Hook
A hook is the first one to two seconds of a short video — the line, image or text on screen that makes someone stop scrolling.
Good business hooks name a problem the viewer already has, promise a specific result, or ask the question they are already asking. Say it out loud and put it on screen so it works with the sound off.
A hook must be paid off by the rest of the video; one that over-promises loses viewers in the next three seconds.
Related terms
Hook rate — Hook rate is the share of people who keep watching past the first few seconds of a video — commonly 3-second views divided by impressions.
Watch time — Watch time is how long viewers spend watching a video, in total or on average — one of the strongest signals short-video platforms use to decide who else sees it.
Faceless content — Faceless content is video that never shows the creator’s face — hands, products, screen recordings, text on screen or an AI presenter instead.