Stop scrolling right now. <\/strong>This blog post will change your life. Okay, maybe not \u2014 but it will teach you how to create an effective social media hook for TikTok, Instagram, and beyond. <\/p>\n (See what we did there? We used a hook.<\/em>)<\/p>\n When it comes to engaging Instagram\u2019s 2 billion active users<\/a> and TikTok\u2019s 884 million active users<\/a>, capturing attention is more than half the battle. Here\u2019s everything you need to know about hooks, plus examples from the folks who do it best and the ultimate thumb-stopping social media hook hack (spoilers: it\u2019s Owlywriter AI).<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t OwlyWriter AI instantly generates captions and content ideas for every social media network. It\u2019s seriously easy.<\/span><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart free 30-day trial<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n A social media hook is text<\/a>, a photo, video or audio that immediately grabs a social media user\u2019s attention. A hook is always one of the very first things presented to the user\u2014for example, the first few seconds of a TikTok or the first photo posted in an Instagram carousel.<\/p>\n The purpose of a TikTok or Instagram hook is essentially to get the user to stop scrolling, and to engage with the content in its entirety: hooks create intrigue, capture attention, and hold it. That\u2019s not far off of the literal definition \u2014 as in, a fish getting hooked \u2014 but in this case, after Reeling \u2018em in (get it?) we\u2019ll be ethically releasing our catch.<\/p>\n A great social media hook gets attention and sustains it<\/strong>. An excellent hook makes the user believe that the rest of the content will be valuable to them in some way\u2014that value could be information, advice, entertainment, etc.<\/p>\n Good hooks are presented to the user immediately<\/strong> (TikTok suggests that the first two seconds<\/a> of a video are crucial for getting an audience\u2019s attention). Hooks should appeal to your target audience base and set up a user\u2019s expectations for what\u2019s to come. An awesome hook is a promise that the content is worth watching.<\/p>\n And finally, a hook should be true<\/em><\/strong>. Yes, you might draw a few people in with hooks that make wild, inaccurate claims about the rest of the video (for example, How I Won An Olympic Gold Medal in Prancing or I May Look Like a Regular Person But I Am Actually Nine Guinea Pigs in a Trench Coat), but you won\u2019t grow your follower base or create any kind of loyal audience if you\u2019re not being truthful. Be engaging, but be honest<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Now you know the dos and don\u2019ts\u2014here\u2019s evidence that great hooks make a difference on TikTok.<\/p>\n Starting by sharing the subject of your TikTok\u2014for instance, by using text or audio to describe what happens in the video\u2014means your audience knows exactly what\u2019s coming.<\/p>\n This TikTok lets viewers know what to expect using text overlaid on top of the video. Anyone watching knows immediately what the video is about\u2014a drawing of Taylor Swift created by writing her name hundreds of times\u2014but users are prompted to stick around to see what the end result looks like.<\/p>\n And here\u2019s the total opposite of the last example: asking a question at the beginning of your TikTok will encourage viewers to keep watching for the answer.<\/p>\n There\u2019s probably no better example of this than getting hooked into watching a one-minute video of a slice of bread. 5.7 million people have. It\u2019s not because the video itself is interesting; it\u2019s because everyone wants to know the answer to the question \u201cWill I ever be loved?\u201d<\/p>\n Hot tip:<\/strong> This video also exemplifies an awesome strategy for increasing engagement<\/a>: when you post videos replying to comments, people are more likely to comment on your videos.<\/p>\n Kicking off your video with some good old-fashioned aggression will definitely snap a viewer out of their mindless scroll. It sounds obvious and ridiculous, but this strategy can actually be incorporated into lots of different niches.<\/p>\n For example, there\u2019s baking. This bagel-making TikTok starts off with a dough slam that\u2019s debatably unnecessary but inarguably attention-grabbing. Any kind of swift movement or loud sound is sure to get attention (just make sure it\u2019s followed by something that\u2019s actually entertaining or useful).<\/p>\n There\u2019s certainly no shortage of people trying to give advice on TikTok, so if you\u2019re an expert in a particular field, tell your audience right away.