The 9 Most Effective Video Hooks for Social Media

Did you know the first three seconds of your videos determine whether someone keeps watching or scrolls right past?

Now, you’re probably thinking: Why three seconds? What should I say? How do I make sure viewers actually stick around and watch my videos?

And just like that, you’re ready to read this article to the end. That’s the power of a great hook. 

By the way, we didn’t make up the opening stat. Strong hooks can be the difference between someone bingeing your videos and never even hearing the end of your first sentence — especially on social media where there’s a ton of content competing for attention. 

If you want to boost watch time, increase engagement, and stop the scroll, here are 9 styles of hooks that will help you grab attention fast and keep viewers watching.

9 video hook examples that actually work and why

Here are 9 hook styles to try for your next video. 

1. Call out a common mistake 

Example: Here’s the number one mistake you’re making about video creation. 

Why it works: This hook highlights a common or counterintuitive mistake the audience makes without even realizing it. Think: something lots of viewers have been told is good advice, but you’re about to show them why it’s not.

It also sets the stage for immediate value. You’re promising to clear up a misconception or correct something they’re getting wrong, which makes them more likely to watch through to the explanation.

2. State the pain point or problem 

Example: The biggest challenge for businesses creating B2B marketing videos is consistency.. 

Why it works: This hook addresses a challenge your audience is likely facing, which creates an instant connection. When someone hears their exact pain point articulated clearly, they’re more likely to stick around for the solution. Viewers want to learn from someone who understands their reality.

For maximum impact, ensure the user challenge is real — don’t guess. Pick something that’s specific and true to your audience’s day-to-day experience. The more accurate and relatable the pain point, the more powerful the hook.

3. Start with a surprising fact

Example: Did you know that 70% of your audience prefers to learn about your product using video? 

Why it works: This hook is built around one powerful emotion: surprise. When you lead with an unexpected stat or fact about a product, it catches viewers off guard in a good way. They pause, raise an eyebrow, and think, “Wait, is that true?” And just like that, they’re paying attention to your product presentation. 

The key is to choose a stat or insight that challenges assumptions or highlights something most viewers didn’t know about a product. It should pique their curiosity enough to encourage them to stick around for context or proof. It works even better if the fact is directly relevant to a problem they care about or a result they’re chasing.

4. Ask a question

Example: What is the best social media platform for video marketing? 

Why it works: Asking a question is one of the simplest, most effective ways to hook people because our brains naturally want to close the loop. If you pose a question your audience actually cares about, they’ll want to hear the answer. It creates instant tension: “I want to know that. Let me watch a little longer.”

The important thing here is to follow hooks with a credible response — preferably one backed by data. In the TubeBuddy video, instead of just stating the best time to post, the company mentions that they analyzed lots of posts using AI to find out. This lends credibility to their answer, making it more likely for the audience to pay attention to them. 

5. Give an urgent warning 

Example: Stop using these types of intros for your videos if you want to grow. 

Why it works: The “stop” immediately triggers attention as it signals danger or a red flag. Plus, pairing it with a goal your audience cares about, such as growth, success, or visibility, makes it even more compelling.

People don’t want to sabotage their own progress, especially without realizing it. So, when you hint that something they’re doing could be holding them back, they’ll want to find out what it is and fix it. 

6. Secrets and reveals 

Example: Here’s what no one tells you about creating videos for marketing. 

Why it works: This type of hook plays on exclusivity. It makes the viewer feel like they’re about to get insider knowledge — something uncommon, not obvious, and maybe even a little bit controversial.

It taps into that “I bet you didn’t know this” energy, which sparks curiosity fast. People love feeling like they’re getting the real story, not just the surface-level tips everyone else is recycling.

7. Experiment style 

Example: I published 1 video every day on YouTube for 30 days. Here’s what I learned. 

Why it works: This hook leans into storytelling, but it’s also highly practical. It shows that you’ve done the work, tested the strategy, and now you’re here to share the real results, so your audience doesn’t have to start from scratch.

