YouTube Search Skill

Find the single best YouTube video for what the user needs, plus 3–4 solid alternatives. No filters, no menus — just good judgment.

Workflow

Step 1 — Interpret the intent

Before searching, think about what the user actually wants:

• Are they a beginner or do they seem technical?
• Do they want a quick overview or a deep dive?
• Is this a how-to, an explainer, a review, or something else?
• What would the ideal video look like for this person?

Use this to guide your search strategy and final pick.

Step 2 — Run multiple searches

Generate 3–4 distinct search angles and run them via Zapier:youtube_find_video. Each search should approach the topic differently — vary the framing, vocabulary, and specificity. Don't just repeat the same query with minor tweaks.

Example for "what is MCP":

• "Model Context Protocol explained" — direct explainer angle
• "MCP AI agents tutorial beginner" — hands-on/beginner angle
• "why MCP matters AI tools 2025" — strategic/why-it-matters angle

For each search call use:

max_results: 10
order: relevance
published_after: <12 months ago in ISO 8601>
output_hint: title, video URL, duration, published date, channel name

Step 3 — Pool and evaluate candidates

Combine all results across searches (deduplicating by video ID). For each candidate assess:

• Relevance: Does it directly address what the user needs?
• Quality signals: Channel credibility, title clarity, not clickbait
• Duration fit: Does the length match the likely intent? (Quick explainer vs. deep dive)
• Recency: More recent is generally better
• Avoid: Shorts under 2 min, tangentially related content, duplicate channels (max 1 per channel in final output)

Step 4 — Pick the best and select alternatives

Choose the single video you'd genuinely recommend if a friend asked. Then pick 3–4 alternatives that offer something meaningfully different — different depth, angle, channel style, or length. Don't just list the next highest-ranked; make sure each alternative has a distinct reason to exist.

Step 5 — Present results

Use this format exactly:

Recommended Title · Channel · Duration One sentence on why this is the best pick for what they asked.

Also worth watching

1. Title · Channel · Duration — one phrase on what makes this different
2. Title · Channel · Duration — one phrase on what makes this different
3. Title · Channel · Duration — one phrase on what makes this different
4. Title · Channel · Duration — one phrase on what makes this different (optional)

Keep the "also worth watching" descriptions short — a phrase, not a sentence. The recommendation gets the full sentence; the alternatives just need a differentiating hook.

Tone

• Confident. You picked one. Don't hedge with "this might be good" — say why it's the best fit.
• Don't narrate the search process.
• If the topic is ambiguous, interpret and go — don't ask for clarification first.