6 hook formulas that still work

Hooks decide whether your video gets a fair test from the algorithm. Weak first 2 seconds = autoplay-skip = your video never sees the second push.

Here are 6 formats that consistently land. Use one per video, not all six on top of each other.

1. The contrarian take

"Stop programming abs. Do this instead." "Your morning routine is making your skin worse."

Why it works: pattern interrupt. Viewers expect agreement; you flip it.

2. The POV

"POV: you walked into my LIVE Friday at 7pm" "POV: you found out your boss makes less than your TikTok"

Why it works: drops viewers into a scene. Creates a 0-effort imagination prompt.

3. The "I tested" hook

"I tested 3 viral skincare sets this month. Only ONE I'd buy again." "I tried the AI tools every founder told me to use. Here's what survived."

Why it works: positions you as filter. Viewers come for your verdict.

4. The number

"5 things I wish I knew at 25." "3 reasons your TikTok views died last month."

Why it works: completion bias. Brain wants to see all 3.

5. The day-in-the-life

"Day in the life of a 250lb deadlift goal." "Day in the life of a TikTok Shop seller doing $40K/mo."

Why it works: aspirational + voyeuristic. Drives saves more than likes.

6. The single-question

"Would you spend $300 on a phone case if it had this feature?" "Why is no one talking about this?"

Why it works: opens a comment loop instantly.

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What NOT to do

• "Hey guys, today I want to talk about…" — algorithm-killing intro
• "If you don't know me, I'm…" — saves the hook for after the intro, never works
• Music swell with no spoken hook — wasted first 2 seconds

How to pick which one to use

Match the hook to the goal:

• Save rate goal → POV or Day-in-the-life
• Comment goal → Single-question or Contrarian
• Click-through goal (TT Shop) → "I tested" or Contrarian

Creator Lens generates 3 personalized hooks per week using your voice samples + this week's goal + your prior video performance data.