Hook scripts for the first 3 seconds — phrase bank & structures for different niches

The first three seconds of a short-form video (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts) are critical. Research shows that many viewers decide to keep watching within those initial seconds.

Below you’ll find proven structures and a bank of phrases you can adapt to your niche — plus guidelines on how to use them effectively.

Why the first 3 seconds matter

• Viewers scroll fast; you must stop the scroll.
• The algorithm rewards content that retains viewers beyond the hook.
• A strong hook connects emotionally or intellectually within seconds, leading to higher retention.

Structure templates for hooks

Here are frameworks you can fill in with your niche details:

1. Problem + promise: “If you’re still [doing X wrong], you’ll love this…”
2. Surprising fact / bold statement: “You won’t believe this about [Y]…”
3. Question to viewer: “Ever wondered why [common issue] still happens?”
4. Challenge / time frame: “I tried [X] for 30 days — here’s what happened.”
5. Pattern interrupt: Visual or statement that stops autopilot scroll: e.g., “This isn’t what you think when you hear ‘marketing tip’.”

Phrase bank by niche

A. Tech / SaaS

• “Stop paying for features you never use — here’s the fix.”
• “Most tools trick you — this one actually saves hours.”
• “What your programmer won’t tell you about [language/stack]…”

B. Fitness / health

• “Why you keep getting injured training — and how to stop.”
• “I swapped my diet for 7 days — the results surprised me.”
• “This one movement fixed my lower-back pain in less than a week.”

C. E-commerce / consumer products

• “You’re throwing money away every time you buy [X].”
• “What this $10 gadget did for my morning routine…”
• “Wait till you see how much I saved doing this one switch.”

D. B2B / professional services

• “What your boss still doesn’t know about digital strategy.”
• “I doubled client leads in 60 days — here’s the system.”
• “Most agencies miss this one step — are you?”

E. Lifestyle / personal brand

• “Here’s what being consistent really did for my income.”
• “The truth about ‘overnight success’ I wish I knew.”
• “If you’re living for weekends — stop. Do this instead.”

How to apply & test hooks

• Write 3 hooks using different structures for the same video topic.
• Pick one, test it, record the drop-off at 3 s, 10 s, and end.
• Compare retention and engagement for each variant — choose the best for scale.
• Ensure the rest of the video delivers on the promise you made in that first 3 s. If not, viewers bounce, trust drops, performance suffers.

Final note

Hooks are not just catchy openers — they’re the gateway to your content. If you lose viewers in the first seconds, even a brilliant video won’t be seen. Use these structures and phrases as starting points; adapt them to your audience, your tone, and your niche. Then measure, iterate, and refine. The right hook will significantly boost your retention and set up the rest of your video to succeed.