What a hook actually does
A hook isn't clickbait. It's the first line or visual that gives someone a reason to keep watching. You've got about three seconds, sometimes less, before a viewer decides to scroll. A good hook makes a promise: this is worth your next 20 seconds.
The best hooks are specific. "Tips for your business" is vague. "Three mistakes that cost contractors money in January" is specific. Specificity signals that you actually know something, and it filters for the people who care.
Below are 25 hook patterns I use and recommend. Fill in the blanks for your business. Don't copy them word for word forever, once you get the feel for the structure, you'll start writing your own.
25 hooks you can adapt today
1. Top 3 reasons you should [do something].
2. 5 things to avoid when [common task].
3. 3 things you need to know about [topic].
4. Watch until the end to see [surprising payoff].
5. Is it just me, or does [relatable problem] happen to everyone?
6. Steal this idea if you [situation].
7. The mistake most people make with [task].
8. Here's what nobody tells you about [topic].
9. I tried [thing] so you don't have to.
10. This took me [time period] to learn, here it is in 30 seconds.
11. If you're a [profession], stop doing [common habit].
12. The cheapest way to [solve problem].
13. Why your [thing] isn't working (and the one fix).
14. Things I wish I knew before I started [activity].
15. Here's how I'd [task] if I were starting over.
16. The difference between [option A] and [option B], explained.
17. Nobody talks about this part of [industry/job].
18. If you do [thing], you need to watch this.
19. A [profession]'s take on [trendy topic].
20. Stop buying [product] until you watch this.
21. The [number]-step process I use for [task].
22. What [expert role] does differently than everyone else.
23. I get asked this every week: [common question].
24. Two ways to [goal], only one is worth it.
25. Save this if you [situation or goal].
How to deliver a hook well
A hook on paper is only half of it. The delivery matters. Put the hook in the first text overlay and say it (or show it) in the first two seconds. Don't build up to it, lead with it. If you're talking, start mid-sentence into the energy, not with a slow intro.
Pair the hook with motion in the first frame. A hand entering the shot, a pan, a jump cut. Static openings get scrolled past. Movement buys you the extra second your hook needs to land.
And deliver on the promise. If your hook says "three mistakes," give three real mistakes. Hooks that bait without delivering train people to scroll past you next time. Trust is the real currency here.
Hooks to avoid
Skip hooks that overpromise or mislead. "This one trick will double your sales" sets an expectation you can't meet and makes you look like every other account. Skip hooks that have nothing to do with the content, people feel tricked and they remember.
Also skip hooks that only work for huge audiences, like "comment YES if you want a part 2" with no real payoff. For a small business, the goal is the right hundred people trusting you, not a stranger's like.
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