Hook formulas for short videos
The hook is the first few seconds that tell viewers why they should stay. Each formula comes with a fill-in template, examples by niche and its limits. No formula guarantees views: pick the one that serves your idea.
The question
A question hook opens a video with a question the viewer is already asking themselves. It creates a need for an answer that the rest of the video delivers.
The specific number
A specific number hook puts a concrete figure (a duration, an amount, a quantity) in the very first line. The number makes the promise tangible and checkable.
Before / after
A before/after hook shows or describes two opposite states of the same thing in the first second. The viewer stays to see how one turned into the other.
The counterintuitive take
A counterintuitive hook states the opposite of a common belief in your niche. It creates tension between what the viewer thinks they know and what you’re…
The common mistake
A common mistake hook names an error your audience often makes without noticing. It promises the fix in the rest of the video.
Result first
A result-first hook shows the finished outcome in the first second, before any explanation. The rest of the video shows how you got there.
In medias res
An in medias res hook starts the video in the middle of the action, with no intro or setup. The context comes later, once you have the viewer’s attention.
The challenge
A challenge hook announces a constraint or a bet the creator is about to attempt on camera. The viewer stays to find out whether it works.
The list
A list hook announces a fixed number of items the viewer will get in the video. They know how many there are and stay until the last one.
The comparison
A comparison hook pits two options your audience is torn between. The video promises to settle it with concrete criteria.
Behind the scenes
A behind-the-scenes hook opens on what normally stays off camera: preparation, process, failed takes. It gives the viewer access they don’t usually get.
POV
A POV (point of view) hook puts the viewer inside a specific situation, seen from their own perspective. It relies on instant recognition rather than…