That’s a huge time-saver for people. Instead of watching 10 different tutorials or making the same trial-and-error mistakes, they can simply learn from your experience and skip to the good part.

8. Pattern interrupt

Example: (Starts with silence or a random scene) “This clip has nothing to do with marketing, but it’ll change how you pitch forever.”

Why it works: Most people are scrolling on autopilot. They're used to seeing the same types of intros, same sounds, same setups. A pattern interrupt flips that. 

The hook grabs attention because it feels out of place. It forces the brain to pause and go, “Wait, what am I watching?” This buys you just enough time to hook your viewer emotionally or intellectually, as long as you transition quickly.

The trick is not to linger in the randomness. Once you've got their attention, pivot fast to the actual value of the video. If the viewer can't make the connection fast enough, they’ll drop off. 

9. Tease the outcome

Example: We got 1,000 signups for our conference with zero ads. Here’s what we did instead. 

Why it works: This hook taps into that aspirational feeling. Your audience sees the outcome and thinks, “I want that too.” 

When you pair it with a twist, such as doing it without something viewers assume is necessary (like ads, a big budget, or a team), you create even more curiosity that makes the audience likely to keep watching the video.

What makes video hooks effective? 

Effective hooks check the following boxes: 

1. It sparks curiosity

Great hooks make viewers feel the need to know what happens next. That little spark of curiosity is what keeps someone from scrolling past your video or clicking out after two seconds — especially on social platforms where attention spans are short and you need to give viewers a reason to stick around.

2. It doesn’t give away too much

Think of your hooks like movie trailers: it gives you just enough to get excited, but not so much that you don’t need to watch the actual movie. 

If your hooks give everything away in the first few seconds, there’s no reason for someone to stick around. They’ll think, “Cool, I got the gist,” and keep scrolling. But if you leave a little mystery — just enough to make them wonder how or why — you keep them watching.

3. It’s not clickbait 

Good hooks grab attention, but they also deliver on their promises. There’s a big difference between sparking curiosity and tricking people.

If your videos’ hooks promise something wild but your videos never actually deliver, people feel misled, and they’ll bounce quickly. Worse, it trains your viewers not to trust you — so even if your hooks work once, they will hurt you in the long run. 

4. It’s relatable 

The best hooks speak your audiences’ language and tap into something they are already familiar with. Your hooks should make people think, “Yep, that’s me.” Or at the very least, “I know exactly what that feels like.” If someone has to work too hard to understand what you're saying, or if it doesn’t feel relevant to their world, they’ll drop off quickly. 

5. It grabs attention immediately 

A strong hook gets to the point fast, typically within the first three seconds. If it takes too long to build up, people will just swipe to the next video. Social feeds move quickly, and you’re competing with a lot of noise.

That doesn’t mean you need to be dramatic or over the top. Instead, ensure that the viewer knows why they should keep watching your video as quickly as possible. You can achieve this by teasing a surprising result, highlighting a relatable pain point, or dropping an unexpected insight.

Which video platforms should you use hooks on? 

If you’re creating videos for social media platforms, you need a hook. These platforms are fast-paced and packed with tons of video content ideas, so if you want people to actually stop and watch your video, you need to hook them from the start.

People scroll quickly through social media content. If your content doesn’t grab them in the first second or two, they’ll move on to the next thing. Strong hooks are what get them to pause, lean in, and think, “Okay, I want to hear this.” Ultimately, the rule of thumb is that if your content is showing up in a feed of any kind, assume it needs a hook. And, with a hook in place, you’ll have to ensure you have the right video length for your selected platform to reach maximum engagement. 

Create engaging videos with PlayPlay 

Want to start creating video hooks but don’t have a video to begin with? PlayPlay is the online video editor that enables Marketing and Communications teams to turn any message into a compelling video. 

With our simple interface, the best AI technologies, and premade video templates that will speed up your creation process, PlayPlay makes things easy!