TikTok decides whether your video gets distributed in the first 3 seconds — drop-off there means the algorithm will never give you the rest of your audience, no matter how good the payoff is. “Hey guys, so today I want to talk about…” guarantees that drop-off. These prompts give you 14 hook patterns — pattern-break, curiosity-gap, value-payoff, contrarian, problem-mirror, confession, mid-story open — tuned to the signals the algorithm actually rewards: high completion, replays, and comments. Pair with YouTube Shorts script prompts for the full short-form script after the hook lands.
Best for
- TikTok creators
- Instagram Reels
- YouTube Shorts
- Xiaohongshu video
- Brand short-form content
1. Pattern-break hook (visual + audio)
Write 5 TikTok pattern-break hooks for a video about "{topic}". Each: (a) the first 8 words spoken, (b) the visual at second 0, (c) why this combo breaks scroll pattern. Avoid "Hey guys".2. Contrarian / “stop doing this” hook
Write 6 contrarian hooks for {niche}. Format: "Stop {common advice}. Do this instead." Each hook ≤10 words. The contrarian claim must be defensible by the video.3. Curiosity-gap hook
Write 6 curiosity-gap hooks for "{topic}". Open a loop that the video closes. Each ≤10 words. Avoid clickbait gaps the video does not actually fill.4. Problem-mirror hook
Write 5 problem-mirror hooks for audience: {persona}. Format: "If you {symptom}, this is for you." Each must name a specific symptom they Google.5. Specific-number hook
Write 5 number-led hooks for "{topic}". Format: "{N} things I learned in {timeframe}" or "I tried {N} {category} so you don't have to". Concrete > vague.6. Confession hook
Write 4 confession-style hooks for {niche}. Format: "I used to {behavior} until {turning point}." Vulnerable but defensible. Each ≤14 words.7. “Watch until the end” hook
Write 4 hooks that work BECAUSE they don't announce "watch until the end". Use implicit signals: an unfinished sentence, a partial visual reveal, a question. Each ≤10 words.8. Hot-take / opinion hook
Write 5 strong-opinion hooks for {topic}. Each must take a stance the comments will fight about. Must be defensible by the video content. ≤12 words.9. Tutorial hook (“here’s how”)
Write 5 tutorial hooks for "{task}". Lead with the outcome, not the method. Format: "How I {outcome} without {pain}." Each ≤12 words.10. Trending-sound hook
I want to use trending sound "{sound}". Write 4 hook variants that match the sound's energy and tie to my niche {niche}. Each: first line, on-screen text, what visual at sec 0.11. Story / narrative hook
Write 4 story-hook variants for {topic}. Open mid-action: "I had been doing X for 6 months when…" Each ≤14 words. The mid-action must be specific and intriguing.12. Question hook
Write 5 question hooks for {niche}. Lead with a question the audience genuinely asks. Avoid rhetorical questions with obvious yes. ≤12 words.13. Hook A/B test plan
I have a TikTok concept on {topic}. Give me 3 paired A/B hooks: hook A vs hook B, isolating one variable (contrarian vs curiosity, story vs number, etc.). Predict which wins and why.14. Hook → first 30 seconds bridge
Below is my hook. Write the first 30 seconds of the video AFTER the hook. Must deliver on the hook's promise, build a 2nd loop, and earn the rest of the watch.
Hook: "{paste}"Common mistakes
- “Hey guys / so basically” opener — zero pattern-break, guaranteed swipe
- Hook the video doesn’t actually deliver on — short-term CTR, long-term punish from the algorithm
- Visual at second 0 identical to every competitor in the niche (no pattern-break)
- Talking head only, no on-screen text — mobile silent-mode default means readers miss the hook
- Hook spread over more than 3 seconds — the curiosity gap has to open BEFORE the swipe instinct fires
- “Watch until the end” said out loud — viewers feel the obligation and bounce
Related
- TikTok caption prompts
- Reel hook prompts
- Viral shorts hook prompts
- YouTube Shorts script prompts
- Xiaohongshu product seeding prompts
- Douyin Hook Prompts for First-3-Second Stops
- Write TikTok Hooks That Stop the Scroll With AI
Tags: #Prompt #Social media #TikTok #Hook