Video & Scriptwriting / Short-Form Video
Generate ultra-fast hooks for the first 3 seconds of short-form video — attention capture optimization for infinite scroll.
Why This Prompt Exists
On short-form platforms, you have 3 seconds to stop the scroll. Most creators waste those 3 seconds on logos, slow intros, or vague statements.
You get:
- first 3 seconds wasted on branding (viewer scrolls past)
- slow, generic openings that don’t grab attention
- hooks that don’t match platform expectations
- no understanding of what makes a 3-second hook work
- low view completion because you lost them at the start
But 3-second hooks have proven patterns:
- question hook: “Ever wonder why…?” (curiosity)
- statement hook: “Stop doing X.” (authority, command)
- visual hook: best footage first (intrigue, beauty)
- pattern interrupt: unexpected sound or visual (stop scroll)
- problem hook: “Tired of X?” (relatability, pain point)
- result hook: “I did X in Y days.” (aspiration, proof)
Without 3-second hooks, videos die in the feed.
This prompt generates scroll-stopping 3-second hooks.
The Prompt
Assume the role of a short-form video hook specialist who stops the scroll. Your task is to generate 3-second hooks for short-form content. Generate: 1. HOOK TYPE CLASSIFICATION | Hook Type | Pattern | Example | Best For | |-----------|---------|---------|----------| | Question | "Ever wonder why...?" | "Ever wonder why you're tired all the time?" | Curiosity, educational | | Statement | "Stop doing X." | "Stop charging your phone overnight." | Authority, tip content | | Visual | Best footage first | [Compelling visual] | Travel, art, food | | Pattern interrupt | Unexpected sound/visual | [Sudden zoom, sound effect] | Comedy, reaction | | Problem | "Tired of X?" | "Tired of slow Wi-Fi?" | Pain point, solution | | Result | "I did X in Y days." | "I read 50 books in a year." | Aspiration, proof | | Statistic | "X% of people get this wrong." | "90% of people brush their teeth wrong." | Educational, surprise | | Command | "Watch this." | "Watch what happens next." | Suspense, demonstration | 2. HOOK TIMING BY SECOND | Second | Hook Element | Word Count | Action | |--------|--------------|------------|--------| | 0:00-0:01 | Visual or audio interrupt | 0-2 words | Stop scroll | | 0:01-0:02 | Hook delivery | 3-5 words | Create curiosity | | 0:02-0:03 | Value promise or preview | 5-8 words | Justify staying | 3. 3-SECOND HOOK TEMPLATES **Question Hook (0-3s):** `"Ever notice [problem]?"` [0:01] `"Most people get it wrong."` [0:02] `"Here's the fix."` [0:03] **Statement Hook (0-3s):** `"Stop doing [common mistake]."` [0:01] `"It's destroying your [result]."` [0:02] `"Do this instead."` [0:03] **Visual Hook (0-3s):** `[Best visual clip 0:00-0:01]` `"Wait for it..."` [0:02] `"This changed everything."` [0:03] **Problem Hook (0-3s):** `"Tired of [problem]?"` [0:01] `"Same here."` [0:02] `"Until I found this."` [0:03] **Result Hook (0-3s):** `"I [achievement] in [timeframe]."` [0:01] `"Here's exactly how."` [0:02] `"Step one..."` [0:03] 4. HOOK EFFECTIVENESS SCORING | Hook Quality | Scroll Stop | 3-Second Retention | Indicates | |--------------|-------------|--------------------|-----------| | Excellent | 90%+ | 85%+ | Curiosity + clarity | | Good | 70-90% | 70-85% | Missing one element | | Average | 50-70% | 55-70% | Weak or generic hook | | Poor | <50% | <55% | Wasted first 3 seconds | 5. HOOK PATTERNS BY NICHE | Niche | Primary Hook | Example | |-------|--------------|---------| | Fitness | Result + Command | "I lost 20lbs in 30 days. Here's how." | | Finance | Statistic + Problem | "80% of people overpay for this. Here's why." | | Cooking | Visual + Question | [sizzling sound] "Ever wonder why restaurant steak tastes better?" | | Parenting | Problem + Solution | "Tired of bedtime battles? Try this." | | Tech | Statement + Command | "Stop closing your apps. It doesn't help." | 6. VISUAL HOOK COMPONENTS | Visual Element | Effect | Example | |----------------|--------|---------| | Fast zoom | Attention grab | Zoom in on product | | Color pop | Contrast | Bright object on muted background | | Motion | Eye tracking | Moving subject | | Face close-up | Emotion, connection | Surprised expression | | Text pop | Information | Large bold word | 7. COMMON HOOK MISTAKES | Mistake | Why It Fails | Correct Hook | |---------|--------------|--------------| | Logo or branding first | No value, scroll past | Value or curiosity first | | "Hey guys welcome back" | Wastes 3 seconds | Start with hook, not greeting | | Too slow | Viewer gone before hook | Hook in first word | | Too vague | No curiosity | Specific problem or result | | No value promise | No reason to stay | Preview what they'll get | INPUTS: Content topic: [E.G., "How to save money on groceries"] Target audience: [E.G., "Budget-conscious families"] Platform: [TIKTOK / REELS / SHORTS] Desired hook emotion: [CURIOUS / URGENT / SURPRISED / RELATABLE / ASPIRATIONAL] RULES: - First word must be the hook (no logos, no greetings, no slow build) - 3 seconds maximum to deliver value promise (shorter is better) - Visual hooks work best on TikTok and Reels (sound-off viewing) - Sound hooks work best with trending audio (stop-scroll recognition) - Combine visual + audio for maximum impact - Test hook by watching without sound (is it still compelling?) - A/B test different hook types for the same content
How To Use It
- First word must be the hook — no logos, no "hey guys," no slow build.
- 3 seconds maximum to deliver the value promise — shorter is always better.
- Visual hooks work best on TikTok and Reels — many viewers watch without sound.
- Sound hooks work best with trending audio — recognizable sounds stop the scroll.
- Combine visual + audio for maximum impact — both senses grab attention.
- Test the hook by watching without sound — is it still compelling enough to stop the scroll?
- A/B test different hook types for the same content — see what your audience responds to.
Example Input
Content topic:
"5-minute morning routine for more energy"
Target audience:
"Busy professionals, 25-40"
Platform:
"TIKTOK"
Desired hook emotion:
"CURIOUS"
Why It Works
Most creators lose viewers in the first 3 seconds — because they treat short-form like long-form, with slow intros and branding.
This framework improves outcomes by forcing:
- hook type classification (question, statement, visual, pattern interrupt, problem, result, statistic, command)
- hook timing by second (what happens at 0:01, 0:02, 0:03)
- script templates (ready-to-use 3-second patterns)
- effectiveness scoring (what good retention looks like)
- niche-specific patterns (what works for fitness vs. finance vs. cooking)
Failure modes this prevents:
- First 3 seconds wasted on logos or greetings (viewer scrolls past)
- Slow, generic openings that don't grab attention
- Hooks that don't match platform expectations (visual for sound-off viewing)
- No value promise, so no reason to stay
This improves on: "Start with a hook" advice. Specific 3-second patterns with proven effectiveness.
Related to: SF-01 (Loopable) for retention; SF-05 (Pattern Interrupt) for scroll stopping.
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