Scroll-stopping hooks for short videos
Ten opening lines for a short video, each using a different hook technique, with on-screen text and visuals.
Prompt
Write hooks for the first 3 seconds of a short vertical video. That's when most viewers decide whether to keep watching.
Topic: [what the video is about, e.g. meal prep for busy students]
Audience: [who it's for, e.g. university students on a budget]
The payoff: [what viewers get by the end, e.g. 5 lunches for under $20]
Write 10 hooks, each using a different technique: result first, common mistake, contrarian take, specific number, direct call-out ("If you..."), starting mid-story, before and after, curiosity gap, myth vs. fact, and bold promise.
Present them as a table with the columns Technique | Spoken line | On-screen text | Opening shot, where:
- the spoken line is under 12 words and natural to say out loud,
- the on-screen text is under 6 words,
- the opening shot is what the viewer sees in the very first second.
Every hook must be something the video actually delivers. No bait that the payoff can't back up.
Then pick the 2 you'd test first for this audience, with one sentence each on why.
If any detail in square brackets is still unfilled, ask me for those details in one short message before writing.Variation: Full script
Write a script for a 30-45 second vertical video. Topic: [what the video is about, e.g. how to speed up a slow laptop] Audience: [who it's for, e.g. people who aren't technical] The main point: [the one takeaway, e.g. most slowness comes from apps that start automatically] Structure: - Hook (0-3s): one spoken line plus on-screen text that makes the payoff clear. - Setup (3-8s): the problem, in the viewer's own words. - Value (8-35s): 3 quick, concrete steps or points, each one shown, not just said. - Payoff and close (last 5-10s): the result, then one simple call to action that fits the video. Format it as a table with the columns Time | Spoken words | On-screen text | What's on screen. Write the spoken words to be said aloud: short sentences, everyday words, and about 2.5 words per second, so it fits the time. If any detail in square brackets is still unfilled, ask me for those details in one short message before writing.
Variation: Captions
Write captions for a short video or photo post. What the post shows: [description, e.g. a time-lapse of me repainting an old chair] Audience: [who it's for, e.g. DIY beginners] Goal: [what you want people to do, e.g. save the post for later] Write 5 captions, each from a different angle: useful, personal, funny, curious and bold. For each one: - A first line that works on its own, since it's often all people see. - Under 150 characters in total, unless the angle really needs a second line. - A call to action that matches my goal, phrased naturally. - Up to 3 specific hashtags, with no generic ones like #love or #instagood. Then tell me which caption best fits my goal, and why, in one sentence. If any detail in square brackets is still unfilled, ask me for those details in one short message before writing.
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Why it works
Viewers judge a short video in its first seconds, and different hook techniques work for different audiences. Forcing ten distinct techniques gives you real options to test instead of ten rewordings of one line. Each hook comes with on-screen text and an opening shot because many people watch with the sound off, and "only hooks the video delivers" keeps you away from bait that kills watch time.
#social media #video #hooks