<\/p>\n This TikTokker starts her video by asserting her position as an expert\u2014in this case, a dermatologist\u2014making viewers more likely to listen to her hot takes on skincare.<\/p>\n A hook that is assertive and instructional\u2014for example, a direction starting with \u201calways\u201d or \u201cnever\u201d\u2014will pique the interest of many viewers. Especially when it\u2019s timely advice.<\/p>\n This TikTok is a perfect example. The creator posted it around Thanksgiving, when lots of Americans had turkey on their minds, and began the video by saying \u201cDo not throw your turkey carcass away.\u201d It\u2019s followed by step-by-step instructions for making pho: useful, timely, and worth a watch even for folks who\u2019d more likely get takeout than cook turkey.<\/p>\n Stitching other videos<\/a> on TikTok is an excellent method for creating your own content. Instead of coming up with an idea out of the blue, you can respond to or create a conversation with another creator.<\/p>\n But because viewers will see the video you\u2019re stitching first, and not your personal content, it\u2019s a good idea to hook them in by letting them know a stitch is incoming.<\/p>\n Using the text \u201cStitch incoming\u201d is the most common way to do this. The original TikTok above posted by Alix Earle got lots of funny (but good-natured) stitches from mothers showing what they actually look like at school pickup.<\/p>\n This hook alerts viewers that they\u2019re about to see a stitch, and should keep watching to see what\u2019s next.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t Create. Schedule. Publish. Engage. Measure. Win.<\/strong><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFree 30-Day Trial<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n How do you hook on the \u2018gram? Learn from the pros.<\/p>\n You can hook in your Instagram audience with an engaging caption<\/a>, but the content itself can also play hooky: here are a few strategies.<\/p>\n Instagram carousels create a great opportunity for testing out social media hooks: on average, they get three times the engagement<\/a> of regular posts on IG.<\/p>\n Creating a quiz that your audience has to swipe through is one way to utilize carousels. Hook users in by asking an interesting question and you\u2019re all set.<\/p>\n Now, you can add audio to your still posts on Instagram, so you can hook in speed-scrollers with trending tunes, seasonal songs or throwback favourites.<\/p>\n This post from Dua Lipa is the perfect example of using audio: she announces a new song in the still image, and adds the song to the post so that it automatically starts playing when a user is viewing the image. (This is sadly only offered on mobile \u2014 if you\u2019re reading this blog post on your desktop, you won\u2019t hear the audio).<\/p>\n Sure, a picture\u2019s worth a thousand words, but it generally takes a little longer to read text than it does to look at a photo\u2014and hooks are all about increasing the amount of time a user spends viewing your content. Because Instagram is mostly image- and video-based, a simple text post stands out.<\/p>\n Especially if that text post is funny. The post above from Sheertex is a good example: the simple user-generated<\/a> review is both hilarious and engaging.<\/p>\n It\u2019s video time again: here are some examples of top-notch hooks for Reels and Stories.<\/p>\n Video editing tools<\/a> make transitions a breeze on social media, and an interesting transition at the very beginning of your video will hook your audience in.<\/p>\n This Reel is full of neat transitions \u2014 it\u2019s satisfying to watch, regardless of how interested the viewer is in the content itself.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s another example of engaging editing. Instagram may be more than a photo sharing app, but beautiful photos still grab attention on this social media platform.<\/p>\n A trending song or sound<\/a> is often enough to hook viewers in \u2014 they\u2019ll recognize the trend<\/a> and watch your reel to see your take on it.<\/p>\n Again, this works especially well for humorous trends.<\/p>\n The Reel below delivers a simple message (\u201dWe\u2019re waiting for you\u201d) in a very artistic, distinct way. Each word is visible in its own distinct clip.<\/p>\n It\u2019s almost like an \u201cI spy\u201d to get the message, and reading each word prompts you to stick around \u2018till the end.<\/p>\n Ah, the oldest (and best) trick in the book: \u201cWait for it.\u201d Tempt your audience to pause their scroll by beginning your Reel with a reference to the end.<\/p>\n This Reel doesn\u2019t specifically ask viewers to wait until the end of the video. It\u2019s more subtle. But users know from the text at the video\u2019s start that the grandparents are the ones to watch\u2026 and the grandparents just happen to be at the end.