Steal These: 7 Hooks That Open Strong
Two different creators posted the exact same whiteboard of viral hook templates. Here they are, unified into seven you can fill in and use today.
What’s a good hook template for a viral video?
A hook template is a fill-in-the-blank opening line built around a proven pattern — a visual comparison, a warning, a hard-earned lesson — rather than a topic sentence. The seven below all showed up, nearly word-for-word, in two unrelated creators’ breakdowns of what actually gets a video watched past the first three seconds.
Two creators, on two different accounts, posted the same whiteboard: seven hook templates, written out almost identically, each with a real example. That kind of overlap between people who don’t know each other is a good sign a pattern is real, not a fluke.
How to use these: pick the template that fits what you’re actually saying, fill in the brackets with something specific and true, and cut everything you’d normally say before it. The hook is the first line. Nothing else goes before it.
If your X looks like Y, you’re Z.
People trust their eyes faster than a claim. This hook hands viewers a quick self-test they can run on themselves or something they own, right as they’re watching — and self-diagnosis is a much stronger pull than being told a fact.
“If your [X] looks like [this], you’re [Y].”
“Let’s talk about digestive health today.”
“If your poop looks like small hard pebbles, you’re probably constipated.”
I’m sure you’ve heard the news… this is why you need X.
Framing a pitch as news instead of an ad borrows the authority of information people are supposed to already know. It makes the viewer feel behind if they haven’t heard it — which keeps them watching to catch up.
“I’m sure you’ve heard the news… this is why you need [X].”
“Check out this credit card.”
“I’m sure you’ve heard the news… this is why you need the American Express Gold Card.”
What’s better, X or Y?
A comparison creates an open loop before you’ve said anything else — the viewer has to keep watching to find out which side wins, and most people have an instinctive guess they want confirmed or challenged.
“What’s better, [X] or [Y]?”
“Here are some exercise tips.”
“These are the best — and worst — exercises for your glutes.”
Never do X, if you don’t want Y.
Loss aversion beats gain framing almost every time. Telling someone what to avoid feels more urgent than telling them what to try, and it positions you as protecting them rather than selling to them.
“Never do [X], if you don’t want [Y].”
“Let’s talk about skincare ingredients.”
“Never buy moisturizing creams, if you don’t want to waste your money.”
It took me X years to learn what I’m about to tell you in Y.
This hook sells a shortcut: the years of trial and error are already paid for, on someone else’s time. The bigger the gap between the years spent and the minutes it takes to explain, the stronger the pull.
“It took me [X] years to learn what I’m about to tell you in [Y].”
“Here’s something I learned recently.”
“It took me 27 years to understand what I’m about to tell you in one minute.”
Why do X% of Y do Z?
A specific, surprising statistic framed as a question does two things at once: it proves you have real data behind you, and it hands the viewer a mystery they didn’t know existed a second ago.
“Why do [X]% of [Y] do [Z]?”
“Let’s talk about where Americans live.”
“Why do 80% of all Americans live east of this line?”
If you don’t like X, but still want Y, then do Z.
This hook meets an objection before the viewer can raise it. It says “I know why you’d normally skip this” and then offers a way to keep the outcome without the part they don’t like — which is exactly the trade most people are quietly hoping exists.
“If you don’t like [X], but still want [Y], then do [Z].”
“Here’s a healthy dinner recipe.”
“If you don’t like cooking and washing dishes, but still want a delicious meal, make a one-pot meal in your rice cooker.”
A hook template isn’t a script — it’s a slot machine for curiosity. Pick the one that fits what you’re actually saying, fill the brackets with something specific and true, and cut everything you’d normally say before it.
| Hook | Formula | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Visual Diagnostic | If your X looks like Y, you’re Z. | Health & beauty |
| News Hook | I’m sure you’ve heard the news… | Ads & launches |
| Comparison | What’s better, X or Y? | Rankings |
| Warning | Never do X, if you don’t want Y. | Myth-busting |
| Hard-Earned Lesson | It took me X years to learn Y. | Personal brand |
| Contrarian Fact | Why do X% of Y do Z? | Data-driven |
| Compromise | If you don’t like X but want Y, do Z. | Life hacks |
Frequently asked questions
What is a hook in a viral video?
The hook is the first line or first few seconds of a video — the part written specifically to stop someone from scrolling. It’s judged separately from the rest of the content, because most platforms decide whether to keep showing your video based on how many people watch past that opening moment.
How long should a video hook be?
Two to three seconds, or the first sentence at most. If it takes longer than that to get to the point, it isn’t a hook yet — it’s a wind-up, and most viewers won’t wait through one.
Can I reuse the same hook template more than once?
Yes — these are templates, not one-time lines. The same “Never do X, if you don’t want Y” structure works for skincare, finance, or parenting; only the specific X, Y, and Z change. Rotating between two or three templates you’re comfortable with beats forcing a new structure every video.