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"What if your content could build itself while getting smarter every time you hit publish?"
The best creators today aren’t just storytellers.
They’re systems engineers, running AI-driven workflows that turn one video into 30+ high-performing assets... automatically.
Let’s break down:
Why being a great storyteller is just the baseline now
How “systems-first storytelling” works (with real examples)
What a 64K token context window actually unlocks
The 5-step S.C.A.L.E. Method that fuels multi-platform growth
Quick wins you can implement tonight
And how a creator we work with pulls 1–2M views a week.
If you want to move beyond content chaos and start building a system that compounds…
This one’s for you.
I’ve added an update for January 2026, scroll to the bottom.
The Big Shift: From Creator to Operator
Let me be straight up:
This isn’t about replacing creators.
With AI generated content flooding the feed and “dead internet theory” feeling a little too real, I’m really bullish on real humans with real charisma.
The creators who can tell a story, hold attention, and build trust? They’re more valuable than ever. Long form sells.
Same goes for brands that act like creators. Human, funny, unfiltered, consistent.
But here's the thing… there’s a difference between good creators and unstoppable creators.
Good creators hustle.
Unstoppable ones build workflows.
Old Game | New Game | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
“Post more” | “Label/structure your data” | Volume isn't just exposure; it's data. Every piece informs the system, revealing what hits. AI processes data at scale. |
“Find your voice” | “Encode your voice” | AI learns your tone and POV so it scales you, not some generic nonsense. |
“Use AI for shortcuts” | “Use AI to surface the signal” | Use AI for analysis, ID’ing hooks, moments that land, audience sentiment. |
Manual grind | Automated flywheel | Creators stay creative. Systems handle cutdowns, repurposing, scheduling. |
One clip at a time | One video = 30+ assets | 10x output without 10x effort. Better results, faster. |
And that’s the real shift:
The best creators aren’t doing more (they’re already doing a heck of a lot).
They’re using tools like this to do better work, faster and at scale.
The S.C.A.L.E. Method
How to turn one video into 30+ assets on autopilot.
Here’s the breakdown:
Step | What Happens | Why This Works | Tools & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Story | Start with one strong "pillar" piece of long-form content, video pod, webinar, interview, even a passionate rant into your phone. | Foundational quality is so important. This is the core asset AI will analyze and dissect. Think GaryVee's model. | The better the raw story, the better everything else. |
Cut | Use AI to identify transitions, hooks, punchlines, and tension points. | AI analyzes audio, visuals, and transcripts to find segments likely to engage. | Gemini Flash 2.5, Claude 3.7, Transcription APIs, Whisper, manual timestamps |
Analyze | Run the transcript through a long-context model to find what actually resonates. | Use long context windows so the AI understands the entire piece, not just isolated sentences. | Flash 2.5 (1m+ token window & 64k output) = full-episode clarity, with less complicated automations |
Leverage | Auto-generate clips, captions, formats (9:16 for Reels, 1:1 for LinkedIn, etc.). | AI handles the reformatting, captioning, post copy (per platform), and aspect ratios | Opus, ffmpeg, AutoCut, Canva API, etc. |
Evolve | Feed performance data (views, retention, shares) back into the system. | Create a feedback loop. AI can analyze what worked, why it worked, and do better over time. | Looker Studio (or wherever you keep these analytics) → Supabase vector DB → smarter AI |
Give your brain this image:
You record on Monday.
AI slices it overnight.
By Tuesday morning, you’ve got 30 ready-to-post assets in your Trello.
What This Looks Like in the Wild
This isn’t some theory about “AI and the future of content.”
It’s what’s happening right now at scale.
I just set this system up with a new creator (1 month ago). Not a household name. No massive team.
Just one person with a strong voice and a system to back it up.
He’s now pulling 1–2 million views a week across TikTok, YT (shorts & longs), and X (video + threads).
This happened without adding hundreds of hours of manual editing or relying on guesswork. The system helped identify and package the moments most likely to resonate, informed by ongoing performance data.
