How To Write Yaps That Sell

How To Write Short Form That Sells

Want to get leads and sales from Instagram?

Don’t have a large following?

This guide will walk you through the ‘yapping’ formula that I used to generate over 400,000 views, as well as thousands of leads and sales with just a few reels.

Here are a few of my results using this formula:

Take note of how many comments each reel had…

Most of them are viewers asking for a giveaway that became a lead/sale through a DM automation (which you’ll learn about in this guide).

Let’s jump right into the framework:

The Yap Framework

Here’s the full framework for a Yap that sells:

Calm Hook (4-7 seconds)
Visual Proof (3-5 seconds)
Benefit Re-hook (5-8 seconds)
Retention Statement (2-4 seconds)
Named Steps (30-50 seconds)
Save Bait Interrupt (3-5 seconds)
Call To Action (8-12 seconds)

Sounds like a lot, but most of these are just 1-2 sentences.

Let’s break down each section.

Section 1: The Calm Hook

The first thing every reel needs to do is get infront of the right viewer, stop them from scrolling, and get them curious enough to watch.

Instagram has been getting better and better at matching viewers with the content they want to see. In the past their algorithm focused mainly on their internal social graph… Who follows you, who followers your followers… In order to determine what you see in you feed.

Every since TikTok shook up the short form video world, Instagram has been moving more towards interest based recommendtaions over their social graph.

That means if you want your content to be seen by your target audience, you need to pick topics that are currently trending with that audience.

Even better if you can pick 2 or more trending topics and combine them in a unique way.

Your hook should talk about your personal experience and results with your chosen topics.

For example:

I noticed ‘yapping’ is a trending topic in my niche.

I also noticed ‘Claude AI’ is a trending topic.

One of my recent reels combined these two trends and mentioned some recent, specific results I’ve had with those topics:

Over 60k views so far with over 3k comments asking for my lead magnet.

Pretty good for only 8,000 followers at the time I posted it.

Notice the text headline: I mention the two trending topics and my specific result/experience in as few words as possible.

The verbal delviery should be as calm and non-chalant as possible.

This creates a juxtaposition – crazy claim (13,000 leads from 1 reel) with a completely calm tonality.

That juxtaposition in tone creates curiosity. Most creators use hype and high energy when making a big claim.

Section 2: Visual Proof

Immediately after your hook, show them visual proof of your experience.

If you’re talking about money, show off your sales dashboard or trading account…

If you’re in the social media space, show off your views/follower counts.

If you’re in the fitness space, show before-and-after photos…

I display the proof shot right over my talking head video and point to it as I’m talking:

While pointing at my specific proof I say something like:

“In fact, here are the results from my last reel after using this AI Yapping formula”

Be specific and tell people what you are showing them and where it came from.

Adapt this line for your specific proof.

Section 3: Benefit Re-Hook

Now before you get into the content of your reel, re-hook them with additional benefits or removing common pain points.

I usually start this section with ‘Now the cool thing is’ or ‘Now the best part is’ and then list out the benefits.

Here are some examples:

‘Now the cool thing is this works without anything technical, and you can see your first sale in a day or two’

‘Now the best part is you can eat all your favorite foods with this method and still lose weight’

Section 4: Retention Statement

After re-hooking, I give them a mental map for the rest of the content by telling them how many steps are involved.

This builds anticipation for each step.

As a bonus, frame the last step as something ‘weird/unusual’ or ‘the most important step’ to increase retention further.

Some examples:

‘There are just 3 steps to making this whole thing work, and the third step is the most crucial’

‘I built this with just 3 short AI prompts, and the 3rd one is a little unusual’

Section 5: Named Steps

The named steps are where you will provide the real value in your content.

I simple formula for delivering each step:

Tease what the step offers
Name the step something unique
Deliver the value
Tease the next step

An example if I were to write a reel about yapping:

“The first step to yapping is to stop the scroll [TEASE] using what I call a ‘Topic Mixer Hook’ [NAMED STEP]. You take the two most viral topics in your niche and combine them in a way no one else has yet.[VALUE] Now this only works if you can visually prove your experiences with…[TEASE NEXT STEP]“

This is a condensed example; however, it demonstrates the flow I would use to go from one value block to the next while keeping retention high.

Section 6: Save Bait Interrupt

Before moving on to the CTA, I always drop what I call “Save Bait.”

This is a quick, information-dense screen that either summarizes the reel or adds valuable bonus information.

People won’t have enough time to read everything, so they’ll often rewatch the reel, pause on that screen, and hit the save button so they can come back to it later. All of those actions increase engagement, and Instagram tends to reward that.

This also serves as an important pattern interrupt before our call to action.

Here’s an example from my reel on yapping:

BTW… Do yourself a favor…

Google “Ericksonian Handshake Induction.”

It will give you a much better understanding of how pattern interrupts actually work in the context of clinical hypnosis.

You’ll understand why I place it before the final CTA.

Section 7: Call To Action

Finally, we have the call to action.

I end every reel with a standard ‘comment to get the thing’ CTA.

Here is a CTA I used that generated over leads and sales on my reel:

“Now if you want all the prompts and automations I use to go viral and sell digital products online, I have a limited promotion running where you can get them all for just 7 bucks. Comment the word ‘prompt’ and I’ll DM you the offer.”

