Anyone else struggle to hold their viewer’s attention? Modern social media users have the attention span of a Mayfly, so it’s no wonder content creators are putting a lot more thought into their opening lines. If you want to boost your social media engagement, we recommend using a few well-placed hooks at the start of your video. In today’s article, we’re sharing five hooks you need to try out.
And, as a special bonus, we’re covering a few things you can do to make your hooks even more effective.
Non-Hooks to Boost Social Media Engagement 📈
Not to stress you out, but every aspect of the beginning of your video contributes to the viewer’s interest. These three additional tips (not hooks, just things to do or keep in mind) can help you increase your social media engagement!
Give Us Energy ⚡
You don’t have to bounce into the frame like a Disney character, but start your video with a little energy. The audience is likelier to stop if you’re excited or energetic.
Cut the Pause ✂️
When you edit the video, check the very beginning. Is there a pause before you speak, even if it’s just a few seconds? Cut it out! Even a one—or two-second pause will have your audience scrolling. The video should start immediately with you speaking.
Get Moving 🏃➡️
Try to include some kind of visual hook at the start of your video. This can include walking around your house, making your coffee, folding your laundry, or even something more complex like crocheting. It catches the audience’s attention and might even be something they want to watch. If you start a video of industry hacks making your morning latte, the audience will stick around for your tips and to see how the coffee turns out!
5 Hooks to Improve Social Media Engagement 🪝
1. “The best lesson I learned about [insert niche] is…” 🏆
A good rule of thumb is that advice, tips, and tricks are really effective hooks. People are always trying to improve their skills or find easier ways to do something. If you create a hook about sharing tips or advice, it’s almost guaranteed to get people’s attention.
Alternatives
- “Did you know about X?”
- “This tip could save you X (time, money, tears, etc).”
- “Why is nobody talking about X.”
2. “You won’t believe what happened when…” 🤯
Like we said earlier, viewers want to see the outcome of a process. If you tell them the result of this video is incredible or unbelievable, they’ll probably stick around. Plus, it’s another version of sharing a tip or method that they can integrate or avoid. Bonus points if you tell them not to do something, then give them an alternative at the end!
Alternatives
- “Please don’t make this mistake.”
- “Here’s why X fails”, or “Here’s why X doesn’t work.”
- “If you want to X, here’s what I recommend.”
3. “You might disagree, but…” 🥊
Even if you know your audience won’t disagree, this is an incredible hook. Controversy grabs the audience’s attention. They want to hear whatever hot take you have, and they’ll want to hear you try to justify it. It could also be a new tip or method they hadn’t heard of before, which people love.
And let’s be honest, we love a negative hook like this. It feels more genuine and authentic to hear someone say, “I actually hate this” or “you may not like this”. It also gives us the chance to be a hater or join in on someone’s hating, and who doesn’t love that?!
Alternatives
- “This will piss 90% of you off, but…”
- “Does anyone else hate…”
- “Unpopular opinion, but…”
4. “I have to share a secret with you.” 🤫
Okay, so our example isn’t the best, but stick with us. For this hook, you’ll start off by saying you’re about to drop some knowledge on the audience. This will immediately catch your viewer’s attention – and will even draw in viewers outside of your niche. We’d even bet that more than half of the hooks you’ve fallen victim to in the past rely on this method.
Alternatives
- “I’m not gatekeeping anymore.”
- “Here’s the thing about X.”
- “This X (tip, product, method, etc) is a game-changer.”
5. “Does anyone else X?” 🤕
This is a classic selling point turned on its head a little. Start with something your target audience will be going through or struggling with, then offer them a solution. Really effective versions of this hook are framed as questions, but it’s not a mandatory requirement!
Alternatives
- “Why did no one tell me X?”
- “I’ve been doing X all wrong.”
- “Are you struggling with X?”
For more tips on boosting your social media engagement, check out our watch time breakdown and our five tips for increasing engagement on Clapper. Don’t forget to calculate your social media engagement rate, too!
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