How to Create Hooks that Stop the Scroll

First impressions matter. As with anything in life, the way you present yourself when meeting someone new is critical.

In 2025, first impressions matter more than ever. With attention spans having shrunk to only 8 seconds, and Gen Z slowly becoming addicted to instant gratification-fueled dopamine releases, it was only a matter of time before we had to start acting faster.

Think about it: when interviewing for a job, would you come dressed in a t-shirt and sweatpants? No, you’ll likely wear a dress shirt or a dress that represents who you wish to become professionally. The same mentality must be applied to your video content.

Eye-catching visuals, fast timing, and a string of words that capture attention are all required for content to go viral nowadays.

What is a Hook?

A hook at its core is the attention grab. It’s the first line or shot in a video that intentionally steals your audience’s attention in hopes of keeping them watching.

Just like in any other media form, the first few seconds of your content need to grab that attention and hold on for dear life. This applies not just to TikTok content, but Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts – any social media platform that focuses on short-form video.

This article will be a deep dive into what makes a hook take off, the psychology behind it, analyzing high-performing hooks, and how to apply it to your own content.

Why Does Stopping the Scroll Matter?

As a content creator, I’m sure you’ve heard the terms “scroll stopping” or “stopping the scroll” plenty from other social media gurus. But what exactly is the importance of stopping the scroll, and why does it seem like everyone focuses on it nowadays?

The key to viral videos in 2025 isn’t the content itself or flooding the description with hashtags.

It’s the first second.

The first second of your video matters the most because that is the first thing anyone will ever see from your content. Nowadays, people don’t wait around a few seconds to see if the content is “for them” – if they do not receive instant gratification or confirmation that “this is the content they want to see”, they will scroll away.

That means you must perfect the art of the perfect frame and master everything that makes that first second memorable.

What Makes an Effective Hook?

Now that you know why we need a hook, let’s talk about what makes a hook effective. At its most basic level, hooks need to both captivate the viewer and confirm that the content is relevant to them. If you can accomplish both within 3 seconds, you have created an effective hook.

Put yourself in your audience’s shoes: what attracts you to watch that one video through, after a period of scrolling endlessly?

The psychology behind this phenomenon is relatively simple, and in turn, it will help you become a better hook creator.

The psychology behind an effective hook boils down to one or more of 5 key elements:

• Mindless pattern interruption: something that is so unexpected that it creates intrigue. Surprisingly, the brain creates intrigue, thereby keeping you watching. This could be a quick motion or an unexpected question, to name a few.

• Spanning the curiosity gap: Human beings are extremely curious by nature; it’s literally in our genetic coding. Make it a point to give your audience a little taste of what they can expect from the rest of your video in your hook, and the right audience will stick till the end.

• Hitting an emotional trigger: The FOMO is real, and you should abuse it. The fear of missing out, making someone laugh, making someone angry, or even just being relatable are all the strongest human emotions – and in turn can create a response that keeps people lingering on your content.

• The visual element: It’s a proven fact that most people process image information faster than they can solely verbally. By making the first frame visually appealing by including motion, supporting imagery, and potentially even subtitles, you are significantly more likely to secure that viewer till the end.

• The verbal element: One of the most important things when it comes to creating fantastic content is your voice. Our ability to interpret speech is crucial toward developing a deeper understanding of a video’s topic, and more importantly, its hook. By creating a captivating phrase or sentence that’s easy to say at the beginning of your content, your chances of keeping that viewer intrigued until the end rise significantly.

• By utilizing as many of these five core hook elements as you can, your content’s chances of reaching its target audience and potentially beyond increase dramatically.

What Types of Video Hooks Work in 2025?

We’ve just covered essentially the foundation of what makes a hook “viral”. With a bit of creativity and fun application, you no longer should feel forced to re-use the same hooks that every other creator is already using to no end.

However, every content creator must get started somewhere, and I entirely understand that it may be hard to go from zero to a hundred just by reading a guide on our website.

So I’ve included some examples of hooks that I have personally analyzed and have determined to work in 2025 without a specific content niche attachment. I highly recommend using these as inspiration and not necessarily verbatim, as the more that these are used across social media, the less likely they are to work.

Examples of effective scroll-stopping text hooks:

• “You’ve been doing ______ wrong your whole life. Here’s how to fix it.”

• “_____ is a scam. Let me prove it to you.”

• “Don’t even think about doing this before you _____.”

• “How I transformed my ______ into a ______ for $200”

One content creator who uses text hooks incredibly well is @lenkalul. For example, this collaboration featuring the “53” face sculpting technique:

Examples of visual hooks:

• Transition effects, big movements like zooms or slides

• High-contrast or vibrant saturated visuals

• Fast-paced cuts that make sense

• Utilizing stock imagery to help convey video topic

An example of a creator who implements the visual element well is @nicoleebennett. Take a look at her Glow Up Series hook:

The Number One Mistake When Making Social Media Content

The most common mistake when making social media content is taking too long to get to your point. Viewers no longer want to stick around for fifteen minutes just to get confirmation that this is, in fact, the video they were looking for. They want that confirmation as quickly as possible, if not instantaneously.

Let’s face facts: most viewers do not care who you are initially. They care if your content is valuable to them.

Social media users of today rely on quick topic introductions to determine if a piece of content is worth continuing to watch. Time is more valuable than ever, and by not quickly introducing a topic within your hook, you’ll be wasting viewers’ time – arguably the worst thing to do when trying to captivate new audience members.

The same goes for the actual content itself. Ask yourself: Is the topic I’m introducing at the beginning the same topic throughout the entire video?

Does the remainder of the video pay off and create a satisfying conclusion?

If you create curiosity in the beginning, you must satiate that craving by the end of the video.

How to Test and Improve Your Hooks

As with any major change in content style, it’s best to try things in doses and not be afraid to fail. Some hooks will not work, and that is perfectly okay, because those flops will help you learn what works for your niche and become a better creator.

To test and improve any hook, follow this simple step-by-step:

1.      Publish video with hook idea

2.      Analyze performance metrics (average watch time, completion rate)

3.      If stats are low or comparable to your prior videos, analyze to determine what could be improved in hook or content

4.      Film with new, improved hook and repeat

To boil it down, try to improve one thing with your hook every single time you create a new video. If you can add one new change whenever you create, you’ll create faster, higher-quality content across the board faster than your competition.

Create better hooks for every social media feed

The power of a well-crafted hook is undeniable. The social media content creators who choose to focus on their hook structure and constantly try new improvements will rise above the rest drastically.

When you’re creating a video hook, always think: “Would I stop scrolling for this?”

If the answer is anything but a resounding yes, you’ve got some more testing to do.

Remember, social media isn’t just science; it’s an art – experiment, try new things, and don’t be afraid to keep trying until something clicks.

If you are looking to become a better creator even faster, you’ll be interested in Advanced Creative Media’s Influencer Incubation Program, available here.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Scroll-Stopping Social Media Hooks

How long should a hook be on TikTok or Reels?

Your hook should grab attention within the first 1-3 seconds.

Do hooks need to match the video topic exactly?

Yes. A hook should set clear expectations for what the viewer can expect from the remainder of the video. Misleading hooks (also known as clickbait) will hurt your retention and trust.

Should I use text hooks or voiceover hooks?

All of the above. Approximately 8/10~ TikTok users watch videos on silent, so incorporating multiple hook tricks is required for maximum payoff.

What’s the best format for a hook?

It all depends on your content style and niche. We highly recommend testing multiple styles out and seeing what works best for your own content creation needs.