[FAQ]

I know the first three seconds of a Reel are the most important for grabbing a viewer’s attention, but I feel like I’m running out of ideas and my intros are getting a bit stale.

Instead of just general advice, I was wondering if anyone has some specific, repeatable ‘hook formulas’ that work well for Reels in 2025. I’m thinking of those opening lines that immediately make you want to watch the rest of the video.

[Jeff Bullas]

That is a great, practical question.

Quick Answer: The most effective hook formulas for Reels are those that create an immediate knowledge gap, challenge a common belief, or promise a specific, valuable outcome to the viewer in the first three seconds.

The goal of a hook is to make a strong promise to the viewer that the rest of the video will fulfill, giving them a compelling reason to stop scrolling. Here are some proven formulas that work well.

First, you have the ‘You’re Doing X Wrong’ hook. This immediately grabs attention by challenging a common practice. Examples include, “You’re making your coffee wrong, here’s why” or “Stop setting your goals like this.”

Second, there is the ‘Here’s How I Did X’ hook. This is a results-oriented formula that promises a story or a solution. For example, “Here’s how I gained 10,000 followers in 30 days” or “This is the exact strategy I used to save $5,000.”

Third, you can use the ‘Unpopular Opinion’ hook. This works by presenting a strong, contrarian viewpoint that makes people curious to hear your reasoning. For instance, “Unpopular opinion: cardio is a waste of time for fat loss.”

Fourth, there is the ‘Secret’ or ‘Hack’ hook. This formula promises to share a valuable piece of insider information that will benefit the viewer, such as, “Here’s a website that feels illegal to know” or “One travel hack I wish I knew sooner.”

And fifth, you have the ‘Problem and Solution’ hook. This directly calls out a common pain point and promises the answer. An example would be, “If you struggle with procrastination, you need to hear this.”

In summary, a great hook is a promise. By using these formulas, you create a powerful reason for a viewer to stop scrolling and invest their time in watching your video to get the payoff you offered at the start.

Cheers,

Jeff

[Author]

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