Re-Packaging a Random Youtube Video
Live audit alert.
I did a quick audit of one of Roei Samuel's videos i saw on the feed...
It took me 5+ hours to create this post (yes, really, haha) - but here’s what I found.
For context:
I watched the video. Roei has built and scaled 7-figure startups, so the credibility in the intro is solid. He knows what he's talking about. But, here’s the thing - there are a couple of things holding the video back.
The structure is fine.
It’s broken down into the 7 mistakes, which is great. But there are two key areas where it could improve: the intro and the packaging.
The Intro: Too Long
The intro’s credibility is great, but it’s WAY too long.
From testing intro lengths with our clients, here’s the deal: shorter intros ALWAYS perform better for retention. The longer the intro, the more people drop off within the first minute. (You can check your YouTube Studio to see this happening.)
I’d keep the intro to a max of 30 seconds. Skip recapping everything you’re going to cover and just jump straight into the first mistake Roei is going to address. That’ll fix the intro almost immediately.
Now, let’s talk packaging.
Right now, there’s no thumbnail, and the title feels very LinkedIn headline-ish.
Personal and intense titles are working better in the business niche right now-titles with buzzwords like “killed,” “deadly mistakes,” and “brutal.” Just an observation.
So, I worked with my design team to create a rough sketch for the thumbnail. Here’s the process:
1. Thumbnail Sketch Process:
Built around a painful stat: $42k/month burn.
Made the emotion and stakes visual.
Gave it a human angle: “Avoid my mistakes.”
2. Title Breakdown:
“I scaled my first startup to 9M users - here are the brutal mistakes that almost killed it.”
The flow:
Success – Scaled to 9M users
Conflict – Brutal mistakes
Near-failure – Almost killed it
3. Final Packaging:
Bold, impactful text
Highlighting the brutal burn rate
Clean, high-contrast layout
Keeps the founder’s face in the design, but the focus is on the pain
Now, the thumbnail packaging screams:“I almost blew it. Here’s what you can learn before you do the same.”
Loved creating this post, but it took a bit of time! Hope it helps you improve your own videos.