The Curiosity Gap
Goal = Make Your Avatar So Curious That They Can’t Scroll Past Your Video
Curiosity Gap: The space between what you know and what you want to know.
Great packaging creates a curiosity gap so big that viewers simply can’t ignore it.
How It Works:
A curiosity gap works by making your brain feel like it’s missing a piece of a puzzle, and you really want to find out what it is. It’s like when your friend says, “I have a secret, but I’ll tell you later.” And you can’t stop thinking about it. That’s the curiosity gap pulling you in.
Open loops are how we create that feeling. It’s like starting a story but not finishing it right away. Your brain wants to close the loop and know what happens next.
It’s the reason that most TV shows end each episode on a cliff hanger.
It’s like someone’s hanging on a cliff with one hand by the tip of their fingers, and their friend is running as fast as they can to save them, he dives to grab his hand, then the episode ends.
You don’t know if they’ll live or die, and you can’t go on without knowing, so you watch the next episode.
Often, if I listen to part of a song, it will get stuck in my head all day. But if I play the song and finish it, then it goes away…
It’s almost an uncomfortable feeling, in the expectation of something that you need.
You simply just have to know. You have to find out.
3 Great Examples:
Question it sparks: What’s the hack? How is it silent?
Title: The Silent Hack YouTubers Use To Hook You
Framework: The Silent Hack (Specific Group) Use To (Action)
Thumbnail: 2 well known YouTubers looking at the camera, with tape on their mouths representing a “secret” that they hide from you. It uses 2 different colors that compliment each other to capture attention (blue & red).
Template: Click Here For The Canva Template
Question it sparks: One simple trick, it’s really that easy? What is it?
Title: The Simple Trick to Stop Caring What People Think
Framework: The Simple Trick to Stop (Negative Behavior)
Thumbnail: Sitting on a chair, legs crossed, holding a cigar– representing not caring. White background & black suit (contrast).
Template: Click Here For The Canva Template
Question it sparks: How do I visualize correctly?
Title: Once you visualize correctly, the shift happens. (this is how)
Framework: Once you (action) correctly, the (objective) happens. (this is how)
Thumbnail: Ancient paper with a sketch of some spiritual manifestation thing. 2 bodies representing the current and future self.
What NOT To Do:
Why it’s bad: The thumbnail closes the open loop of what the supplement is.
Lesson: Don’t give the advice/solution away in the thumbnail or title.
Caveat: If the advice doesn’t solve the problem and is intriguing enough.
Question it sparks: How do I sell to the rich? What other advice is there?
Lesson: The advice here is to “Sell to the rich,” but the viewer still needs to know how, and still wants the 90 mins of business advice promised in the title.
Title: 13 Years Of Brutally Honest Business Advice in 90 Mins
Framework: # Years Of Brutally Honest (Topic) Advice in (time)
Thumbnail: Alex Hormozi looking at the camera, a twitter post that says “Sell to the rich” which is intriguing advice. Blue shirt and yellow background for contrast.
Remember:
You don’t need a crazy curiosity gap on every video.
Curiosity will amplify the other triggers when used correctly, but it isn’t required.
Simple titles like “you’re not doing enough,” or “I made $67k today” often blow up because it resonates with the audience by using a different combination of the 5 triggers.
“How To Burn Fat & Get Shredded”
(No c-gap, but it uses Longing & Insecurity)
“I failed to lose weight, until I learned this…”
(This uses Curiosity, Insecurity, & Connection)
“I’ve read 500 self-help books. If you’re 18-21, please watch this…”
(No c-gap, but it uses Longing, Connection, & Knowledge)
“I’ve read 500 self-help books. These 3 are the best.”
(This uses Curiosity, Longing, & Knowledge)