A hook is the first 1-3 seconds of a video, or the first line of ad copy, designed to stop someone scrolling. On TikTok, in Reels or in Meta ads, viewers decide whether to scroll past in a split second. The hook determines whether anyone sees the rest, which makes those the most important seconds of the whole production.
What does a good hook do?
It snaps people out of autopilot scrolling: it asks a question that hits a nerve (‘why aren’t your ads selling?’), shows the result before the process, starts in the middle of the action or says something counter-intuitive (‘stop posting every day’). A specific number works too, as does speaking directly to your target audience (‘run a beauty salon in Lublin?’). In UGC videos, the hook is often visual: an unusual shot, movement, text on screen. There’s one rule: the promise in the hook has to be delivered later in the video. Otherwise viewers drop off, and the algorithm notices.
How do you test hooks?
Testing beats guessing. In UGC campaigns, the standard approach is several versions of the same video that differ in nothing but the opening: retention over the first 3 seconds and CTR quickly show you the winner. The most common mistake we see in companies’ videos: opening with a logo and ‘hello, we’re company X’. Nobody scrolls through social media to watch opening credits. Start with the viewer’s problem and show the brand later.
Related terms: Reels, CTR. See also our article What’s the best app to edit Reels for social media?
