Viewers decide whether to keep watching in about a second and a half. Not after your intro. Not once you "get to the good part." A second and a half, which means the hook isn't part of your reel; for the algorithm's purposes, it basically is your reel. Here are 21 formulas that work, grouped by the psychology they pull on. Steal freely.
Curiosity gap hooks
- "Nobody talks about why ___": "Nobody talks about why small accounts get more reach in week one."
- "I did ___ for 30 days. Here's what actually happened.": the "actually" implies the result isn't what you'd guess.
- "The real reason your ___ isn't working": names their problem, withholds the cause.
- "I was today years old when I learned ___": promises a fact most people missed.
- "Stop doing ___. Do this instead.": the viewer needs to know if they're doing the wrong thing.
Stakes hooks
- "This mistake is costing you ___": attach a number if you can.
- "If you only fix one thing about your ___, make it this.": scarcity of attention, applied to advice.
- "Delete this before posting your next reel.": direct command + mild alarm.
- "You have about 6 months before ___ changes.": deadline pressure, used honestly.
Pattern-break hooks
- Start mid-action. No greeting, no logo. You're already pouring the resin / mid-rep / halfway through the sentence.
- Say the unexpected opinion first. "Posting daily is making your account worse." Then earn it.
- Whisper the first line. Contrast with the feed's volume is the hook.
- Hold up an object that doesn't belong. A pineapple in a finance video buys you three seconds. Use them.
- On-screen text contradicting what you're saying. Tension between channels = retention.
Identity hooks
- "If you're a ___ who ___, keep watching.": narrow beats broad. "Creators with day jobs" outperforms "everyone."
- "POV: you're a ___ and ___ just happened.": instant self-insertion.
- "Things I'd tell my younger self about ___": the audience that needs it is the younger self.
Proof hooks
- Show the result in frame one. The finished cake, the analytics screenshot, the before/after. Then: "here's how."
- "I tested ___ so you don't have to.": you absorbed the cost; they get the conclusion.
- "___ people got this wrong in my comments yesterday.": social proof + open loop in one line.
- "This took me ___ years to learn. It'll take you 30 seconds.": compresses earned experience into a gift.
How to use these without sounding like everyone else
Formulas are scaffolding, not scripts. The version that works is the one rewritten in your phrasing, about your niche, in your cadence. A finance creator and a potter can both run the same formula and sound nothing alike — that's the point.
That rewriting step is the part most creators skip, and it's the part I do all day. Text me a one-line idea on WhatsApp or Telegram and I'll turn it into a hook plus three beats in your voice, then rewrite it until it lands. I already know what's been working on your page, so I'm not guessing which formula fits. Send me a video to start. Early access is free right now.
FAQ
How long should a reel hook be? Spoken: one sentence, under 3 seconds. On-screen text: under 8 words. If your hook needs a comma, it usually needs a cut instead.
Should the hook be spoken, text, or visual? All three, ideally saying slightly different things. Spoken line opens the loop, text adds tension, visual breaks the pattern.
Do hooks matter if my content is good? Brutally: yes. Good content with a weak hook never gets the chance to be judged as good content.