A hook is the opening idea, line, image, or moment designed to capture attention quickly.
Hooks are especially important in fast-moving feeds and short-form video.
A strong hook gives people a reason to stop scrolling, keep watching, read the caption, or swipe through a carousel.
Hooks can be visual, verbal, emotional, or structural, but they should connect honestly to the payoff so viewers feel rewarded for continuing.
Around one to three seconds in video, and one line in text posts. Feeds move fast, so the hook has to earn the pause before anything else gets a chance.
A surprising claim, a specific outcome, a relatable pain point, an unfinished action the viewer wants resolved, or a bold visual. The common thread is a reason to keep watching that the content honestly pays off.
First, always: the opening seconds of a video, the first line of a caption before truncation, the first slide of a carousel. Anything before the hook is wasted space.