How-to · beginner · 2 min read
How to write a hook for short-form video
A hook is the first 1.5 seconds. It works when something moves, you say one specific thing, and the text on screen says it a second way.
By Sulan Zhang, co-founder of Vyra · Updated 2026-09-24 · Example: @sulansart
- Level
- beginner
- Read time
- 2 min
A hook is the first 1.5 seconds of a video. Mine work when three things happen at once. Something moves in the frame, I say one specific line, and a few words on screen say it a second way for people watching muted. Weak hooks describe the video. Good ones make a claim or start in the middle of the action.
Why it matters
People decide to stay or scroll before the second second.
The method
- Write the ending first. Know the one thing the viewer gets by the end. The hook is a promise of that.
- Pick a type. A claim, a question, a result, or mid-action. Result-first for demos, mid-action for vlogs, a claim for opinions.
- Cut the first three words. "So today I wanted to talk about why your captions" becomes "Your captions are killing your retention."
- Start on movement. A face already talking, a reveal, a cut. Never a wide shot of you sitting down.
- Add 3 to 7 words on screen. Readable without sound. Different words from what you say.
- Say it once and move on. The next line should already be delivering.
Rules of thumb
| Element | Target |
|---|---|
| Time to first word | under 0.5 s |
| Spoken hook | 6 to 12 words |
| Text hook | 3 to 7 words |
| Text on screen | 1.5 to 2.5 s |
| First cut or movement | within 1.5 s |
| Hooks I draft per video | 5, post 1 |
Examples
Fill-in lines I actually use.
Do it in Vyra
- "Find the strongest first line in this footage. Look for a sentence that makes a claim or asks a question, cut everything before it, and start the video there. Add a 3 to 5 word text hook in Montserrat Black for the first 2 seconds. Vertical, 9:16."
- "Rebuild the opening so the first 1.5 seconds is the moment I pull the print off the screen. Move my talking head intro to after that shot and trim the pause before I start speaking."
- "Give me three alternate openings for this video using the transcript: one contrarian, one question, one result-first. Show them as three separate versions of the first 3 seconds so I can pick."
Common mistakes
- Opening with "hey guys" or your name.
- Describing the video instead of promising the result.
- Text on screen that just repeats the spoken line.
- Starting on a still frame while you reach for the phone.
FAQ
Does a hook have to be spoken? No. A visual plus text carries montages and silent edits. Spoken hooks matter most for talking head and story videos.
How many should I test? Draft five, post one. If it flops, re-cut the first 3 seconds before changing anything else.
Related
- /how-to/edit-for-retention
- /how-to/pace-a-short-form-video
- /formats/ugc-hook-and-demo
- /prompts/rough-cut