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How to Write TikTok Hooks: The 3-Second Rule (With 30 Examples)

TikTok gives you about 2 seconds. Reels gives you 3. Your video doesn't start when you start talking — it starts when the viewer decides to stay. Here's the 3-second rule for writing TikTok hooks, with 30 examples you can steal.

Open with the hook, never with an intro. "Hey guys, so today I wanted to talk about…" is how videos die. The hook comes first — then everything else.

What is a hook, exactly?

A hook is the first 2–3 seconds of your video, spoken or on screen. It has exactly one job: make the viewer's brain need the next second. It opens a question, sparks a feeling, or promises a payoff — anything that makes skipping feel like missing out.

The 3-second test

Say your hook out loud. Now ask: would a total stranger stop scrolling and ask "what happens next?" If yes, post it. If no, rewrite it. This single test beats every algorithm trick, posting-time chart, and hashtag strategy combined.

The 8 hook styles (with examples)

Every great hook falls into one of 8 styles. Match the style to your video, then fill in the blanks.

1. Curiosity gap

Hide just enough. The brain hates an open loop.

• "There's one thing dentists never mention about whitening strips." (Vault #8)
• "I wasn't going to share my grandma's soup recipe. But here it is." (Vault #6)
• "Nobody talks about this part of meal prepping." (Vault #3)
• "The middle of this video is the part everyone replays." (Vault #23)

2. Contrarian

Bold claims force a double take — and comments.

• "I stopped waking up at 5 a.m. and got more done." (Vault #42)
• "More posting won't give you better engagement." (Vault #52)
• "Everything you know about emergency funds is wrong." (Vault #41)

3. Storytime

Drop viewers into the action mid-scene.

• "Here's why I cried at the grocery store last week." (Vault #83)
• "Last Tuesday, something happened at work that changed everything." (Vault #77)
• "My open house had a plot twist. Wait for it." (Vault #84)
• "It was 6 a.m. on a Sunday when the call came." (Vault #81)

4. Pain point

Name the viewer's exact struggle. Feeling seen keeps them watching.

• "That Sunday-night dread? It has a fix." (Vault #124)
• "Still stuck at 200 views? This is why." (Vault #115)
• "You're not lazy. You're overworked." (Vault #123)
• "Your problem isn't motivation. It's the phone by your bed." (Vault #135)

5. Before/after

Show the gap, hide the middle.

• "From wobbly to wheelies in six weeks." (Vault #154)
• "One year ago: $0 saved. Today: $5,000 saved." (Vault #153)
• "Day 1 vs Day 90: learning Spanish." (Vault #157)
• "This is my skin after 60 days. No filter." (Vault #164)

6. List

A clear count feels fast and skimmable. Numbers promise value.

• "7 stretches that fix desk shoulders." (Vault #190)
• "5 mistakes every new runner makes." (Vault #191)
• "I tested 12 water bottles. Here are the 3 I'd buy again." (Vault #212)
• "6 things to stop buying at the store." (Vault #210)

7. Authority

Borrow credibility from numbers and experience.

• "Ask any barista: cheap grinders ruin good beans." (Vault #243)
• "I analyzed 100 viral food videos. Here's what they all had in common." (Vault #227)
• "What 10 years of teaching taught me." (Vault #222)
• "After 15 years as a plumber, here's what I know." (Vault #228)

8. Question

Questions pull comments, and comments pull reach.

• "Would you cook daily or meal prep weekly?" (Vault #268)
• "Why did no one tell me the first 3 seconds decide everything?" (Vault #289)
• "Team paper books or Team e-reader?" (Vault #276)

The 60-second customization method

A template alone won't save you — make it yours in 60 seconds:

1. Say who it's for. "Runners" beats "people." Specificity stops the right scrollers.
2. Say it in your voice. If you don't talk like that, rewrite it until you do.
3. Add one true detail. A number, time, place, or price. "300 pages" beats "a lot."
4. Cut it under 15 words. If it takes two breaths, it's two hooks. Pick one.

Score it before you post

Run every hook through the 5-row scorecard — 1 to 5 points each:

• Curiosity — does it open a question the viewer must get answered?
• Feeling — surprise, hope, fear, joy, or anger?
• Clear — would a stranger get it on first read?
• Detail — one true number, time, place, or price?
• Open loop — would skipping feel like missing out?

20+ points: post it. 15–19: fix your weakest row. Under 15: rewrite.

FAQ

How many hooks should I test?

Test 3–5 per video concept. Post the winner, then rotate your top 10 across future videos.

Do hooks work for talking-head videos?

They work best there. Talking-head videos have no visual trickery — the words carry everything, so the hook matters most.

What if my niche is boring?

No niche is boring — only hooks are. "I read 300 pages on sleep so you don't have to" (Vault #29) made sleep research scroll-stopping.

More free hooks and creator tips: back to the blog →