How to write a hook for short videos: 14 formulas with examples
A hook is the first sentence of your video, and it has one job: open a question the viewer wants answered. Write it last, keep it under 12 words, make it true, and show it on screen at the same time as you say it.
To write a hook for a short video, open with one sentence that creates a question the viewer wants answered: a surprising fact, a contradiction, a mistake they might be making, or the result they’ll get by the end. Keep it under about 12 words, cut any introduction before it, make sure it’s true, and pair it with a visual that shows the same idea. Below are 14 formulas you can reuse, each with an example, plus a method to write and test your own.
What a hook actually does
In a feed, viewers decide very quickly whether to stay. Your hook is the sentence that makes that decision for them. It doesn’t summarize the video and it doesn’t introduce you. It creates a gap between what the viewer knows and what they want to know, and promises that the next 50 seconds will close it.
That’s why the best hooks feel incomplete on purpose. “GPS works using satellites” is a statement; nobody needs to keep watching. “Your GPS never talks to satellites” is a puzzle; now you want to know how it finds you.
The 14 hook formulas
Each formula comes with a template and an example. Swap in your own topic, then check the result against the rules in the next section.
1. The contradiction
Template: “[Common belief] is wrong. Here’s what actually happens.” Example: “The sky isn’t blue because it reflects the ocean.”
2. The hidden mechanism
Template: “[Everyday thing] does [surprising thing] every time you [action].” Example: “Every time you tap your card, your bank makes a split-second decision about you.”
3. The mistake
Template: “If you [common habit], you’re [cost].” Example: “If you only pay the minimum on your credit card, your balance shrinks far slower than you think.”
4. The result first
Template: “By the end of this, you’ll [concrete outcome].” Example: “In 60 seconds, you’ll know exactly what happens when you type a URL.”
5. The specific number
Template: “[Verified number] [unit]. That’s [what it means].” Example: “Light from the Sun takes about eight minutes to reach you. So you’re always seeing the past.” Only use numbers you can source.
6. The direct question
Template: “Why does [familiar thing] [odd behavior]?” Example: “Why does your phone battery die faster in the cold?” Works best when the viewer has noticed the thing but never wondered why.
7. The “what if”
Template: “What would happen if [extreme scenario]?” Example: “What would happen if the internet’s undersea cables were cut tomorrow?”
8. The comparison
Template: “[A] and [B] look the same. They’re not.” Example: “A virus and a bacterium can both make you sick. Antibiotics only work on one of them.”
9. The insider detail
Template: “[Profession] know something about [topic] that most people don’t.” Example: “Pilots don’t steer during most of the flight. Here’s who does.” Make sure the “secret” is real and accurately described.
10. The countdown
Template: “[Number] [things] that [benefit], and the last one is [twist].” Example: “Three ways hackers get your password, and the last one doesn’t need a computer.”
11. The story opener
Template: “In [year], [person or group] [unexpected action].” Example: “In 1854, a doctor traced a deadly cholera outbreak to a single water pump.”
12. The stakes
Template: “[Small thing] decides [big consequence].” Example: “One line in your lease decides who pays when the heater breaks.”
13. The visual reveal
Template: “Watch what happens when [action].” Example: “Watch what happens to $1,000 when inflation runs for 20 years.” This one relies on the animation, so the first frame must already start moving.
14. The “you’ve seen this”
Template: “You’ve seen [familiar thing] a thousand times. Here’s what it means.” Example: “You’ve seen the padlock in your browser a thousand times. Here’s what it actually protects.”
Rules that make any hook work
- First words, first frame. Nothing comes before the hook: no “Hey everyone”, no channel name, no slow logo reveal.
- Under about 12 words. At a natural narration pace, that’s two to three seconds. Longer hooks start explaining instead of intriguing.
- Concrete nouns. “Your bank”, “the undersea cables”, “$1,000”. Abstract words like “solutions” or “factors” don’t create pictures.
- Address the viewer. “You”, “your phone”, “your password”. The question becomes theirs.
- True, and kept. If the hook promises a reveal, the video must deliver it, clearly, before the end.
- No clickbait stack. One strong claim beats three exclamation marks and a “you won’t believe”.
Say it and show it
In a short video, the hook works on two channels at once. Many people scroll with the sound off, so the opening visual should carry the hook on its own: a large title with the key words, or the object you’re talking about already moving. With the sound on, the voice and the image should land together. In a motion-design explainer, that means the title builds word by word as the narrator speaks it. See why word-by-word captions work and kinetic typography for how that’s done.
Keep the hook text inside the safe zone, in the upper part of the screen, where the app’s interface won’t cover it. Our safe zones guide shows where.
Write your hook in five minutes
- Write the video first. You can’t hook an idea you haven’t finished. Draft the script, then come back.
- Find the most surprising true sentence in it. It’s often buried in the middle: the twist, the key number, the counterintuitive step.
- Run it through three formulas. Rewrite that sentence as a contradiction, a mistake and a question. Read all three aloud.
- Cut it to 12 words or fewer. Remove “actually”, “really”, “basically” and any setup clause.
- Test it cold. Read it to someone with zero context. If they ask “wait, how?”, it works. If they ask “what do you mean?”, it’s unclear.
Before and after
| Weak hook | Why it fails | Stronger version |
|---|---|---|
| “Today we’re going to talk about compound interest.” | Announces a topic, opens no question | “Your savings earn interest on interest. Here’s why that changes everything.” |
| “Encryption is a very important topic in cybersecurity.” | Abstract, no stakes | “Your messages pass through servers that can’t read them. Here’s how.” |
| “Did you know that there are many interesting facts about sleep?” | Vague, no specific promise | “Your brain stays busy all night. Here’s what it’s doing while you sleep.” |
| “Welcome back! In this video I’ll explain APIs.” | Greeting first, then a label | “Every app on your phone is quietly asking other apps for help.” |
After the hook: keep the promise moving
A great hook buys you a few seconds, not the whole video. The next sentence should frame the problem fast, and the core should start delivering within the first ten seconds. If you lose viewers right after a strong hook, the setup is probably too slow. The 60-second script structure shows how to time the rest, and explainer videos that hold attention covers pacing beyond the opening.
Common hook mistakes
- Promising a reveal the video never delivers.
- Using an unverifiable number to sound impressive. One correcting comment and the trust is gone.
- Writing the hook as a question nobody asked (“Have you ever wondered about soil pH?”).
- Hiding the hook behind a slow animation or a title card.
- Reusing the exact same formula on every video until the audience can predict it.
The hook is the shortest part of your script and the one that decides whether the rest gets watched. Write it last, make it true, keep it short, and show it as you say it.