<\/p>\n Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but utility is almost universal: hook in a viewer by immediately showing them how beneficial your video will be to them.<\/p>\n This Reel on how to poach an egg starts with a perfectly poached egg, asserting the creator\u2019s position as a capable poacher. Anyone who doesn\u2019t know how to poach an egg \u2014 or wants to improve their soft yolk skills \u2014 is tempted to keep watching.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to add a call to action<\/a> at the end. After all, the only way a user can guarantee they\u2019ll keep seeing your useful Reels is by following you.<\/p>\n Similar to a \u201cdo\u201d or \u201cdon\u2019t,\u201d commanding a viewer to stop a certain behaviour (especially a common one) will generally get their attention. This isn\u2019t necessarily because your target audience is eager to change their behaviour. But they\u2019ll watch your Reel anyway.<\/p>\n Hair styling videos often use this tactic. I can\u2019t tell you how many videos I\u2019ve seen that tell me the way I put my hair in a ponytail is wrong. But do I watch them to the end, just to see what I\u2019m missing? Absolutely.<\/p>\n Say what? Yes, sometimes confusing your audience \u2014 just for a moment \u2014 is an awesome way to get attention (toddlers have really cornered the market on this strategy IRL). A curious viewer will want to figure out what happens next.<\/p>\n The Reel above starts with a clip of a person using a marker to draw a dot on their camera\u2019s screen. Drawing on a screen is unusual behaviour, prompting the audience to keep watching to see what\u2019s up.<\/p>\n Hooking a fish takes patience, but writing a hook can be done in seconds \u2014 especially when you have AI copywriting<\/a> on your side.<\/p>\n Owlywriter AI<\/a> is a writing tool built specifically for social media managers. It\u2019s integrated into Hootsuite\u2019s composer, and is available with all Hootsuite plans. Here\u2019s how to use it.<\/p>\n Once you\u2019ve logged into Hootsuite, click the Compose<\/strong> icon near the top of the left menu.<\/p>\n Next, click Post<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This will bring you to Hootsuite\u2019s Composer. The next window will prompt you to use OwlyWriter AI to write social captions. Select Create a caption now<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Start free 30-day trial<\/a><\/p>\n On the next page, select Start from scratch<\/strong>. Then, scroll until you find HOOK post<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Owlywriter will prompt you to describe your company. Type in a sentence about who you are and what you do. I made up a recycled basketball company for the sake of this example, but in your case, it\u2019s best to go with something real.<\/p>\n Hit Create caption<\/strong> and in a few moments, Owlywriter will generate not only a hook, but an offer, unique angle and kicker. This would be the perfect opportunity for a soccer pun \u2014 maybe I should have gone with that instead of basketballs. What a home run.<\/p>\n Save time managing your social media presence with Hootsuite. From a single dashboard you can publish and schedule social media posts across networks, find relevant conversions, engage the audience, measure results, and more. Try it free today.<\/strong><\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/blog.hootsuite.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/OwlyWriter-AI-blog-CTA-box.png.webp\"\/)
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCraft perfect posts in seconds\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\nWhat is a social media hook?<\/span><\/h2>\n
What makes a good social media hook?<\/span><\/h2>\n
TikTok hook examples<\/span><\/h2>\n
Give away the ending<\/h3>\n
Ask and answer a question<\/h3>\n
Be fast and loud<\/h3>\n
Assert your expertise<\/h3>\n
Start with a \u201cdo\u201d or a \u201cdon\u2019t\u201d<\/h3>\n
Declare your stitches<\/h3>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t#1 Social Media Tool\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span><\/p>\nInstagram hook examples<\/span><\/h2>\n
Hooks for Instagram posts<\/h3>\n
Make a carousel quiz<\/h4>\n
Attach audio to your feed posts<\/h4>\n
Create text posts<\/h4>\n
Hooks for Instagram Reels and Stories<\/h3>\n
Use cool editing and transitions<\/h4>\n
Hop on a trend<\/h4>\n
Incorporate text in a unique way<\/h4>\n
Reference the end of the video at the beginning<\/h4>\n
Post useful videos<\/h4>\n
Make a command<\/h4>\n
Confuse your audience<\/h4>\n
How to create engaging hooks with OwlyWriter AI<\/h3>\n
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