Types of hooks for videos: the 7 that work and how to write each one

Seven types of hook cover almost every short video: the question, the surprising fact, the news, the list, the story, the opinion and the result first. None of them is better than the others. What changes is which one fits your idea and which one works with your audience, and only your own numbers can tell you that.

What is a type of hook?

A hook is the video's opening: the line, the on-screen text or the image that gives someone a reason to stay. If that still feels fuzzy, start with what a hook is and how to write yours.

The type of hook is the shape of that opening. Two videos on the same topic can open with a question or with the result, and the viewer gets a different promise from each. Grouping hooks into types is useful for one very practical reason: it lets you compare. Tag every video with its type and after a few weeks you can see which ones work for you.

The 7 types of hook, with a template for each

Every type has a basic structure. Fill it in with your own idea's words; don't copy the example as it is.

1. The question

Template: "[a specific question your people ask themselves]?"

It works when the question is specific and the viewer has asked it before. "Why does your bread come out flat even when you follow the recipe?" hooks better than "Want to bake better bread?", because the first one names a problem people recognise. Answer it early: if the answer only comes at the end, plenty of people won't get there.

2. The surprising fact

Template: "[something that sounds impossible], and yet [it happens]."

It breaks an expectation. "This dish has three ingredients and tastes like a restaurant's" or "I sorted my wardrobe without buying a single box." It has to be true and the video has to prove it. Exaggerate, and the hook pulls in people who leave disappointed.

3. The news

Template: "[subject] has just [done something] that [changes this]."

Use it when there's something genuinely new in your topic: a rule that changed, a feature that just launched, an opening in your neighbourhood. It dates quickly, so keep it for videos you don't need to last for months.

4. The list

Template: "[number] [things] that [result]."

"Three mistakes that dry out your plant." It promises something tidy and easy to follow, and viewers know how much is left. Deliver exactly the number you announce, and lead with your strongest point, not your weakest.

5. The story

Template: "[someone] [did this] and [this happened]."

Open in the middle of the action: "The first time I cooked for twenty people, I burnt everything." A story hooks because people want to know how it ends. Skip the long set-up at the start; context can come later.

6. The opinion

Template: "[short opinion] about [topic]."

"Two-hour morning routines aren't for people with jobs." It works if the opinion is yours and you can back it up. Being provocative for its own sake brings comments, but also people who won't come back.

7. The result first

Template: "[result] in [time or condition]."

You show the ending before the process: the living room already painted, the dish on the plate, the month's budget balanced. It's the most visual type and suits tutorials, recipes and makeovers. If you pick this one, the before-and-after format is its natural partner.

How do I choose the type of hook for each video?

Start from the idea, not the hook. Ask what the viewer walks away with:

1. If they walk away with an answer, open with the question it answers.
2. If they walk away with a result they can see, open with the result.
3. If they walk away with several tips, open with the list.
4. If they walk away with something that happened to you, open with the story.
5. If they walk away with your point of view, open with the opinion.

The surprising fact and the news are rarer: use them when you really have something surprising or new. Forcing them shows.

To write it, follow the usual steps: say it out loud, cut the greeting and the preamble, and check that the on-screen text and the image tell the same story as your voice. If you're torn between two lines, the hook analyzer tells you which type each one is and what it's missing.

Does the same hook work on TikTok and Reels?

Often, yes, because both platforms show vertical video to people who can swipe to the next one. But measure them separately: your TikTok audience and your Instagram audience aren't the same people, and a type of hook that works on one can fall short on the other. Don't add the two platforms' numbers together.

How I'd measure it

You can't judge a hook on one video. A single video can do well or badly because of the topic, the day or luck, so you need to compare several.

The practical rule is to change one thing at a time. If you change the hook, the topic and the length together, you won't know what made the difference. And if after ten videos there's no clear gap, the honest answer is "not clear yet": your audience has no preference between those two types, and you can use both.

• ✓Tag the type of hook on every video you post.
• ✓Compare each video with your normal video at the same age, not with huge accounts.
• ✓Test two types on similar topics, at least four videos a side.
• ✓Change only the hook; keep the format and the length the same.
• ✓If there's no difference after ten videos, accept that it's not clear yet.

Frequently asked questions

How many types of hook are there?

It depends how you group them. These seven cover almost every short video; whatever doesn't fit is usually an on-screen action with no line, which also works as an opening.

Can I mix two types in one hook?

Yes. "Three mistakes that cost me my first client" is a list and a story. To measure it, tag it with the type that leads: the one the viewer notices first.

Which type of hook works best on TikTok?

There isn't one that always wins. The one that works is the one that fits the idea and your audience, and you see that by comparing your own videos, not by copying another account.

How long should a hook be?

Just long enough for the promise to land. Often it's a single line; what matters is that the first seconds make clear what the video is about.

Your next step: take your next idea, write three openings of different types and keep the one that sounds most like you.