13 ChatGPT Prompts To Write YouTube Cold Opens Like Mr. Beast
How To Write A Magnetic YouTube Cold Open Like Mr. Beast Using ChatGPT
From curiosity gaps to proof stackers: the ChatGPT prompts that turn your opening 20 seconds into viewer magnets
Hey there!
Your first five seconds decide everything.
Not your thumbnail. Not your title. Not your editing or your lighting or how much you spent on production. If your cold open doesn’t grab viewers by word three, they’re gone. And YouTube’s algorithm notices.
Mr. Beast doesn’t waste a syllable. His opens hook you before your thumb can swipe. He states exactly what’s happening, why it matters and what you’ll see, all before most creators finish saying hello.
You’re getting 13 prompts that build magnetic cold opens using ChatGPT. You’ll craft hooks that stop scrollers dead, write pattern interrupts that demand attention and engineer opens that make clicking away physically painful. Each prompt works standalone or chains with others to create complete opening sequences.
Why Your Current Opens Are Failing
You’re probably doing what everyone does. Setting the scene, introducing yourself, explaining the context. That’s three sentences too many.
Mr. Beast’s average open is 12 words. Yours is probably closer to 50. Every extra word is a viewer lost.
These prompts fix that by forcing specificity, eliminating fluff and frontloading the payoff.
Prompt #1: The Pattern Interrupt Analyser
What it does: Breaks down successful cold opens to identify their hook structure and psychological triggers.
When to use it: Before writing any new content to understand what actually works in your niche.
The Prompt:
Analyse these 3 successful YouTube cold opens from [NICHE]:
Open 1: [PASTE EXACT TRANSCRIPT]
Open 2: [PASTE EXACT TRANSCRIPT]
Open 3: [PASTE EXACT TRANSCRIPT]
For each open, identify:
1. The exact psychological trigger used (curiosity, fear, desire, shock)
2. How many words before the hook pays off
3. What information is frontloaded vs. held back
4. The sentence structure pattern
Then create a formula I can follow that combines the best elements.How to use it:
Find 3 viral videos in your niche (500K+ views minimum)
Transcribe just the first 10-15 seconds
Paste into the prompt exactly as spoken
Get your custom pattern formula
Example input:
Analyse these 3 successful YouTube cold opens from productivity tech:
Open 1: “This app deleted 40 hours from my week. I’m going to show you exactly how.” Open 2: “I tested 12 AI tools. Only one didn’t waste my time.” Open 3: “Your to-do list is broken. Here’s what actually works.”
What you’ll get: A breakdown showing that all three use outcome-first structure, specific numbers for credibility and a promise-without-explanation pattern. Plus your custom formula.
Pro tip: Run this every month with fresh videos. Viral patterns shift, your formula should too.
Prompt #2: The Curiosity Gap Generator
What it does: Creates opens that promise specific value whilst withholding just enough to force the watch.
When to use it: When your content has a clear transformation or surprising result you can prove.
The Prompt:
I’m creating a YouTube video about [TOPIC]. The main result/transformation is [SPECIFIC OUTCOME].
Write 5 cold open variations that:
- State the outcome in the first 5 words
- Create curiosity about the method without explaining it
- Use concrete numbers or timeframes
- Are under 15 words total
Make each variation use a different psychological trigger.How to use it:
Identify your video’s biggest payoff (the thing that makes people care)
Quantify it with numbers or timeframes
Let ChatGPT generate multiple angles
Test the variations with your audience
Example input:
I’m creating a YouTube video about email productivity. The main result/transformation is clearing 200 emails in under 30 minutes using a specific filtering system.
What you’ll get: Five variations like “I cleared 200 emails in 28 minutes. Here’s the exact system.” or “200 emails. 30 minutes. One filter most people ignore.”
Pro tip: The variation with the shortest word count usually performs best. Brevity beats cleverness.
Prompt #3: The “Mr. Beast Blueprint” Constructor
What it does: Reverse engineers Mr. Beast’s exact opening structure for your specific video topic.
When to use it: When you need maximum retention in the first 10 seconds and have a clear, bold promise to make.
The Prompt:
My video is about [TOPIC] and delivers [SPECIFIC RESULT/TRANSFORMATION].
Write a cold open using Mr. Beast’s exact structure:
1. The outcome (stated as completed action, not future promise)
2. The stakes or contrast (why this matters or what makes it hard)
3. The proof preview (what viewer will see as evidence)
Requirements:
- First sentence: 5-8 words maximum
- Total open: under 20 words
- No fluff words (really, actually, basically, literally)
- No questions
- Active voice only
Give me 3 variations.How to use it:
Fill in your topic and result using past tense (”I did X” not “I’m going to do X”)
Review all three variations
Pick the one with the most concrete proof point
Record it exactly as written (no ad-libbing)
Example input:
My video is about LinkedIn growth and delivers 10,000 profile views in 30 days using a specific posting strategy.
What you’ll get: Three variations following Beast’s structure, like “I got 10,000 LinkedIn views in 30 days. Most people do the opposite of what worked. Watch what happened when I posted at 2am.”
Pro tip: Read it aloud before recording. If you naturally want to add words, the open is too short. That’s exactly where you want it.
You Just Got 3 Prompts That Build Magnetic Hooks
But hooks alone don’t keep people watching.
You need the complete cold open system that handles the psychological transition from hook to content, bridges to your main promise without losing momentum and sets up the payoff structure that keeps viewers through the mid-roll.
The next 10 prompts handle the full opening sequence:
Transition builders that move from hook to content without killing energy
Proof stackers that establish credibility in under 10 words
Promise escalators that raise stakes without overpromising
Plus: The “Hook → Bridge → Promise” framework Mr. Beast uses in 90% of his videos