18 Hook Formulas and Templates That Stop the Scroll (With Examples)

A hook is the first line of your video, and it has one job: make someone not scroll for three more seconds. Get that and the algorithm gives you a bigger push; miss it and the best content in the world dies at 200 views. Below are 18 templates you can fill in for any niche, each with a real example so you see exactly how it sounds.

Why the first two seconds decide everything

On TikTok, Reels, and Shorts, your video gets shown to a small test pool first. Their retention in the opening seconds tells the algorithm whether to widen the push. The hook is where you win or lose that test. This is why I rewrite the hook more times than the rest of the script combined — it's the most important sentence you'll write all week.

A working hook does one of three things fast: creates a gap the viewer needs closed, promises a clear payoff, or pokes a nerve they recognize. The templates below are just reliable ways to do that.

The 18 templates

Curiosity gap

1. "Nobody tells you that [surprising thing about X]." "Nobody tells you that your moisturizer is what's making your skin oily."
2. "I tried [thing] for 30 days and [unexpected result]." "I tried cold showers for 30 days and the sleep change shocked me."
3. "Here's what [X] doesn't want you to know." "Here's what your gym doesn't want you to know about their contracts."
4. "The reason you [problem] isn't what you think." "The reason you're always tired at 3pm isn't your sleep."

Direct value

5. "How to [result] in [timeframe] without [the hard part]." "How to grow on TikTok in 90 days without dancing."
6. "[Number] [things] that [benefit]." "3 free apps that edit better than CapCut."
7. "Stop doing [common thing]. Do this instead." "Stop warming up with stretching. Do this instead."
8. "Steal my [system/template] for [outcome]." "Steal my exact caption template that doubled my saves."

Contrarian / pattern interrupt

9. "Everyone says [advice]. They're wrong." "Everyone says post at 9am. For your niche that's the worst time."
10. "Unpopular opinion: [take]." "Unpopular opinion: most protein powder is a waste of money."
11. "I was today years old when I learned [thing]." "I was today years old when I learned you've been cutting onions wrong."

Personal / story

12. "This [tiny decision] changed my [big thing]." "This one camera setting changed my whole channel."
13. "6 months ago I [low point]. Today [result]. Here's what changed." "6 months ago I had 400 followers. Today I have 80k. Here's the one thing."
14. "POV: you finally [relatable moment]." "POV: you finally found a foundation that doesn't oxidize."

Negative / fear

15. "[Number] mistakes that are killing your [thing]." "4 mistakes that are killing your reach right now."
16. "If you [behavior], stop. Here's why." "If you eat breakfast first thing, stop. Here's why."
17. "You're [doing thing] wrong and it's costing you [loss]." "You're pricing your brand deals wrong and it's costing you thousands."

Question

18. "Why does [common frustration] happen — and how do you fix it?" "Why does your video flop at 200 views every time? Here's the fix."

How to actually use these

Pick the template that matches your content's emotional core. A tutorial wants direct-value (5–8). A hot take wants contrarian (9–11). A transformation wants story (12–14). Don't force a curiosity hook onto a straightforward how-to; it reads as bait and the retention drops when you don't deliver.

Write three or four hook options before filming, not one. The first hook you think of is rarely the strongest — it's just the most obvious. If you want a batch of fresh angles fast, the hook generator in our free tools spins variations you can use without signing up.

The rule that breaks most hooks: length

A great hook line that takes five seconds to say isn't a hook anymore. Your opening promise needs to land inside the first two seconds, before the viewer's thumb decides. Say it out loud and time it. Run the full script through the script timer to confirm the hook fires fast and the rest stays tight — most weak openers are just too wordy, not wrong.

A quick fix that almost always helps: cut the throat-clearing. "Hey guys, so today I wanted to talk about..." is four wasted seconds. Start on the hook. The greeting can come after you've earned the attention.

Test, don't guess

Post the same idea twice with different hooks a week apart and watch which one holds viewers past three seconds in your retention graph. Over a month you'll learn which two or three templates work best for your audience, and you'll lean on those. Hooks aren't universal — they're trained by your own data.

FAQ

Should the hook be spoken, on-screen text, or both? Both, ideally. Say it out loud and put a punchy version as on-screen text in the first frame. Many people watch muted at first, so the text hook carries the muted viewers while the spoken line carries the rest.

How long should a hook be? The promise should land within the first two seconds, which is usually 8–14 words spoken. If it takes longer, you've buried the hook. Cut everything before the interesting part.

Do these templates work on every platform? The psychology is universal — curiosity, value, contrarian takes work everywhere. The phrasing shifts: X/Twitter hooks are shorter and punchier, YouTube titles can be slightly longer. Keep the formula, adjust the length to the platform.

Why do my hooks work sometimes but not always? Because hook performance depends on topic-audience fit, not just the line. A perfect contrarian hook on a topic your audience doesn't care about still flops. Test which template types your specific audience rewards and lean into those.

Isn't this just clickbait? Only if you don't deliver. A hook that creates curiosity and then pays it off is good storytelling. A hook that promises something the video never gives is bait — and the algorithm punishes it because retention craters after the open.