Guide · writing
Video ad hooks: 12 ways to hold attention in 3 seconds
A good video ad hook tells viewers in under three seconds who it is for and why they should keep watching. TikTok advises introducing your proposition in the first 3 seconds, and YouTube lets viewers skip an ad after 5. Here are 12 mechanisms that work, question, number, contrast, before/after, "don't do this", each with a written example.
Why the first 3 seconds decide everything
On TikTok, Reels or Shorts, nobody asked for your ad. It lands between two videos from friends, and the thumb is already moving. The hook has one job: give a reason to watch what comes next.
The platforms say so themselves. In its creative best practices, TikTok recommends placing your hook in the first 6 seconds and introducing your proposition in the first 3, for better recall. On YouTube, a skippable ad can be skipped after 5 seconds, according to Google Ads Help, so what matters has to land before that.
So a hook is not your logo, not "Hi, my name is…", and not a five-second mood shot. It is a line, an image, or both together, that puts a question in the viewer's head.
12 hooks sorted by mechanism
Each example is invented to illustrate, not a client. Keep the mechanism, swap the words for your offer.
| Mechanism | Written example (invented) | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The direct question | "Still paying someone to type in your receipts?" | When your customer has a problem they recognise instantly |
| 2. The precise number | "4 minutes. That's how long it takes to book with us." | When you have a true, checkable number about your offer, never a random round one |
| 3. The contrast | "Everyone sells scented candles. Ours have no scent at all." | When your difference fits in one sentence |
| 4. Before / after | "Monday: 40 unanswered emails. Friday: inbox zero." | When the result can be shown on screen |
| 5. The "don't do this" | "Don't buy an e-bike until you've seen this." | When your customer is about to decide |
| 6. The common mistake | "If you water your fig tree every day, you're drowning it." | When you can correct a myth in your trade |
| 7. Result first | Shot of the finished shelf, text: "Built in 4 minutes, no screws." | When the finished product says more than the promise |
| 8. The timed promise | "In 30 seconds, you'll know if your roof will last the winter." | For useful content where the ad is the answer |
| 9. Behind the scenes | "What nobody tells you about sourdough." | When your craft makes people curious |
| 10. The targeted call-out | "Physios, this one's for you." | When your audience has a specific job, city or situation |
| 11. The objection, head-on | "'Too expensive for me.' Here's what a session really costs." | When everyone has the same objection |
| 12. A story in one line | "Two years ago, Lea closed her shop on a Saturday night." | When your offer was born from a precise moment |
Examples written for this guide, not real ads. The number in example 2 is invented: only use one if it is true.
How to write your own hook, step by step
Start with the viewer, not with you. Write in one line what they go through just before they meet you: the problem, the wish, the mistake. Your hook starts there; your brand comes later.
Write three versions with three different mechanisms, say a question, a contrast and a before/after. Read them out loud: if a line needs explaining, it is too long for the opening.
- One idea per hook. Two promises in the same line, and people remember neither.
- The picture and the line say the same thing. If we hear "empty inbox", we see an empty inbox.
- On-screen text should read at a glance: TikTok recommends 5 to 10 words per second when you use text.
- No logo or title card at the start. Your brand can come at the end, with the call to action.
- Test several hooks on the same body: the opening is the part that changes most from one version to the next.
Do this in 20 minutes
If you have no time to write or to shoot, adkix starts from your website address, your Instagram account or a one-line idea. It reads your brand, suggests story angles and styles, and writes the script, hook included. You approve the angle, the style and the script before anything is produced.
In about 20 minutes you get a vertical ad of 15 seconds, 30 seconds or one minute, told in voice-over, with generated shots, original music and word-by-word captions. No avatar, no shoot.
Ads made with adkix
Watch how each one opens: the hook is what makes people stay.
« Quarante minutes de pause, et encore un sandwich triste ? »
Joe's Pastainstagram.com
« Ton SaaS est en ligne, et personne ne vient. »
adkixadkix.ai
« Vous êtes coiffeur, vous n'avez pas le temps ? »
SNAPSSsnapss.io
« Tu relis ton mail pour la quatrième fois ? »
Corrigoocorrigoo.io
« Samedi matin, trente équipes, et ton tableau Excel plante. »
Padel Kompetpadelkompet.com
« Fondateur, tu repousses encore la prospection ? »
Le Bureau du Calllebureauducall.fr
« Cinquante messages envoyés hier soir, zéro réponse ce matin. »
BeReachbereach.ai
« T'as tout livré, et toujours pas payé ? »
Dealokrdealokr.com
Where these rules come from
- TikTok Ads Manager, Creative best practices for performance ads
- Google Ads Help, About video ad formats
Read on
Frequently asked questions
How long should a video ad hook be?
Aim for under three seconds for the main idea. TikTok recommends introducing your proposition in the first 3 seconds and placing the hook in the first 6.
Should I show my logo at the start?
No, a logo gives nobody a reason to stay. Keep it for the end, with the call to action, once the viewer knows why they are watching.
Is a question always a good hook?
Only if the viewer answers "yes" in their head. A broad question like "Want to save time?" does nothing; a precise question about a real problem works better.
How many hooks should I test for one ad?
Write at least three with different mechanisms. Keep the same body and change only the opening, so you know what made the difference.
Does adkix write the hook for me?
Yes, the hook is part of the script it writes from your website. You read it and change it before production starts.
Your next post is already on your site.
Create your account, give us your address, and watch your first video come together.
Make my video adUpdated