And we’re seeing this everywhere.
“Most creators are burning out trying to do it all.
The smart ones are building workflows that do 80% of the heavy lifting.”
— Ali Abdaal, creator & productivity YouTuber (6.4M+ subs)
The numbers matter less than the pattern:
Creators who add structure, who treat content like a repeatable product, not a performance, win faster.
It’s about compounding quality + consistency + distribution without adding a crazy amount of hours to your day.
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Start Building Your System Tonight (Updated)
This isn’t about going full AI automation content superman expert overnight.
You don’t need to hire a dev team, wire up automations, or memorize model specs (but if you want that holler at me).
STEP 1: STORY (Your Foundation)
Create ONE quality pillar piece. Don't overthink it.
What works:
Podcast episode (30-90 min)
Long-form YouTube video
Webinar or workshop recording
Live stream
Screen recording walking through your process
Even a 10-min rant into your phone about something you know cold
The key: Natural conversation beats polished scripts. Viral moments live in the unscripted parts.
Tools:
Riverside.fm (remote podcast recording)
Descript (record + transcribe in one)
Zoom (just record your strategy calls)
Voice memo on your phone (seriously, this works)
Quick tip: You don't need a studio. The creator pulling 1.2M views/month records in his house during breaks.
STEP 2: CUT (Finding the Gold)
This is where long-context AI changed everything.
THE PROMPT (Copy This):
You are a viral content strategist specializing in short-form video.
Analyze this full podcast transcript and identify 15-20 short-form video clips (30-90 seconds each) with the highest viral potential for [PLATFORM: TikTok/Instagram/YouTube Shorts/LinkedIn].
For each clip, provide:
1. **Timestamp** (start and end)
2. **Hook** (exact first 3 seconds that stop the scroll)
3. **Core insight** (the ONE takeaway—not 5 things, ONE thing)
4. **Why it works** (which psychological trigger does this hit?)
5. **Platform fit** (TikTok/Reels/Shorts/LinkedIn/Twitter)
Focus on moments that:
- Challenge conventional thinking (contrarian angle)
- Include specific numbers or results (credibility)
- Tell micro-stories (narrative pull)
- Provide immediately actionable advice (value delivery)
- Create "I can't believe they said that" reactions (shareability)
CRITICAL RULES:
- Each clip must have ONE core idea (not 3-5 ideas jammed together)
- The hook must deliver on what the content promises (no bait-and-switch)
- Front-load the value (interesting part comes in first 10 seconds)
- Include minimum viable context only (cut the preamble)
Context about my content:
- Niche: [YOUR NICHE]
- Audience: [YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE]
- Voice: [Direct/Casual/Professional/etc.]
- Topics that perform well: [LIST 2-3 TOPICS]
[PASTE YOUR FULL TRANSCRIPT HERE]What changed: Before, you'd feed AI a 5-minute chunk. Now you feed it the whole thing. It finds patterns you'd miss.
Tools:
Claude Sonnet 4.5 (best for reasoning about what will resonate)
Gemini 2.0 Flash Experimental (best for analyzing multiple episodes at once)
Opus Clip (automated cutting if you want to skip manual work)
Descript (smart editing + transcription)
Time investment: 10 minutes of prompting → 15-20 clip ideas ready to review.
STEP 3: ANALYZE (The Psychology Layer)
AI found the moments. Now figure out WHY they'll work.
THE FRAMEWORK (From Our Social Media Strategist Playbook):
For each clip AI suggested, ask these 4 questions:
What's the core theme? (Growth? Systems? Proof? Mindset shift?)
What's the ONE key insight? (If they forget everything else, what should they remember?)
What emotion does this unlock? (Fear, greed, curiosity, status, time-saving?)
What are 2-3 different angles to frame this? (X hook vs LinkedIn hook vs TikTok hook)
THE PROMPT (Copy This):
I have a 60-second video clip about [TOPIC].
