# Youtube Content Strategist > Create a data-driven YouTube content strategy and 30-day content calendar using YouTube Data API v3. Analyzes your channel's performance, cross-references with niche data, identifies content pillars, evaluates Shorts vs long-form split, determines optimal duration and schedule, and finds sequel opportunities. Use when users want to (1) Plan their next 30 days of content, (2) Get a data-backed content calendar, (3) Optimize their content mix, (4) Identify sequel and follow-up opportunities, (5) Compare their strategy against niche benchmarks, (6) Find their best-performing content pillars. Requires user's YouTube Data API v3 key. - Skill: `nikhilbhansali/youtube-content-strategist` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 3 files) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add nikhilbhansali/youtube-content-strategist` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/nikhilbhansali/youtube-content-strategist/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Integrations & APIs - Author: nikhilbhansali (https://skillmd.com/u/nikhilbhansali) - Updated: 2026-09-17 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/nikhilbhansali/youtube-content-strategist --- # YouTube Content Strategist Create a data-driven 30-day content calendar by analyzing your channel + niche benchmarks. ## Usage ``` /youtube-content-strategist @MyChannel --niche "productivity" /youtube-content-strategist @MyChannel --niche "cooking recipes" --uploads-per-week 3 /youtube-content-strategist UCxxxxxxx --niche "fitness" ``` ## Instructions ### Step 1: Parse Arguments - **Channel** (required): `@handle`, URL, or channel ID - **--niche "keyword"** (required): the niche/topic area - **--uploads-per-week N** (optional): target upload frequency (default: auto-detect from history) - **--max-videos N** (optional): how many recent uploads to analyze (default: 200) ### Step 2: Get the API Key Check Claude memory for a YouTube Data API v3 key. If not found, ask: > "I need a YouTube Data API v3 key. You can get one from the Google Cloud Console. Please paste your key." ### Step 3: Run the Bundled Script Run `scripts/analyze_strategy.py` — resolve the path relative to this skill's own directory: ```bash YT_API_KEY=API_KEY python3 /scripts/analyze_strategy.py "@CHANNEL" --niche "NICHE" [--uploads-per-week N] ``` Dependency: `pip3 install google-api-python-client`. The script resolves the channel with `channels.list` (1 unit), pages the uploads playlist, classifies every video into a content type and duration bucket, measures Shorts vs long-form performance, derives the upload cadence and preferred days/hours, finds sequel candidates (2x average views and older than 60 days), samples the niche for benchmarks, and lists the channel's playlists. ### Step 4: Read the Data ``` reports/data/content-strategy--.json ``` ### Step 5: Write the Strategy Report Write to the path the script printed: ``` reports/content-strategy--.md ``` ```markdown # Content Strategy: [Channel Name] *Niche: [Niche] | Analyzed [date] | [N] videos analyzed* ## Channel Position Assessment Where does this channel stand? Subscribers, total views, video count. How does it compare to niche benchmarks? ## Content Mix Analysis ### Current Mix | Content Type | Count | % | Avg Views | Avg Engagement | |-------------|-------|---|-----------|----------------| What's working best? What's underperforming? ### Optimal Mix Recommendation Based on performance data, recommend shifting the mix. ## Shorts vs Long-Form Strategy | Metric | Shorts | Long-Form | |--------|--------|-----------| Which is performing better for this channel? Recommendation on Shorts strategy. ## Optimal Video Duration | Duration Bucket | Count | Avg Views | |----------------|-------|-----------| What duration sweet spot should this channel target? ## Upload Schedule | Metric | Current | Recommended | |--------|---------|-------------| Best days and times based on historical data. Upload frequency recommendation with reasoning. ## Content Pillars (Ranked by Impact) For each content pillar: - Performance metrics - Strategic role (growth, engagement, authority, etc.) - Recommendation (double down / maintain / reduce / try) ## Sequel & Follow-Up Opportunities Videos that outperformed and deserve sequels. | Original Video | Views | Age | Suggested Follow-Up | |---------------|-------|-----|---------------------| ## Playlist Strategy Current playlists and their sizes. Recommendations for new playlists or series. ## 30-Day Content Calendar Generate a concrete calendar: | Week | Day | Video Title Idea | Type | Duration | Rationale | |------|-----|------------------|------|----------|-----------| | 1 | Mon | ... | tutorial | 12 min | Top-performing format | | 1 | Thu | ... | tips | 8 min | High engagement topic | ... Base every recommendation on actual data from the analysis. ## Growth Levers (Ranked by Impact) 1. **[Lever]** - Data backing - Expected impact 2. **[Lever]** - Data backing - Expected impact ... ## Quota Usage | Operation | Calls | Units | |-----------|-------|-------| Use the `quota_used.breakdown` block from the JSON. ``` ### Step 6: Report Completion Tell the user the report path, the channel position summary, the top content pillar finding, the upload schedule recommendation, a 30-day calendar overview, and the quota consumed. ## Quota Estimate Only the niche benchmark needs `search.list`; everything about the user's own channel goes through `channels.list` + `playlistItems.list`. | Operation | Calls | Units | |-----------|-------|-------| | `channels.list` (resolve handle/ID/URL) | 1 | 1 | | `playlistItems.list` (200 uploads) | 4 | 4 | | `videos.list` (200 videos, batches of 50) | 4 | 4 | | `search.list` (niche benchmark) | 1 | 100 | | `videos.list` (benchmark details) | 1 | 1 | | `playlists.list` | 1 | 1 | | **Total** | | **~111** | Resolving an `@handle` previously fell back to `search.list` (100 units) when the first lookup missed; `forHandle`/`forUsername` now handles every input form for 1 unit. Daily default allowance is 10,000 units, resetting at midnight Pacific Time.