25 video hook examples, and how to edit each one

What a hook actually is

A hook is whatever happens before the viewer decides to stay. On Reels, TikTok and Shorts that decision takes a second or two. It isn’t only the words. It’s the first frame, the first word on screen, the first sound and how fast something changes. When I edit, I treat the hook as three layers: what you say, what the viewer reads, and what they see move. If all three point at the same promise, people stay.

For the editing techniques behind these, see what a hook is in video editing, with 9 techniques.

Curiosity hooks

1. “Nobody tells you this about [topic].” Edit: cut the breath before “nobody”, put the last three words on screen in your accent colour.
2. “I tried [thing] for 30 days.” Edit: open on the day-30 shot for half a second, then snap back to day one.
3. “This is why your [thing] isn’t working.” Edit: show the broken result first (a flat video, an empty inbox), then cut to you.
4. “Watch what happens when…” Edit: start the action already moving, never from a still frame.
5. “The [number]-second rule that changed my [result].” Edit: a quick punch-in on the number as you say it.

Problem hooks

6. “If you’re [situation], stop doing this.” Edit: text on screen says only “STOP DOING THIS”, removed the moment you start explaining.
7. “Your [thing] looks like this because…” Edit: split screen of the bad version and the good one.
8. “Three signs you need [solution].” Edit: a counter (1/3) in the corner that holds people to the end.
9. “Spending hours on [task]? Here’s the fix.” Edit: a fast montage of the painful task, under one second.
10. “The mistake 90 out of 100 beginners make.” Use a real number only if you have one; otherwise say “most beginners”. Edit: zoom on your face for the word “mistake”.

Proof hooks

11. “This took me from [A] to [B].” Edit: show B on screen first, the proof, then the story.
12. “Before and after, same footage.” Edit: a hard cut between the raw and edited version on a beat.
13. “Here’s exactly what I’d do with $[amount].” Edit: the amount as large text, no other words.
14. “My client asked me this on a call today.” Edit: a screenshot or text message pop-up (with permission) as the first frame.
15. “I analysed [number] videos and found this.” Only if you actually did. Edit: a quick grid of thumbnails behind you.

Contrarian hooks

16. “Unpopular opinion: [claim].” Edit: cut straight to the claim, no pause after “opinion”.
17. “Stop posting every day.” Edit: hold on your face a beat longer; let the claim sit.
18. “[Common advice] is wrong. Here’s why.” Edit: cross out the advice on screen as you say “wrong”.
19. “You don’t need [expensive thing].” Edit: show the expensive thing, then push it out of frame.
20. “Everyone does [X]. Do [Y] instead.” Edit: two quick shots, X then Y, matching your words.

Story hooks

21. “Two years ago I [low point].” Edit: start on an old photo or clip, then cut to now.
22. “This almost cost me my business.” Edit: a sound drop (music cuts out) right on “business”.
23. “I said no to [big opportunity]. Here’s why.” Edit: on-screen text of the number or name you turned down.
24. “POV: [relatable moment].” Edit: shoot it first-person, captions in the platform’s native style.
25. “The moment I realised [lesson].” Edit: a slow push-in on your face as you say it, the only slow move in the video.

How to test hooks

The quickest test is to make two versions of the same video with different first seconds and post them a few days apart, or run both as ads with a small budget. Compare how many people watch past three seconds, not likes. When one hook clearly wins, use that format again on a different topic. Most of the time the body of the video can stay exactly the same; only the opening changes.

If you want every video to get this treatment, that’s what short-form video editing covers, and the Retention Edit method starts with the hook for this reason.