After approved research-scope YAML, perform the research and write only the non-canonical working packet defined in the staged workflow. Then update the `review` alignment page with findings and stop again for feedback-only YAML or final compiled YAML artifact approval before creating or updating canonical research, spec, or task files.

Do not include `Recommended next skill`, `Recommended next command`, or downstream routing language. The approval request itself is the next action. Only emit next-skill routing after the approved artifact has been written or updated.

## Staged Research Workflow

Use this staged workflow for synthesized research or report outputs that would create or update canonical research, spec, or task files.

1. **Stage 1 - Scope discovery and approval.** Inspect only enough repository, user, and source context to propose research scope, source plan, assumptions, output paths, and approval questions. Build the `review` HTML alignment page before synthesized research. The page must render the proposed scope, available source categories, known context, assumptions/confidence, proposed working-packet and canonical output paths, and research-scope approval gates. Stop for final compiled YAML approval of the research scope. Do not perform synthesized research, rank candidates, make recommendations, or write working packets, canonical research, spec, or task files in Stage 1.
2. **Stage 2 - Research and artifact review.** Only after approved research-scope YAML with no unresolved `needs-clarification`, unresolved `down` feedback, or other unresolved negative feedback, perform the synthesized research, run required source/code checks, and write only a non-canonical working packet: flat mode uses `research/_working/preliminary-<skill>-research.md`; product-path mode uses `research/{slug}/_working/preliminary-<skill>-research.md`. Replace `<skill>` with this skill's `name` value. Raw evidence or search logs may remain as supporting evidence where this skill already requires them, but synthesized deliverables stay in the working packet. Update the `review` HTML alignment page with the full preliminary packet, evidence matrix, assumptions/confidence register, source coverage gaps, proposed canonical file changes, and artifact approval gates. Stop for either feedback-only YAML or final compiled YAML. Feedback-only YAML revises the working packet and page, then remains in Stage 2.
3. **Stage 3 - Finalize approved artifacts.** Consume final compiled YAML for artifact approval only when it has no unresolved `needs-clarification`, unresolved `down` feedback, or other unresolved negative feedback. Apply approved edits first, archive the working packet to `docs/history/archive/YYYY-MM-DD/HHMMSS/<original-working-path>`, remove the active working packet, write the approved canonical artifacts to the unchanged output paths below, and convert the alignment page to `confirmed` with the approval record preserved.

Canonical output paths remain unchanged. Search logs and other supporting evidence remain allowed only where this skill's output contract already requires them.

## Evidence And Feedback Handling

Treat user feedback as input to evaluate, not as automatic ground truth.

- For factual, evidentiary, technical, or source-backed claims: verify against available evidence. If the user appears to misunderstand the evidence or states something factually incorrect, push back clearly and cite the evidence. Do not rewrite findings merely to agree.
- For taste, brand, positioning preference, risk appetite, prioritization, or other subjective judgment calls: weigh user feedback heavily and adapt the recommendation unless it conflicts with verified evidence.
- When feedback mixes facts and preference, separate them explicitly: correct the factual part, then incorporate the preference where it is a legitimate judgment call.
- When uncertain, say what is known, what is inferred, and what would change the conclusion.

## Inputs

- Required target: video URL, video ID, script/outline path, channel slug, or existing creator-media artifact.
- Optional `--mode audit|draft|template`: default `audit` for video targets, `draft` for script/outline targets, and `template` for channel/series targets.
- Optional `--series <name>`: names the repeatable show or format for template work.
- Optional `--compare-channel <slug>`: reuse channel evidence under `research/youtube/data/<slug>/`.

## Process

1. Resolve the target and mode. If the target is ambiguous, infer from file existence and URL/video-ID shape before asking the user.
2. Prefer existing evidence:
   - `research/youtube/data/<video-id>/metadata-*.json`
   - `research/youtube/data/<slug>/videos-*.jsonl`
   - `research/youtube/video-audit-*.md`
   - `research/youtube/title-thumbnail-audit-*.md`
   - `research/youtube/channel-audit-*.md`
   - `specs/youtube/series-*.md`
   - script or outline files supplied by the user
3. For existing videos, use public metadata descriptions, tags, chapters, title, URL, upload date, and available transcript/opening evidence. If public metadata is missing and the target is a video URL or ID, fetch it through `yt-dlp --dump-json "VIDEO_URL"` and persist it under `research/youtube/data/<video-id>/metadata-YYYY-MM-DD.json`.
4. For future drafts, use the supplied script/outline plus any creator-positioning, content-programming, series, product-led media, and search-positioning artifacts that are current.
5. For templates, use channel/series evidence to define reusable blocks, required links, optional links, CTA hierarchy, chapter style, hashtag policy, sponsor/disclosure slots, and update rules.
6. Analyze:
   - First 2 lines and above-the-fold promise support.
   - Search/topic clarity, entity names, reusable keywords, and avoidable keyword stuffing.
   - Match between title, thumbnail promise, intro/hook, chapters, and description.
   - CTA hierarchy, link order, stale or missing links, sponsor/disclosure language, attribution/credits, pinned-comment fit, and hashtag discipline.
   - Whether the description supports acquisition, trust-building, proof, education, launch support, community, or conversion.
7. Produce practical edits: keep/change/add/remove notes, rewritten description blocks, pinned-comment recommendation when useful, and a future-video checklist.