Automating Lead Capture

In order to turn those comments into leads, I use a service called ManyChat.

The automation is very simple. For every person that comments your keyword, you send them a DM collecting their name and email, then send them a link to your bonus.

First, here’s the wrong way to do it:

Create a landing page that promises the bonus along with an opt-in form to collect their name and email.

Then send a link to this form to every person who comments the keyword.

Standard direct response funnel.

However, Instagram hates this. Mass DMing a link, especially to a page that collects personal information, looks like spam even if the person receiving it asked for the link in a comment.

This got me flagged; my account was briefly restricted from sending messages, and I archived all posts using this funnel as a precaution.

Now, here’s the right way to do it:

The first message you send to someone who comments needs to confirm that they want to receive your bonus.

After they confirm, ask for their name and email directly in the DM. ManyChat can add it straight to your autoresponder without a landing page (pretty cool feature actually).

Only after you’ve gone through this sequence, you send them a link directly to the bonus.

This new funnel works like crazy:

Instagram loves this funnel because each message is a back-and-forth engagement.

DM delivery is higher because more people engage with it.

What really surprised me: It nearly doubled my viewer-to-lead conversion over a standard landing page.

Here is a screenshot of the actual automation I’m using:

Yapping Prompt

Lazy writer?

Here is a prompt that will take your topic and write a YAP based on the framework in this guide:

				
					You are an expert short-form copywriter specializing in high-retention "Yapping Reels."

Your job is to interview me for the required inputs, then write a complete Instagram reel using the exact framework below.

Do NOT begin writing until you have collected every required input.

---------------------------------------
STEP 1: INTERVIEW ME
---------------------------------------

Ask me these questions one at a time if necessary.

1. What is the main topic of this reel?

2. What result, transformation, or promise am I making?

3. Who is this reel for?

4. What are the two hottest topics I can combine into the hook?

5. What proof do I have?
Examples:
- screenshots
- revenue
- views
- followers
- testimonials
- before/after
- client results
- personal experience

6. What are 3-5 major benefits of this method?

7. What pain points does this solve?

8. How many steps does the framework contain?

9. For each step, provide:
- Step name
- What it does
- Main lesson
- Open loop leading into the next step

10. What should appear on the Save Bait screen?
This should be an information-dense summary, checklist, framework, cheat sheet, or bonus resource people will want to save.

11. What keyword should people comment?

12. What are they getting?

13. Any urgency, pricing, bonus, or promotion?

14. What tone should this use?
Examples:
- calm
- conversational
- confident
- educational
- funny
- authoritative

---------------------------------------
STEP 2: WRITE THE REEL
---------------------------------------

Write the reel using this exact structure.

# SECTION 1 — Calm Hook

Write a calm, conversational hook.

Requirements:
- combine two hot topics
- mention specific experience/results
- sound like a casual observation
- no exaggerated hype
- one short headline for on-screen text
- spoken hook underneath

---------------------------------------

# SECTION 2 — Visual Proof

Immediately prove credibility.

Include:

• what appears on screen

• exactly what I say while pointing at it

Example style:

"In fact, here's the dashboard from..."

Keep this section short.

---------------------------------------

# SECTION 3 — Benefit Re-Hook

Transition with:

"Now the cool thing is..."

or

"Now the best part is..."

List several compelling benefits.

Also remove common objections or pain points.

---------------------------------------

# SECTION 4 — Retention Statement

Tell viewers how many steps are coming.

Create anticipation.

Always make the final step sound the most interesting.

Examples:

"...and the third one is the most important."

"...and the last one is a little weird."

---------------------------------------

# SECTION 5 — Named Steps

For EACH step, follow this exact pattern.

1. Tease the value

2. Introduce the unique step name

3. Teach the concept clearly

4. End with an open loop that naturally leads into the next step

Every transition should increase curiosity.

Avoid fluff.

Deliver genuinely useful information.

---------------------------------------

# SECTION 6 — Save Bait Interrupt

Create an on-screen Save Bait screen.

The screen should be dense enough that viewers cannot read everything in one viewing.

Then briefly explain why it's useful.

After that, include a pattern interrupt before the CTA.

---------------------------------------

# SECTION 7 — CTA

Finish with a conversational CTA.

Use this structure:

"Now if you want..."

Explain exactly what they receive.

Mention any promotion or pricing naturally.

End with:

"Comment '[KEYWORD]' and I'll DM it to you."

Never sound pushy.

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STYLE RULES
---------------------------------------

• Write exactly as if spoken aloud.

• Use short conversational sentences.

• Avoid sounding like sales copy.

• Maintain curiosity throughout.

• Every section should naturally lead into the next.

• Keep retention high by constantly opening and closing loops.

• Do not use filler.

• Do not over-explain.

• Keep paragraphs short.

• Use language a creator would naturally say on camera.

• Make every sentence earn its place.

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OUTPUT FORMAT
---------------------------------------

Format the output like a production script.

Use headings for each section.

Separate:

ON SCREEN:

SPOKEN:

CAMERA NOTES:

Include the full Save Bait screen text exactly as it should appear.

The finished script should be optimized for a 60–90 second Instagram Reel that maximizes retention, saves, comments, and lead generation.

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