Meet Fabien
Hi there, I’m Fabien, and I’ve been a developer for about eight years now. My background is a bit unconventional because I actually started in an industry that has nothing to do with content creation or SaaS: virtual reality applications. For years, I worked on VR projects, honing my coding skills and learning how to build innovative experiences.
That said, I wouldn’t call myself a “born entrepreneur.” My journey into building YT Copycat wasn’t something I planned from the start. Without those years of coding experience, though, I wouldn’t have been able to create this tool. Entrepreneurship required me to learn marketing from scratch—a whole different skill set—but I found it fascinating to combine my technical skills with this new challenge.
What inspired you to create YT Copycat?
Like many others, I got caught up in the excitement surrounding AI at the end of 2022. It was hard not to notice how tools like MidJourney and GPT-3 were taking the tech world by storm. Everyone was talking about them, and as a developer, I quickly saw the immense potential of tools powered by large language models (LLMs).
At that time, OpenAI’s ChatGPT API wasn’t even fully out yet, but I was already brainstorming ideas. I wanted to create something that leveraged this breakthrough technology in a way that hadn’t been done before. After exploring a few possibilities, I landed on an idea that felt both exciting and practical: converting YouTube videos into written content with the help of AI.
The concept felt fresh, and the process clicked into place naturally. After some focused work, I launched a minimum viable product (MVP) in just two months, and it resonated with users almost immediately. That early traction gave me the motivation to keep refining it and turn it into what YT Copycat is today.
What are the key features that set YT Copycat apart from competitors?
At its core, YT Copycat takes YouTube videos and turns them into high-quality written content in multiple formats. This includes blog articles, newsletters, LinkedIn posts, tweets, summaries, and even custom content tailored to the user’s instructions.
When I first launched, it was a pretty unique idea. There weren’t any tools out there doing exactly this because, frankly, it wasn’t possible without AI. Over time, a few similar tools emerged, but I had the advantage of starting early. I was able to gather user feedback and refine YT Copycat faster than most.
One thing I’ve consistently heard from users is that the content generated by YT Copycat tends to feel more relevant and polished than what they’ve seen from competitors. That’s been a big differentiator and something I’ve worked hard to maintain.
How do you ensure the generated content maintains high quality and remains plagiarism-free?
The beauty of working with large language models (LLMs) is that they’re incredibly powerful on their own. YT Copycat uses these models to extract the key ideas from YouTube videos—ideas that are typically framed for video consumption—and rework them into original, written formats.
Since we’re dealing with ideas and insights rather than copying word-for-word, plagiarism isn’t an issue. Ideas themselves are universal and don’t belong to anyone, and we’re careful not to make transcriptions of the videos directly available to users, as that could raise concerns about YouTube’s terms of service. Instead, YT Copycat analyzes the video’s content as a base material, ensuring that the final output is 100% unique.
Can users customize the tone or format of the written content?
Absolutely. YT Copycat offers a range of tools designed to help users tailor their content to their needs. We’ve built fine-tuned features specifically for creating blog articles, newsletters, and other formats. These tools let users choose the tone and style they want for their content.
For those who want even more flexibility, we also offer a custom prompt feature. This allows users to bypass the predefined templates and get exactly the kind of content they want, as long as they’re clear and precise in their instructions. In that sense, the only limit is the user’s imagination and how well they can articulate their needs.
How do you handle updates to YouTube’s content policies or APIs?
That’s a great question, and it’s something we take seriously. YT Copycat is built around YouTube video transcriptions, which serve as the base material for analyzing and generating content. However, we never make these transcriptions available directly to users, which helps us stay compliant with YouTube’s terms of service.
We also keep a close eye on YouTube’s content policies and API updates to ensure we adapt if necessary. Compliance is built into the DNA of how YT Copycat operates, and we’re committed to maintaining that as the platform evolves.
How do you see AI shaping the future of content creation?
AI has already made incredible strides in content creation, and tools like ChatGPT are at the forefront of that change. However, while these tools are powerful, they often require a lot of effort and expertise to get truly great results. That’s where specialized tools like YT Copycat come in—they simplify the process and make it more accessible to users who aren’t experts in crafting the perfect prompts.
In many ways, content creation is one of the few areas where AI can potentially replace humans entirely. Unlike something like coding, which will always require a human touch to verify and integrate, tools like YT Copycat can fully automate the process of turning ideas into polished, shareable content.
That said, we might one day see a scenario where general AI tools like ChatGPT become so advanced that they can handle every step of the process—from analyzing a YouTube video to generating professional-grade content—all in one go. For now, though, there’s still room for innovation in creating specialized tools that streamline specific tasks.
What advice would you give to aspiring SaaS founders?
Focus on building an MVP around your core feature within one or two months at most. The sooner you can get your idea into the hands of users, the sooner you’ll get real feedback and understand whether your solution resonates with the market. It’s impossible to predict how users will react to your product until it’s out there, so don’t overthink it—just ship.
Also, be your own user if possible. If your product solves a problem you personally experience, you’ll naturally develop a more critical eye and create something truly useful. Chances are, if it helps you, it’ll help others with the same problem.
Finally, keep things simple. A clear solution to a clear problem is much easier to sell than a tool with 15 features that no one fully understands. Start with one feature and do it well.
What’s your vision for YT Copycat in the next few years?
YT Copycat is all about doing one thing really well: turning YouTube videos into high-quality written content. My focus isn’t on adding a ton of new features but on making sure the existing ones are as polished, complete, and easy to use as possible.
I see YT Copycat remaining a micro-SaaS, but one that becomes the go-to tool for anyone looking to repurpose video content into written formats. It’s a niche, but it’s a valuable one, and I believe we can set the standard for quality and usability in this space.
Did you enjoy our interview? Do you have anything to say to our community?
Definitely. These were great questions, and I hope my answers shed some light on what it’s like to build and grow a SaaS tool like YT Copycat. I approach things very much from a developer’s perspective, and I know that starting this kind of journey without technical skills can feel daunting. But there are so many ways to get started these days, whether it’s through no-code tools or partnering with someone who has the skills you lack.
If you’re on the fence about launching something, my advice is simple: try. Experiment. Don’t be afraid to fail. Every step, even the missteps, will teach you something valuable. Good luck, and thanks for having me!
