Most creators obsess over hooks, titles, thumbnails, analogies, and editing tricks. The problem is simple: none of that saves a bad topic. The videos that break through always start with one thing people actually care about.
Here’s the thing. When you study the posts and videos that pull in millions of views, you see the same pattern every time. The topic does the heavy lifting. Everything else just amplifies it.
TLDR / Key Summary
- A strong topic beats every hook, title, or edit.
- Topic selection decides whether your content reaches new people.
- The best topics hit CCN Fit: Core, Casual, New audiences.
- Use the pyramid to build content the right way: start at the top, not the bottom.
- Most creators waste time polishing ideas no one asked for.
- You grow by choosing topics people already want to engage with.
This pyramid shows the truth about content strategy. Most creators build from the bottom up. They start with examples, analogies, stories, or editing details and hope it all adds up to a strong video. It never does.
Let’s break down each layer in plain English:
- Topic: This is the entire game. Topic selection decides everything—reach, relevance, and potential for recommendations. If the topic is weak, nothing below it matters.
- Thumbnail: Visual intent. It either earns curiosity or it doesn’t. Thumbnails convert the topic into something scroll-stopping.
- Title: The promise. A good title frames the topic and tells the viewer what outcome they’re walking into.
- Hook: This keeps people watching long enough to decide whether they trust you. Hooks are important, but they’re not the foundation.
- Content: The meat. Clear, direct, helpful. You say what you promised.
- Story: Humans remember stories. If the content is the facts, the story is what makes it stick.
- Analogy: This is how you make complex ideas simple. Good creators rely on analogies more than jargon.
- Example: The easiest way to make a point real. Show it. Don’t just tell it.
Why The Topic Is 90% of the Outcome
The speaker nails something creators ignore: your topic choice decides whether anyone even gives your video a chance. Not your hook. Not the B-roll. Not the transitions or the story arc.
Your topic is the first filter.
If people don’t want it, the algorithm can’t force it.
Strong topics have CCN Fit, a concept from Paddy Galloway. It’s one of the simplest and most accurate ways to understand content performance.
What CCN Fit Means
- Core: Your loyal followers care.
- Casual: People who occasionally watch you still find it relevant.
- New: A total stranger sees the topic and cares immediately.
A topic that hits all three groups wins. That’s how videos go from a few thousand views to millions.
Why Most Creators Fail
Most creators start with the wrong question.
They ask things like
- “How do I make my editing better?”
- “Is this hook strong enough?”
- “Should I rework the intro?”
They’re polishing the bottom of the pyramid.
This is why they stay stuck:
- Success comes from reversing the order.
- Pick something valuable.
- Pick something relatable.
- Pick something people already care about.
- Then build the rest of the video around it.
How To Choose Strong Topics Consistently
Here’s a simple approach that works.
1. List the real problems your audience has
Not hypothetical ones.
The actual ones they talk about every day.
People open content that solves real pain.
2. Turn each pain point into a simple question
People gravitate toward questions they’ve asked themselves.
Questions make topics clear.
If you need the top questions to start with check the People Also Ask question of a Google Search of use KeywordsPeopleUse.com:
3. Test topics before filming
Say each topic out loud.
If it doesn’t instantly make sense, throw it away.
4. Ask this filter question
Would a stranger care?
If the answer isn’t a hard yes, it’s not CCN Fit.
The Pattern Behind Every Viral Creator
Look at MrBeast, Colin & Samir, Kai Cenat, or any niche creator who has breakout hits. The pattern is identical.
- Strong topic
- Strong framing
- Strong promise
Everything else is secondary.
When the topic resonates, the rest of the pyramid enhances it. When the topic is weak, the rest of the pyramid becomes noise.
Turning This Into Your Next 30 Days of Content
Here’s a simple system you can use right now.
Week 1: Brainstorm
Create a list of 50 topics using real questions your audience has asked you.
Week 2: Score each topic
- Use CCN Fit as your filter
- Core
- Casual
- New
- Only keep the ones that hit all three.
Week 3: Build your pyramid
- Topic
- Title
- Thumbnail
- Hook
- Content outline
- Story
- Analogy
- Examples
You don’t need heavy production. You need clarity that starts at the top of the pyramid.
Week 4: Publish and measure
- Look for patterns.
- Watch time
- Retention
- Click-through rate
- Comments
The topics that hit will hit quickly.
Double down on those.
What This Really Means For You
Stop worrying about perfection.
Stop obsessing over micro-tweaks.
Stop thinking the hook will save you.
- Your topic does the work.
- Your topic earns the click.
- Your topic brings in the strangers who don’t owe you attention.
Pick topics worth caring about and the rest becomes simple.
