Short-form video is undoubtedly one of the hottest content forms for 2023. More marketers are going to be investing in short-form video, with platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube readily embracing the trend.

However, if you’re going to use short-form videos in your marketing strategy, you need to do so successfully, and this involves creating a compelling hook.

What is a hook in a short-form video?

Just like a writer must ‘hook’ the reader with their first sentence, your video must grab the viewer’s attention within the first second. That’s what the hook is!

Why is a hook important?

Did you know that the average attention span is eight seconds? This means you only have eight seconds to attract and engage the viewer. If you don’t, your content won’t succeed.

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20 great hooks for your short-form video

Hint at a great story - Give a hint of something interesting to come.
Ask a question - Ask a question to get people thinking.
Open with a joke - People love to laugh!
Begin with the problem - Start with an issue the viewer has, and reveal you have the solution.
Surprise them - Something shocking always makes a big impact.
Cut to the chase - Don’t mess about and waste time.
Discounts - Who doesn’t love a good sale?
Begin with the results - Rather than ending with results, start with them. Then, take the viewer on the journey of how you got there.
‘X’ ways - Introduce ‘x’ ways of doing something to draw the viewer in. They’ll want to know all of the points!
What if… - Take people on a journey! You can go in any direction you want with this hook.
Make the person’s life easier - Start off by showing someone how you can take a current task and make it easier for the viewer.
Respond to Hype - ‘TikTok made me do it…’ and hooks like this tap into current trends and work incredibly well.
We’re sharing a secret - Who doesn’t enjoy finding out a hidden secret?
Unboxing - Get straight to it by unboxing the product you’re going to showcase in the video.
Start with a fascinating fact - If you shock someone with an impressive fact, they’ll want to know more.
Get a customer to introduce the video - Start with a customer raving about how good your product or service is.
We did ___ so you don’t have to - Have you tried a trend or product so the customer doesn’t have to be the guinea pig?
Use alternatives - Compare a product or compare your service with the competition. Show the viewer you have a better alternative for them.
A great life hack - People love life hacks, so starting off with one will get the viewer's attention, and keep it.
Price-focused hooks - Reveal a massive saving or that you can’t believe how much something cost. People love to save money!

Tips for short-form video hooks

Use strong emotions
Be passionate
Include captions / use text

Your hook can make or break your video

So there you have it: some great video hook ideas and tips to help you with your next video. Don’t underestimate just how vital it is. When you consider how short the average person’s attention span is, you see why it’s critical to make a big impact from the get-go.

Want more help with TikTok and other short-form videos? Here are four ways to work with us: