30 Viral Hooks to Explode Your Views (Copy & Paste)

The first 3 seconds of your video determine its destiny.

If you don't hook the viewer immediately, they scroll. If they scroll, the algorithm assumes your video is boring and stops showing it to people.

You can have the best content in the world, but without a hook, nobody will see it.

Here are 30 proven viral hook templates you can copy, paste, and adapt for your niche today.

Part of our series: Mastering Short-Form Video: TikTok, Reels, and Shorts

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Why Hooks Matter (The Psychology)

Hooks work by triggering one of three psychological responses:

1. Curiosity Gap: "I need to know the answer."
2. Negativity Bias: "I need to avoid making a mistake."
3. Identity Validation: "This is exactly how I feel."

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Category 1: Educational / "How-To" Hooks

Best for: Coaches, Experts, Niche Accounts

1. "I wish I knew this before I started [Activity/Career]."
2. "Stop doing [Common Mistake]. Do this instead."
3. "Here is the exact strategy I used to get [Desirable Result]."
4. "3 tools that feel illegal to know."
5. "If you're struggling with [Problem], this video is for you."
6. "Nobody is talking about [Topic], and it's crazy."
7. "This is the #1 reason why you're failing at [Topic]."
8. "How to get [Result] in just [Timeframe] without [Common Pain Point]."
9. "Cheatsheet: The 5 steps to mastering [Topic]."
10. "Watch this before you buy [Product/Service]."

Pro Tip: Use text overlays to reinforce these verbal hooks.

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Category 2: Storytelling / Personal Hooks

Best for: Lifestyle, Vloggers, Personal Brands

11. "You won't believe what just happened to me."
12. "I tried [Trend/Activity] for 7 days, and here's what happened."
13. "Come with me to [Place/Event]."
14. "A day in the life of a [Job Title] making 0."
15. "This is the story of how I lost everything (and got it back)."
16. "I have a confession to make..."
17. "POV: You finally achieved [Goal]."
18. "This might be the scariest thing I've ever done."
19. "3 things I would tell my younger self."
20. "The truth about living in [City/Situation]."

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Category 3: Product / Sales Hooks

Best for: Dropshippers, E-commerce, UGC Creators

21. "TikTok made me buy it!"
22. "Is this the best [Product Category] on Amazon?"
23. "Don't buy [Competitor Product] until you see this."
24. "This [Product] saved my life (literally)."
25. "Why is nobody talking about this feature?"
26. "This gadget replaced my [Expensive Item]."
27. "Testing viral TikTok products so you don't have to."
28. "If you have [Problem], you need this."
29. "My husband/wife/friend hated this, but I love it."
30. "Link in bio is officially my favorite place right now."

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Visual Hooks (Non-Verbal)

Sometimes, what you show is more powerful than what you say.

• The "Satisfying" Hook: Slicing sand, peeling plastic, perfect alignment.
• The "Chaos" Hook: Running towards the camera, dropping something, loud noise.
• The "Text Bubble" Hook: Responding to a hate comment on screen.
• The "Green Screen" Hook: Pointing at a news article or chart.

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How to Automate Hooks

Coming up with hooks is exhausting. That's why we built Reelbase.

Our AI Script Writer is trained on millions of viral videos. It automatically generates:

• 3 hook variations for every script.
• Pattern interrupts to keep retention high.
• Call-to-actions that convert.

Stop staring at a blank page. Try Reelbase for free and get instant viral scripts for your niche.

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