Hooks: What They Are & How To Use Them

You have probably heard the phrase “hooking your audience” or seen posts with headlines like “10 Hooks for More Views”, but what is a hook? When it comes to social media, a hook is simply a way to get your audience to pay attention. Think about the last few Reels that you watched. Was there text at the beginning that intrigued you to watch the entire video? Was there something aesthetically pleasing that drew your eye in? Was there a fun transition, where the creator switched outfits or did something surprising? These are all examples of hooks. 

Hooks can be text, visual elements or something conceptual. In addition, using hooks can be a great way to determine whether you’re producing relevant content for your audience. If a bunch of people engage with a post that has a very clear hook, bookmark that in your head. That hook is one you will want to repeat and expand upon. On the flip side, say you create a post with a new hook, and not many engage with it. That hook probably isn’t super relevant to your audience. 

For more examples of hooks and how to use them in your content, keep reading!   

Text Hooks Examples

You will see me using text hooks all of the time in my content and content for my clients. Below are hooks with a proven track record for producing results. 

• Introductions: Think about your first-time customer. They’ve never heard of you and your brand, and they have no idea what products or services you provide. 

• “The {insert your City, State} {insert your business category or niche} you have to check out!”

• “Wait, you haven’t been to {insert your business name} in {insert your City, State}?”

• “So, you like {insert topic related to your business or niche}, but you haven’t heard of {insert your business name}?”

• Unique Selling Points: What makes your business special? What sets you apart from others in your industry or niche?

• “Okay, hear me out. We’re a {insert business category or niche}, but we {insert unique thing you do or sell}.”

• “You may have heard of {insert topic related to your business or niche}, but have you ever tried {insert unique thing you do or sell}?”

• “You know that {insert business category} that {insert unique thing you do or sell} in {insert neighborhood or city}? That’s us!”

• Relatable: Whether poking a little fun at yourself or sharing a common POV, the more your audience can connect with you the better.

• “That moment when you {insert relatable scenario, a funny or surprising realization, etc.}.”

• “POV: {insert a POV that relates to your business or niche}.”

• “I don’t know who needs to hear this, but {insert motivational statement, hard truth, etc.}.” 

Visual Hook Examples

Next up, a few visual hooks to try. These can be just as effective as text hooks, so don’t discount them. 

• Aesthetics: Making something beautiful is always a great way to draw people in, but, of course, beauty is subjective. So, it’s your job to tap into what your audience finds beautiful. 

• Show Faces: People love seeing people on social media. Scroll through your feed quick. How many of the posts you see are things, and how many are people? For most, the majority will be things, and this is why seeing a face is almost jarring (but in a good way).

• For Video, Short Clips: I try to keep the majority of the clips I use in Reels under 2 seconds long, and then tack them together in a way that makes sense. Why? It’s no secret our attention spans are shorter than ever, so switching up what your viewer is looking at often is likely to keep them interested longer.    

Other Hook Examples

• Transitions: You’ve seen these. Someone covers up the lens of their phone with their hand to then reveal something completely different than what was previously on the screen, whether it’s a new outfit or finished product. Find creative ways to surprise your audience.

• Series: Start a daily or weekly series, and ensure that the look and feel of each piece of content in the series feels cohesive. You can achieve this through Reels covers that all look the same or a signature opening phrase or tagline.   

All in all, hooks are a great tool for garnering attention from followers and non-followers. I hope you found this post helpful in your understanding of what they are and how to use them in your content.