How to Write Great Titles

The WAW Framework

Every great YouTube title does one of three things: it makes you want something, makes you worried about something, or makes you wonder about something. Usually, the best titles do two or three at once.

We call this the WAW Framework: Want, Avoid, Wonder.

Want: “I want that”

Want is the pull toward something desirable. When someone reads your title and thinks “I want that,” you’ve triggered Want.

Want can be external (outcomes in the world) or internal (who you become).

External Want

These are tangible outcomes and results:

Results and achievements (“How We Cut Production Time by 40%”)
Money and growth (“The $2M Product Line We Almost Didn’t Launch”)
Status and recognition (“How a 12-Person Shop Landed a DoD Contract”)
Time and freedom (“Build Fixtures in Half the Time”)

Internal Want

These are about identity, mastery, and personal growth:

Mastery and skill (“The Technique That Separates Good Welders from Great Ones”)
Confidence (“Finally Understand G-Code Without the Confusion”)
Identity (“Think Like a Systems Engineer, Not Just a Machinist”)
Pride in craft (“Build Work You’re Actually Proud to Ship”)
Growth (“Level Up Your CNC Skills in 30 Days”)

Internal Want often matters more than external Want for engaged audiences. Someone might not care about “$50K more revenue” but deeply care about “becoming the kind of machinist who can solve any setup problem.”

What makes Want stronger

Specific numbers beat vague promises (“$847K” hits harder than “more revenue”)
Personal proof beats generic advice (“How I Did X” beats “How to Do X”)
Extraordinary outcomes stand out (“$3M” gets more attention than “$50K”)
Identity language resonates (“Become” and “Think Like” pull harder than “Learn”)

Example (external):

“The Jig That Saved Us 200 Hours Last Quarter”

This works because it’s specific (200 hours), proven (we actually did it), and desirable (who doesn’t want to save 200 hours?).

Example (internal):

“The Mental Model That Changed How I Approach Every Job”

This works because it promises transformation in how you think, not just what you do. It’s about becoming better, not just getting results.

Avoid: “Am I at risk?”

Avoid is the push away from something threatening. When someone reads your title and thinks “Wait, am I doing this wrong?” you’ve triggered Avoid.

Like Want, Avoid can be external (things that happen to you) or internal (how you feel about yourself).

External Avoid

These are tangible losses and failures:

Mistakes and errors (“The Tolerance Stack Mistake That Scraps Parts”)
Wasted money (“Stop Throwing Money Away on Carbide”)
Failure and risk (“Why 70% of New Product Launches Fail”)
Missed opportunities (“The Quote Follow-Up Most Shops Skip”)

Internal Avoid

These are about identity, competence, and self-image:

Embarrassment (“Don’t Be the Guy Who Crashes a $50K Spindle”)
Looking incompetent (“The ‘Basic’ Mistake Even Experienced Machinists Make”)
Regret (“What I Wish I Knew Before Buying My First VMC”)
Being left behind (“Your Competitors Are Already Doing This”)
Shame (“The Quoting Habit That Makes You Look Unprofessional”)

Internal Avoid often hits harder than external Avoid. Losing $10K stings, but looking foolish in front of a customer or peer? That keeps people up at night.

What makes Avoid stronger

“You” language makes it personal (“costing YOU” vs “costs people”)
Specific consequences feel real (“scraps 1 in 10 parts” vs “causes problems”)
Urgency adds pressure (“right now,” “every day,” “before it’s too late”)
Social stakes amplify fear (“in front of your customer,” “your team will notice”)

Example (external):

“The Quoting Mistake That’s Losing You $50K/Year”

This works because it’s specific ($50K), personal (you), ongoing (every year), and names a concrete mistake.

Example (internal):

“The Setup Error That Makes You Look Like an Amateur”

This works because it threatens identity. Nobody wants to look like an amateur, especially if they’ve been doing this for years.

Wonder: “I need to know”

Wonder is the itch to find out. When someone reads your title and a question forms in their mind that they can’t ignore, you’ve triggered Wonder.

What creates Wonder:

An information gap (something is hidden or unknown)
Novelty (an angle they haven’t seen before)
Specificity (concrete details that raise questions)
Credibility (a source worth hearing from)

What kills Wonder:

Vague promises (“Tips for Better Manufacturing”)
Predictable content (“How to Improve Quality”)
Answers in the title (“Review: This Machine Is Great”)
Overused formats (“10 Things You Need to Know”)

Example:

“We Switched to This Steel Grade and Everything Changed”

This works because it creates a gap (which grade? what changed?), implies a story worth hearing, and promises insider knowledge.

Putting It Together

The best titles often combine two or three dimensions:

Title	Want	Avoid	Wonder
”The Fixture Mistake Costing You Hours Every Week”	—	✓	✓
“How We 10X’d Output With One Process Change”	✓	—	✓
“Stop Losing Quotes to Cheaper Competitors (Do This Instead)”	✓	✓	✓

Notice how the third title hits all three:

Want: Win more quotes
Avoid: Stop losing to competitors
Wonder: What’s “this”?

Quick Self-Check

Before you publish, ask yourself:

Want: Does this create desire for a specific outcome?
Avoid: Does this make viewers worry they’re missing something or doing something wrong?
Wonder: Does this create a question they need answered?

If you can’t answer “yes” to at least one of these, your title probably won’t get clicked.

Common Mistakes

Trying to be clever instead of clear. Puns and wordplay rarely work. Clarity beats cleverness.

Burying the hook. Put the most compelling element early. “The $2M Mistake” beats “How Our Company Made a $2M Mistake.”

Being too vague. “Great Tips for Manufacturers” tells me nothing. “3 Ways to Quote Jobs 50% Faster” tells me exactly what I’ll get.

Overpromising. If your title promises something your video doesn’t deliver, you’ll get clicks but also dislikes and drop-offs. Match the promise to the content.

Start Simple

You don’t need to hit all three dimensions in every title. Start by making sure you’re hitting at least one strongly. A title with strong Wonder and zero Want or Avoid will still outperform a title that weakly hits all three.

The framework is a tool for diagnosis, not a formula. If a title isn’t working, WAW helps you figure out why.