The first two seconds: writing hooks for Shorts and Reels
On short-form video, the hook decides whether anyone sees the rest. Six hook patterns that work for software products, with examples.
On TikTok, Reels and YouTube Shorts, viewers decide whether to keep watching almost instantly. The platforms notice: videos that people swipe away from early simply stop being shown. The hook - what’s on screen and said in the first moments - decides whether the rest of your video exists.
The good news: hooks follow patterns, and software products are full of material for them.
Six hook patterns
1. The surprising number
“40 minutes → 4 seconds.”
A before/after number is concrete and instantly understood. Use real numbers from your product or your users.
2. The uncomfortable truth
“Half your ideas won’t work.”
Say something your audience suspects but doesn’t like to hear. It creates tension that the video then resolves.
3. The relatable moment
“It’s 11 pm and the schedule still isn’t done.”
Put the viewer inside the problem. If they’ve been there, they stay.
4. The contrarian claim
“Stop building features.”
Push against common practice - then explain what to do instead. Only works if the video delivers a real argument.
5. The unexpected reveal
“The ‘automatic’ scheduler was a person.”
A small mystery that the video answers. Great for behind-the-scenes and case studies.
6. The direct question
“Why do most product plans fail?”
Simple, but it works when the question is one your audience genuinely asks.
Hooks are visual too
The words are half the hook. In the same first seconds:
- Show the headline as big text. Many viewers start with the sound off.
- Start with motion. Something should already be happening - a character reacting, a number counting, a board filling up. A static title card is a reason to swipe.
- Skip the intro. No logo sting, no “hey guys”. Your logo can live in a corner.
How to write them
For each video, write ten hooks before choosing one. It takes a few minutes, and the tenth is usually better than the first. Then ask:
- Would someone outside my industry understand it?
- Is it true, and does the video deliver on it?
- Can it be read in about a second?
That second question matters most. A hook that the video doesn’t pay off might win the first two seconds, but it loses the viewer’s trust - and the platform notices that too.
Test, don’t guess
The beauty of short-form is that it’s cheap to test. Post the same video with two different hooks a week apart, or run both as ads with a small budget. Keep what works. After a few rounds you’ll know exactly what your audience responds to - and that’s useful far beyond video.