Here's the transcript:
[PASTE CLIP TRANSCRIPT]
Help me optimize this for maximum engagement:
1. What's the ONE core takeaway? (Distill to a single sentence)
2. Which of these emotions does it target?
- Money (wealth, income, financial freedom)
- Time (efficiency, shortcuts, automation)
- Health (wellness, energy, longevity)
- Status (recognition, exclusive access, competitive edge)
3. Write 3 different hooks for this clip:
- Hook for X/Twitter (bold, contrarian, under 280 chars)
- Hook for LinkedIn (professional, authority-driven, data-forward)
- Hook for TikTok/Reels (pattern interrupt, visual, fast)
4. What's the "shock score" of this clip? (If you showed this to 100 people in my niche, how many would be genuinely surprised by this insight? Score 1-100)
If shock score is under 60, suggest how to reframe the clip to increase surprise factor.Why this works:
Same clip, different hooks = 3× the mileage.
Example from a client:
Original hook: "Here's how I automate my content"
Shock score: 15 (everyone talks about automation)
Reframed hook: "I fired my social media manager because AI made her obsolete in 72 hours. Here's what happened."
Shock score: 78
Same clip. 5× more views.
The psychology principle:
People don't share information. They share emotions. If it doesn't make them feel something strong (shock, fear, excitement, curiosity), it won't spread.
STEP 4: LEVERAGE (Multi-Platform Distribution)
One clip → 14 assets.
THE ASSET MATRIX:
From ONE analyzed 60-second clip, create:
Video formats (5 assets):
TikTok version (9:16, captions, trending audio optional)
Instagram Reel (9:16, captions, text overlay for key points)
YouTube Short (9:16, captions)
LinkedIn video (1:1 or 16:9, professional framing)
X/Twitter video (16:9 or 1:1, under 2:20)
Text formats (5 assets):
6. X/Twitter thread (3-7 tweets, hook + breakdown + CTA)
7. X/Twitter single (standalone tweet, punchy hook)
8. LinkedIn post - short (150-300 words, story-driven)
9. LinkedIn post - long (500-1000 words, deeper breakdown)
10. Newsletter section (ready to drop into your next edition)
Visual formats (4 assets):
11. Instagram carousel (5-10 slides, key points visualized)
12. LinkedIn carousel (same content, professional design)
13. Quote graphic (pull the best soundbite, design it)
14. Stat graphic (if data-driven, visualize the number)
From ONE podcast episode (with 15 clips) = 200+ assets.
You won't use all of them. But you'll have options.
PLATFORM-SPECIFIC OPTIMIZATION:
Platform | Hook Style | Length | Captions | Best CTA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
TikTok | Pattern interrupt, fast open | 15-60 sec | Required | Soft (comment/save) |
Instagram Reels | Visual hook, personality-driven | 30-90 sec | Required | Medium (follow/save) |
YouTube Shorts | Value promise upfront | 30-60 sec | Recommended | Soft (subscribe) |
Professional insight, authority signal | 30-90 sec | Required | Strong (DM me) | |
X/Twitter | Contrarian take, bold claim | 30-120 sec | Optional | Medium (reply) |
THE PROMPT FOR PLATFORM ADAPTATION (Copy This):
I have a video clip optimized for [ORIGINAL PLATFORM].
