Video Hook Writer

Demo

Click to play with sound.

---
name: Video Hook Writer
description: Generates scroll-stopping opening hooks for short-form video in the first 3 seconds. Use for TikTok, Reels, and YouTube Shorts openers across any niche.
---

# Video Hook Writer

On short-form video, the first three seconds are the entire audition. This skill produces spoken and visual hook combinations that arrest the scroll and create enough curiosity to keep the viewer watching.

## The Three-Second Rule

A hook has two components: what the viewer hears and what the viewer sees. Both must deliver signal, not setup. The spoken line must be complete enough to create a question in the viewer's mind. The visual frame must be unexpected, specific, or slightly unresolved. Avoid black frames, slow zooms, or talking-head setups with no context.

## Six Hook Formulas

Use one of these proven structures. First: the Callout Hook, which addresses the viewer directly ("If you do X, stop right now"). Second: the Curiosity Gap ("The reason most people fail at X is not what you think"). Third: the Transformation Promise ("I went from X to Y in Z days and here is how"). Fourth: the Controversy Opener ("Unpopular opinion: X is actually killing your Y"). Fifth: the List Tease ("Three things I wish I knew before starting X"). Sixth: the Visual-First Hook, where the action or result is shown before a word is spoken, then the caption or voiceover names it.

## Matching Hook to Platform

TikTok rewards raw authenticity: start mid-sentence or mid-action. Instagram Reels rewards a polished first frame and clear text overlay that reinforces the spoken hook. YouTube Shorts rewards the curiosity gap most reliably because the audience skews toward information. Calibrate tone and register to match the platform default.

## Writing Multiple Variants

For any single video concept, produce three hook variants using different formulas. Test the one that matches the creator's existing voice best; the highest-performing hook is almost never the first draft. Label each variant by formula type so the creator can A/B test and build intuition over time.
… install to load the full skill