The hook isn't just the first line of dialogue — and it's not always dialogue at all. It's the first visual, the first energy, the first feeling the viewer receives. A specific look from the creator. A reaction caught on camera. A moment of tension. If the first frame already stops you cold, that is the hook — don't edit over it. If it doesn't, your job is to find what does and move it to the front.
1
Identify the most compelling moment in the footage
Scan all your footage. What's the most shocking, funny, emotional, or surprising moment? That's often where your hook comes from — and sometimes it means starting in the middle of the story, not the beginning.
2
Open with action or conflict, never with setup
"Hey guys, so today I wanted to talk about..." is dead. Start mid-sentence, mid-motion, or with an immediate visual tension. The viewer's brain needs something to resolve.
3
Layer in a text overlay hook if the visual alone isn't enough
Text on screen in the first 2 seconds gives a second chance to capture scrollers who missed the audio or need one more reason to stay. Use it as a curiosity gap — the text should create a question in the viewer's mind that only the rest of the video can answer.
Strong curiosity gap examples:
· "I can't believe this actually happened"
· "She had no idea I was filming this"
· "Nobody expected what came next"
· "This changed everything for her"
· "I had to share this"
· "Wait for the reaction 👀"
· "This is why she went viral"
Notice: none of these describe what happens. They all create a gap the viewer has to close by watching. Describe the feeling or the stakes — never the content.
4
Watch the first 3 seconds back — cold
After editing the hook, close your eyes, wait 5 seconds, then hit play. Is your first reaction curiosity? Does it make you want to see what comes next? If you feel nothing, the hook needs work.
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Hook formats that work on our creatorsA visual reveal (hide then show), a bold statement before context, a question that creates a gap ("would you do this for $500?"), starting mid-action, or a raw emotional moment opening cold. Study what stops YOUR scroll and reverse-engineer it.
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The "stolen hook" technique — screen record + jumpscareIf the raw footage doesn't have a strong enough opening on its own, we sometimes screen-record a hook from a high-performing video on another account (one that already proven it stops scrolls), then use it as the opening 2–4 seconds in the Edits app. Our video then comes in right after — like a jumpscare cut — creating a jarring, attention-grabbing transition.
How to do it:
1. Find a video with a hook that already works (proven by views/engagement)
2. Screen-record just the hook moment (2–4 seconds max)
3. In the Edits app, place the screen-recorded hook first
4. Cut hard into our creator's footage — abrupt is better than smooth here
5. The contrast between the two clips is the hook. It should feel like a pattern interrupt.
⚠️ Use this when: the footage is strong but the opening few seconds aren't doing enough work on their own. Don't force it if the original hook is already solid.
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Editing app stackWe primarily use the Edits app (Meta's native editor) — it's seamless with Instagram and makes publishing frictionless. CapCut and Final Cut Pro are also fine depending on what you're comfortable with. For most day-to-day Reels, Edits is the default. Use FCP when you need more precision or the edit is complex.
Did I start with action or tension — not with setup or a greeting?
Is there something in the first 1–3 seconds that makes you want to see what happens next?
Did I consider whether a text overlay in the first 2 seconds would strengthen the hook?
Have I watched back the first 3 seconds cold and felt genuine curiosity?