Help me adapt this for [TARGET PLATFORM]:
Original clip:
- Hook: [ORIGINAL HOOK]
- Length: [DURATION]
- Core insight: [ONE SENTENCE]
Target platform: [LinkedIn/TikTok/Instagram/X/YouTube Shorts]
Provide:
1. Rewritten hook optimized for [TARGET PLATFORM]'s algorithm and audience
2. Any content adjustments needed (pacing, tone, formality)
3. Caption copy (if applicable)
4. Hashtag strategy (if applicable)
5. Best posting time and cadence for this platform
Platform-specific considerations:
- X: Punchy, controversial, thread-able
- LinkedIn: Professional, data-driven, authority-building
- TikTok: Fast-paced, visual hooks, trend-aware
- Instagram: Aesthetic, personality-driven, story-forward
- YouTube Shorts: Value-forward, subscribe-worthy
Make it feel native to the platform, not repurposed.AUTOMATION OPTIONS:
Entry Level (Manual + AI Assist):
Claude/Gemini for clip ideas and hook variations
CapCut for manual cutting (free, easy)
Canva for graphics (free tier works)
Manual posting to each platform
Time: 2-3 hours per episode
Mid-Level (Semi-Automated):
Opus Clip for auto-cutting ($29/mo)
Descript for transcription + smart editing ($24/mo)
Repurpose.io for multi-platform distribution ($20/mo)
Buffer or Hootsuite for scheduling ($15/mo)
Time: 1 hour per episode
Advanced (Fully Automated):
ffmpeg + API for programmatic cutting
Custom Claude Code skills for content generation
Postiz MCP for automated publishing
Supabase for performance tracking
Feedback loop: Performance data → AI → Better iterations
Time: 45 minutes per episode (mostly review)
This is what the 1.2M views/month client uses.
STEP 5: EVOLVE (The Compounding Layer)
This is where most people stop. Don't.
The system gets smarter when you feed performance data back into it.
METRICS TO TRACK (Per Asset):
Views/Impressions
Engagement rate (likes, comments, shares, saves)
Click-through rate (if CTA included)
Watch time / retention % (for video)
Conversion events (signups, purchases, DMs)
THE EVOLUTION CYCLE:
Week 1: Post 20+ assets from Episode 1 Week 2: Let them run (7-14 days for full data) Week 3: Analyze top 20% performers
QUESTIONS TO ASK:
Which segments resonated most? (Topic patterns)
Which formats performed best per platform? (Video vs carousel vs text)
What themes/topics drove most engagement? (Content angles)
What hooks stopped the scroll? (Opening lines that worked)
Which CTAs converted best? (Save vs Share vs Comment vs DM)
THE PROMPT FOR PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS (Copy This):
I posted 20 content assets from one podcast episode. Here's the performance data:
[PASTE PERFORMANCE DATA - Include: Asset type, platform, views, engagement rate, top-performing hook]
Analyze this data and tell me:
1. **Pattern Recognition:** What do the top 20% performers have in common?
- Topic themes
- Hook styles
- Format types
- Platform fit
2. **Content Insights:** Which specific moments/topics resonated most?
3. **Hook Analysis:** What made the winning hooks work? (Compare top 3 vs bottom 3)
4. **Platform Insights:** Which platforms are overperforming vs underperforming for my content type?
5. **Next Episode Strategy:** Based on this data, what should I focus on for the next podcast episode?
- Topics to double down on
- Hook patterns to replicate
- Formats to prioritize
- Platforms to focus on
6. **What to Kill:** What's not working? What should I stop doing?
Give me actionable recommendations, not generic advice.THE COMPOUNDING EFFECT:
Month 1: Guessing what works (maybe 20% hit rate)
Month 3: Pattern recognition emerging (40-50% hit rate)
Month 6: Predictable viral content system (60-70% hit rate)
The data doesn't just tell you what worked. It tells you WHY. And the AI learns faster than you can.
You're not trying to go viral tomorrow.
You're training a system.
You want to get in reps so each result is a data point.
That’s how you get the flywheel going.
If this newsletter lit a fire under you, forward it to one person who would benefit.
🎁 Get rewarded for sharing! My team grew NEW accounts to over 50 million views in just a few months. We made an AI viral hook generator so you can follow the same hook frameworks that we do.
Invite your friends to join, and when they sign up, you’ll unlock our AI Viral Hook Generator—the ultimate tool for creating scroll-stopping content.
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Ready to Build Your Systems-First Content Engine?
Stop guessing. Start scaling.
The creators who win aren’t working harder.
They’re working smarter with workflows that compound.
🔥 Book Your Strategy Session → Let’s design your system, your stack, your scale. 🔥
Let’s go big.
Matt Berman
BigPlayers.co | CEO, Emerald Digital | CEO, Connyct