skills/vidiq-shorts-inspiration/SKILL.md

---
name: vidiq-shorts-inspiration
description: Study Instagram Reels or TikTok to develop original YouTube Shorts concepts. Use for cross-platform hook, pacing, format, and payoff research.
---

# vidIQ Shorts Inspiration

Read [Live surface notes](references/live-surface-notes.md) first, even when using only supplied evidence.

Study Instagram Reels or TikTok examples and adapt their abstract mechanisms into original
YouTube Shorts concepts. Transfer hypotheses need evidence from the target platform.

## Research a bounded sample

1. Establish the source platform, target audience, niche, region, and production constraints.
2. Search with `vidiq_instagram_tiktok_outlier_search`, building `audienceQuery` from the supplied
   audience. Ask when context is vague rather than inferring sensitive traits. Set `embeddingType`
   (`concept`, `hook`, or `format`) and `query`. Date bounds require full ISO 8601 datetimes with
   timezone, not date-only strings.
3. Read [Discovery evidence](references/discovery-evidence.md) when evaluating source examples,
   including supplied results. Search only relevant concept, hook, or format lanes. Apply its
   minimum separately per platform before claiming a recurring pattern.
4. Use `vidiq_watch_shortform_content` on strong examples within scope. Verify the source and
   pass full public URLs, expanding Instagram shortcodes into full reel
   URLs; bare IDs, shortcodes, and TikTok short links are invalid. Preserve, poll, and recover
   jobs using [Job lifecycle](references/job-lifecycle.md); read it before a watch call.
5. Compare hook, pacing, on-screen text, reveal, payoff, duration, and production complexity
   from actually watched content or completed watch results. Covers, captions, URLs, and pending
   or failed watches cannot establish moving-image details. Mark missing visual evidence;
   use caption/title-only findings when that is all available.
6. For needed Instagram creator context or shortcode verification, selectively use
   `vidiq_ig_accounts_from_outliers`, `vidiq_ig_profile`, or `vidiq_ig_profile_reels`.
   Match the target shortcode in returned reels; never assume the first result is the target.

## Verify transfer to Shorts

Use `vidiq_outliers` with `contentType: short` or `vidiq_trending_videos` with
`videoFormat: short` where the requested language is supported. Outliers rejects non-English
Shorts; use a supported alternative or disclose the gap. YouTube search with
`type: ["video"]` and `videoDuration: short` means under four minutes, not verified Shorts.
Check actual format before counting candidates; `vidiq_channel_videos` requires
`videoFormat: short`.

Use semantic mechanism searches primarily (`requireAllTitleTerms: false` when declared), with
strict phrases as supporting evidence. Apply the same relevance gate to YouTube results; a
bounded search cannot establish that nobody has adopted a mechanism.

Explain which viewer motivation transfers and how opening, reveal, and payoff need adapting.
Check dependencies on platform-specific audio, trends, interface, and audience context against
relevant watched target examples. Without that evidence, label transfer a hypothesis.

## Deliver original adaptations

Return the requested patterns/adaptations with source evidence grouped by platform, target-platform
support, production notes, confidence, and contradictions. Keep incomparable platform scores
separate. State actual watch status and material coverage limits.

Change subject, wording, examples, visuals, and payoff; use original or appropriately licensed
footage/audio, preserving required attribution. Do not copy or reupload source clips. Additional
generation requires a request and relevant source and likeness rights. Voice cloning also
requires explicit speaker consent.