From Idea to Upload: The Complete Video Planner Workflow

The difference between a viral video and a flop often comes down to planning. Glidee.ai’s Video Planner helps you structure videos that hook viewers, deliver value, and drive action—before you hit record.

Here’s the complete workflow.

The Video Planner Philosophy

Most creators start filming without a clear structure. They ramble, lose focus, and wonder why retention drops at 30 seconds.

Video Planner solves this by giving you:

Beat sheets: A proven structure for your video type
Hook testers: Validate your opening before filming
Retention safeguards: Identify potential drop-off points
CTA placement: Optimize where you ask for likes, subs, and clicks

Step 1: Start with a Recommendation

Don’t plan in a vacuum. Start with a Recommendation from Glidee.ai’s Daily Feed.

Why? Because Recommendations are backed by:

Your audience’s current interests
Trending topics in your niche
Competitor gap analysis
Historical performance data

Example: Instead of guessing “Should I make a tutorial or a vlog?”, Recommendations tell you: “Your audience wants a 12-minute tutorial on [specific topic] with a how-to angle.”

Step 2: Choose Your Video Structure

Video Planner offers beat sheets for common formats:

Tutorial/How-To

Hook (0:00-0:10): State the problem + promise the solution
Credibility (0:10-0:30): Why should they trust you?
Overview (0:30-1:00): What they’ll learn
Step-by-step (1:00-8:00): The meat of the content
Recap (8:00-8:30): Summarize key points
CTA (8:30-9:00): What to do next

Listicle (Top 5, Top 10, etc.)

Hook (0:00-0:10): Tease the best item
Context (0:10-0:30): Why this list matters
Items 5-3 (0:30-4:00): Build anticipation
Items 2-1 (4:00-7:00): Deliver the payoff
Bonus (7:00-7:30): Extra value
CTA (7:30-8:00): Next steps

Story/Vlog

Hook (0:00-0:10): Tease the climax
Setup (0:10-1:00): Set the scene
Rising action (1:00-5:00): Build tension
Climax (5:00-6:00): The big moment
Resolution (6:00-7:00): What happened after
Lesson (7:00-7:30): What you learned
CTA (7:30-8:00): Engage

Review/Comparison

Hook (0:00-0:10): State your verdict upfront
Context (0:10-0:30): What you’re reviewing and why
Pros (0:30-3:00): What’s good
Cons (3:00-5:00): What’s not
Comparison (5:00-7:00): vs. alternatives
Verdict (7:00-7:30): Final recommendation
CTA (7:30-8:00): Where to buy/learn more

Video Planner automatically suggests the best structure based on your topic and audience preferences.

Step 3: Test Your Hook

Before you write the full script, test your hook using Video Planner’s Hook Tester.

Input Your Hook Options

Example:

Option A: “I spent $10,000 on YouTube ads. Here’s what I learned.”
Option B: “This YouTube ad strategy got me 50,000 subscribers in 30 days.”
Option C: “Most creators waste money on YouTube ads. Here’s how to do it right.”

Get Hook Strength Predictions

Video Planner analyzes:

Curiosity factor: Does it make people want to know more?
Specificity: Are the claims concrete?
Emotional trigger: Does it tap into desire, fear, or curiosity?
Thumbnail alignment: Does it match your thumbnail concept?

Result: Option B scores highest because it’s specific, results-focused, and creates curiosity.

Step 4: Build Your Beat Sheet

Now that you have your structure and hook, fill in the beats.

Example: Tutorial Video

Hook (0:00-0:10)

Script: “This one editing trick doubled my retention. Here’s exactly how to do it.”
Visual: Show before/after retention graphs
Audio: Upbeat music, high energy

Credibility (0:10-0:30)

Script: “I’ve edited 500+ videos and tested dozens of techniques. This is the one that works.”
Visual: Quick montage of your work
Audio: Music fades, conversational tone

Overview (0:30-1:00)

Script: “In the next 8 minutes, I’ll show you the exact editing technique, when to use it, and common mistakes to avoid.”
Visual: On-screen text with 3 key points
Audio: Maintain energy

Step-by-step (1:00-8:00)

Break into 3-4 clear steps
Each step: Explain → Demonstrate → Recap
Add pattern interrupts every 90 seconds (visual change, music shift, joke)

Recap (8:00-8:30)

Script: “So to recap: [3 key points]. If you do this, you’ll see [specific result].”
Visual: On-screen checklist
Audio: Slightly slower pace

CTA (8:30-9:00)

Script: “If this helped, hit like. For more editing tips, subscribe. And check out this video next.”
Visual: End screen with suggested video
Audio: Upbeat outro music

Step 5: Add Retention Safeguards

Video Planner flags potential drop-off points and suggests fixes.

Common Drop-Off Points:

0:30-1:00: If your intro is too long, add a pattern interrupt
3:00-4:00: Mid-video slump—add a visual change or surprising fact
7:00-8:00: Viewers know the end is near—tease a bonus or next video

Retention Safeguards:

Pattern interrupts: Change visuals, music, or pacing every 60-90 seconds
Curiosity loops: “But before I show you that, you need to know this…”
Progress indicators: “We’re halfway through, and here’s what’s coming…”
Payoff teases: “The best part is coming in 2 minutes…”

Step 6: Optimize CTA Placement

Video Planner suggests where to place your CTAs based on your video type and length.

CTA Types:

Like/Subscribe: Best at 1:00-1:30 (after you’ve delivered value)
Comment: Best at 5:00-6:00 (when engagement is highest)
External link: Best at 8:00-9:00 (end of video)
Next video: Best at 8:30-9:00 (end screen)

CTA Best Practices:

Don’t ask too early: Deliver value first
Make it specific: “Comment your biggest takeaway” > “Leave a comment”
Tie to content: “If you want more editing tips, subscribe” > “Subscribe”
Use end screens: Don’t rely on verbal CTAs alone

Step 7: Export and Film

Once your beat sheet is complete, export it in your preferred format:

Script format: Full sentences for teleprompter
Bullet points: For natural, conversational delivery
Shot list: For B-roll planning

Pro tip: Print your beat sheet and keep it next to your camera. Glance at it between takes to stay on track.

Step 8: Iterate Based on Performance

After you publish, track your results in Glidee.ai’s Analytics:

Retention graph: Where did viewers drop off?
Engagement rate: Did your CTAs work?
Click-through rate: Did your end screen perform?

Then refine your beat sheet for the next video:

If retention dropped at 3:00, add a pattern interrupt next time
If your CTA didn’t work, try a different placement
If your hook underperformed, test a new angle

Your Video Planner Checklist

Before you film, ensure you have:

Next Steps

Open Video Planner in Glidee.ai
Import a Recommendation or start from scratch
Choose your video structure
Test your hook
Build your beat sheet
Export and film

Ready to plan your next video? Try Video Planner and structure videos that hook and retain.

Related: Learn how to use EditLabs to validate your hook strength after filming.

Ship your next video
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