TikTok hooks that stop the scroll

The hook is the first 1 to 3 seconds of a video: the first line, the on-screen text and the first frame. It decides whether anyone sees the rest. Here are the 9 kinds of hooks that work, with templates you can fill in for your product.

Updated September 29, 2026

The 9 kinds of hooks

Call-out hooks

Names exactly who the video is for, so the right person stops.

  1. If you trait, stop scrolling.
  2. This is for the person who struggle.
  3. Person, you need to hear this.

Problem hooks

Says the pain out loud, in the viewer's words.

  1. POV: it's 3am and you're still problem.
  2. I didn't realize how bad my problem was until moment.
  3. Why does nobody talk about problem?

Result hooks

Leads with the after, so they stay for the how.

  1. How I result in time.
  2. Time ago I was before. Now after.
  3. This took my metric from a to b.

Mistake hooks

Tells them they're doing something wrong. Hard not to check.

  1. You've been doing thing wrong.
  2. Stop habit. Do this instead.
  3. n topic mistakes everyone makes.

Myth busting hooks

Challenges a belief and promises the truth.

  1. Belief is a myth.
  2. Everything you know about topic is wrong.
  3. Is advice actually true?

Story hooks

Opens at the turning point and holds back the ending.

  1. The day I realized truth changed everything.
  2. I was about to quit when event.
  3. Storytime: how I went from before to after.

Comparison hooks

Puts two things side by side and asks which wins.

  1. A vs B: which actually result?
  2. I tried n things so you don't have to.
  3. Old way took time. New way took time.

Authority hooks

Borrows trust from a job, a number or experience.

  1. As a profession, I'd never action.
  2. After n years of thing, here's what works.
  3. My expert told me to action.

Curiosity hooks

Opens a gap the viewer needs closed.

  1. The n-minute trick that result.
  2. I found the thing nobody talks about.
  3. Wait for the last one.

What is a hook?

A hook is whatever makes someone stop scrolling: the first sentence said out loud, the text on screen and the first image, all working together in the first 1 to 3 seconds.

A great video with a weak hook gets no views, because nobody reaches the good part. That's why the same video with a new hook is the cheapest test you can run.

How to test hooks

  1. Keep the body the same. Film one video, then record 3 to 5 different openings.
  2. Change one thing at a time: the words, the first frame or the on-screen text.
  3. Judge hooks by how many people keep watching past 3 seconds, not by likes.
  4. When a hook wins, try it on another format. A good hook often works everywhere.
  5. Save the winners with the video they came from, so your team can reuse them. That's what a swipe file is for.

More hooks by kind

Hooks for app videos35 fill-in-the-blank hooks for app marketing on TikTok, Reels and ShortsUGC hooks for brands30 UGC hook templates for brands and creatorsTikTok slideshow hooks30 first-slide hooks for TikTok and Instagram carousel slideshowsStorytelling hooks25 storytelling hook templates for TikTok, Reels and ShortsEducational hooks25 educational and myth-busting hook templates for short-form video

Questions

What is a hook in a TikTok video?

The first 1 to 3 seconds: the opening line, on-screen text and first frame. Its only job is to make the viewer stop scrolling and watch the rest.

What are the best types of hooks?

Call-out, problem, result, mistake, myth busting, story, comparison, authority and curiosity hooks. Problem and mistake hooks tend to work best for products, because they make the viewer feel the need first.

How long should a hook be?

One sentence, said in under 3 seconds, with on-screen text that says the same thing even shorter. If it needs explaining, it's not the hook.

Can I use the same hook on TikTok, Reels and Shorts?

Yes. The hook is about the first seconds of attention, which works the same way on every short-form platform. Only the length and on-screen text placement need small changes.

Where can I save hooks and the videos that use them?

In inspo you save the TikToks, Reels and Shorts behind each hook into lists by format, with the hook and your notes next to each video, and share them with your creators in one link.