outlier-hunter - SKILL.md Agent Skill

name: outlier-hunter description: "Find outlier videos (3x+ above channel average) across niches. Extract the FORMAT, not the topic. Adapt with your brand voice. MrBeast's 'copy with taste' method. Use when hunting for video ideas." argument-hint: "[your niche, or specific channels/topics to analyze]"

Outlier Hunter — "Copy With Taste"

Hunt outliers for: $ARGUMENTS

Research-First Protocol

Do not guess when a recommendation depends on current market reality. If the user asks about a specific niche, channel, competitor, or trend, collect evidence first.

Minimum useful research set:

Top 10 current videos/channels in the niche or adjacent niche
Outlier multiple vs each channel's recent average
Packaging patterns: title structure, thumbnail elements, first 5 seconds when available
Trend signal: search interest, platform momentum, or recurring audience questions
Budget/ROI reality: what the format costs and whether the upside can justify it

If public data is weak, ask for the creator's last 3 videos with CTR, AVD, retention at 30 seconds, and net subscribers. Without those numbers, label assumptions clearly.

The Method (MrBeast)

"Don't copy and paste. Copy with taste." "There's only one time you should aim for originality: when you're adapting winning formats to your unique brand."

Step 1: Find Outliers

An outlier video gets 3x+ above the channel's average views. These are format signals, not topic signals.

Where to Look

Your direct niche — channels covering similar topics
Adjacent niches — similar audience, different topic
Completely different niches — same format, different everything
Trending/breakout — new channels that blew up with one video

What to Measure

For each channel you study:

Calculate average views per video (last 20 videos)
Flag any video at 3x+ that average
Note: exclude outliers caused by external events (news mentions, algorithm bugs)

Study Cadence (Jake Thomas)

Study outlier videos across 5 industries weekly
Spend 4 hours/week studying YouTube across niches (Paddy Galloway)
After 50 of your own uploads: analyze YOUR top 5 and bottom 5

Step 2: Extract the Format

For each outlier, deconstruct:

Packaging

Title structure: What pattern does the title follow? (Number? Question? Claim? Comparison?)
Thumbnail elements: What's in the thumbnail? (Face? Object? Text? Contrast?)
Title-thumbnail relationship: How do they complement each other?

Content Structure

Hook (first 30 seconds): What did they open with?
Pacing: How are segments structured? Fast/slow/narrative?
Stakes: What keeps you watching? What's the tension?
Payoff: How does it end? Satisfying? Cliffhanger?

The Format (the extractable pattern)

Strip away the specific topic
What's the underlying STRUCTURE?
Example: "Person tries [extreme thing] for [time period] and documents results" — works for any niche
Example: "[Tool A] vs [Tool B]: I tested both for [X] days" — works for any category
Translate expensive formats down to the creator's budget: keep the core tension, reduce the spend.

Step 3: Adapt to Your Brand

Take the format and apply:

Your niche topic
Your voice and tone
Your unique angle (expertise, experience, contrarian take)
Your audience's specific pain points

Quality Check

Does this feel authentic to your brand? (MrBeast: if it doesn't excite you, kill it)
Can you deliver more value than the original? (expertise advantage)
Is the packaging naturally different because of your angle?

Step 4: Validate Before Filming

Run through these checks:

Format has proven demand (3x+ outlier in at least one channel)
Your adaptation adds unique value (not a copy)
Title/thumbnail conceived before scripting (packaging sets ceiling)
You're personally excited about this video
The format serves your audience's needs (not just chasing views)

Roberto Blake Stats for Context

88% of YouTube videos never reach 1,000 views
You're competing with the top 5 in YOUR niche, not all of YouTube
Educational content gets 80% of views 6+ months post-upload
Fewer than 0.05% of channels reach 1M subscribers

Output Format

## Outlier Analysis: [Niche/Topic]

### Channels Analyzed
| Channel | Avg Views | Subscribers | Niche |
|---------|-----------|-------------|-------|
| [name] | [avg] | [subs] | [niche] |

### Outlier Videos Found
| Video | Channel | Views | Channel Avg | Multiple | Why It Hit |
|-------|---------|-------|-------------|----------|-----------|
| [title] | [channel] | [views] | [avg] | [X]x | [reason] |

### Formats Extracted
1. **[Format Name]**: [description of the pattern]
   - Proven by: [which outliers]
   - Your adaptation: "[your title idea using this format]"
   - Why it fits your brand: [reason]

2. **[Format Name]**: [description]
   [same structure]

### Top 3 Adaptations (Ready to Film)

**#1: "[Your Title]"**
- Format source: [which outlier inspired this]
- Your unique angle: [what makes yours different]
- Thumbnail direction: [what the thumbnail shows]
- Estimated ceiling: [views potential based on format performance]
- Excitement check: [honest gut feeling]

[Repeat for #2 and #3]