Hooks

Win the first 3 seconds

Updated October 23, 2026 · 6 min read

On TikTok, Reels and Shorts, people decide very quickly whether to keep watching. A strong hook does not need to be loud. It needs to tell the viewer, right away, why the next 20 seconds are worth it. This page covers the hook types that work, openers you can adapt and the mistakes that cost the most views.

What a hook has to do

The opening has one job: give a stranger a reason to stay. It usually does that with three things working together.

• What they see: movement, a change of shot or the end result, in the first second.
• What they read: a short line on screen that says what the video is about.
• What they hear: the first spoken sentence, which should not be "Hey guys".

Four hook types that work

1. Result first

Show the finished thing, then show how you got there. "Here's the room before" works better as the second shot than the first.

2. Problem call-out

Name a problem your viewer has in their own words. "Your Reels stop at 200 views because of this" lands with the exact person who has that problem.

3. Open question

Start a story or a claim that only makes sense if they keep watching. The payoff has to come, and it should come early enough.

4. Relatable moment

A POV or situation people recognize from their own life. These get sent to friends, and sends help a video reach new people.

10 openers you can adapt

• "Stop doing [common habit] if you want [result]."
• "Nobody tells you this about [topic]."
• "I tried [thing] for 30 days. Here's what happened."
• "Your [type of content] isn't working because of one thing."
• "3 [tools or tips] I wish I knew when I started [topic]."
• "POV: you finally found the easy way to [task]."
• "This is the [cheapest / fastest / easiest] way to [result]."
• "Hot take: [common belief] is wrong."
• "One small change that fixed my [problem]."
• "Watch this before you [common decision]."

A template only works if the rest of the video keeps its promise. If the opener says three tips, start the first tip within a few seconds.

Mistakes that cost the most views

• Starting with a greeting, a logo or "so today I want to talk about".
• A still frame with no text and no movement.
• A hook that promises something the video never delivers. Viewers learn to swipe on your face.
• Text that is too small, too long or hidden behind the caption and buttons.

How a hook score works

Viral IQ gives every video a hook score from 0 to 100, separate from the overall viral score. It rates how well the opening seconds grab attention, and the feedback explains why, for example that the key line appears too late or that the first shot is static. A useful routine is to record two or three different openings for the same video, run each one and post the version with the strongest hook.

Questions