## Output

Create the `research/youtube/`, `research/youtube/data/<video-id>/`, and `specs/youtube/` directories if they do not exist.

Write exactly one artifact:

- Audit mode: `research/youtube/description-optimizer-<video-id>-YYYY-MM-DD.md`
- Draft mode: `research/youtube/description-draft-<slug>-YYYY-MM-DD.md`
- Template mode: `specs/youtube/description-template-<slug>.md`

Use this structure:

```markdown
# YouTube Description Optimizer - [Target]

> Mode: audit / draft / template
> Target: [URL, video ID, file path, channel slug, or series]
> Date: YYYY-MM-DD
> Evidence: [paths used]

## Evidence Coverage

| Evidence | Status | Path or gap |
|---|---|---|
| Public metadata | Available / Missing / Not applicable | ... |
| Transcript or opening | Available / Missing / Not applicable | ... |
| Channel evidence | Available / Missing / Not applicable | ... |
| Script or outline | Available / Missing / Not applicable | ... |
| Series template | Available / Missing / Not applicable | ... |

## Description Diagnosis

- **First 2 lines**: ...
- **Promise match**: ...
- **Search/topic clarity**: ...
- **CTA/link hierarchy**: ...
- **Chapters/hashtags/disclosures**: ...
- **Pinned-comment fit**: ...

## Recommended Description

[Upload-ready description or revised description block.]

## Metadata Notes

- **Tags/keywords**: ...
- **Chapters**: ...
- **Hashtags**: ...
- **Links and credits**: ...
- **Disclosure/sponsor slots**: ...

## Keep / Change / Add / Remove

| Action | Item | Why | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep / Change / Add / Remove | ... | ... | ... |

## Future Checklist

[Reusable checks for the next upload or this series.]
```

## Constraints

- Do not invent links, product URLs, sponsors, disclosures, chapters, transcript details, comments, or owner-only metrics.
- Mark missing evidence explicitly instead of filling gaps.
- Do not recommend deceptive metadata, keyword stuffing, tag spam, misleading hashtags, or CTAs that conflict with the video's promise.
- Keep description changes practical for the creator's apparent production capacity.
- Archive existing canonical artifacts before replacing them under `docs/history/archive/YYYY-MM-DD/HHMMSS/<original-relative-path>`.

## Approved Artifact Handoff

After an approved synthesized write, explicit write/update mode, or any direct artifact mutation:

- List every created or updated synthesized artifact path in the final response.
- State the verification performed, such as readback, schema/check command, or why no executable verification applies for a Markdown-only strategy artifact.
- Check and report the relevant git status for intended artifacts when the project is a git repository. If intended artifacts are modified or untracked, make the next action shipping, committing, or an explicit dirty-artifact handoff before recommending downstream strategy work.
- Do not imply the research workflow is complete while approved artifacts remain untracked or uncommitted unless the user explicitly asked not to ship.
- If stopping for approval before writing, the approval request remains the next action; do not include downstream routing.

## Intent-Aware Routing

Before applying the default `## Next-Skill Routing` sequence, classify the user's immediate intent and route to the missing action that best serves that intent:

- Strategy refresh: recommend the missing or stale positioning, programming, portfolio, metrics, or product-media artifact.
- Recording prep: recommend the missing series spec, script, build proof, walkthrough guide, or validation artifact needed before recording.
- Upload prep: recommend packaging, title/thumbnail, description, chapters, or final metadata work before broader strategy work.
- Performance review: recommend metrics, cadence, portfolio, peer benchmark, or owner-analytics export work before new content planning.
- Owner analytics or private/manual platform evidence: route to an explicit manual/guide handoff instead of inventing unavailable metrics.
- Dirty intended artifacts: route to shipping/commit/handoff first, not another creator strategy skill.

Use the default next-skill sequence only when no stronger user intent, missing artifact, manual blocker, or dirty-artifact handoff applies.

## Alignment Page

When this skill produces durable deliverables (research, specs, plans, reports, prototypes, or any document output), build a full-depth HTML alignment page following `ALIGNMENT-PAGE.md` in this skill's directory. Output: `alignment/youtube-description-optimizer-{topic}.html`.

## Default Shipping Contract

Follow the shared shipping contract convention in CLAUDE.md.
