How to Write a Hook That Stops the Scroll in 3 Seconds (10 Examples + an AI Prompt)

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Key takeaways

• Viewers decide in the first 3 seconds, so the hook matters more than anything else.
• Use one of 4 hook types: question, "you're doing it wrong", result-first, or story.
• Keep it under 15 words and show it on screen as text too.
• Copy the AI prompt below to get 20 hooks for any topic in a minute.

Most people decide in the first 3 seconds whether they will watch your video or scroll past it. Those first 3 seconds are called the hook. A great video with a weak hook gets skipped. An average video with a strong hook gets watched.

The good news: writing hooks is a skill, not a talent. In this post you will learn 4 simple hook types, see 10 ready examples, and get one AI prompt that writes 20 hooks for any topic in a minute.

What makes a hook work

A hook does one job. It makes the viewer think, "Wait, I need to know this." It usually does that in one of these ways:

• Curiosity: it opens a question the viewer wants answered.
• Surprise: it says something the viewer did not expect.
• Benefit: it promises something useful, quickly.
• Relatability: it describes a problem the viewer has right now.

Keep it short. If you cannot say your hook in one breath, it is too long.

4 hook types you can use today

1. The question hook

Ask something the viewer cannot ignore. Make it specific, not general. "Do you like history?" is weak. "Why did a king in Jhansi hide his treasure inside a well?" is strong.

2. The "you are doing it wrong" hook

Point out a common mistake. People hate the idea of doing something wrong, so they stay to find out.

3. The result-first hook

Show or say the end result first, then explain how you got there. Viewers stay for the "how".

4. The story hook

Start in the middle of a moment. "It was 2 AM, and the shop owner heard a knock on the shutter..." Our history page @kka.history uses this style a lot, because a story that has already started is hard to leave.

10 hook examples (copy and change them)

1. "This one chai stall in Varanasi has been open for 100 years. Here is why."
2. "You are writing your ChatGPT prompts wrong. Fix this one thing."
3. "I made this full ad without a camera. Let me show you how."
4. "3 free AI tools that do the work of a full video team."
5. "Nobody tells you this before you start a faceless page."
6. "This video took me 20 minutes. Earlier it took 2 days."
7. "Why do some reels get 1 lakh views and yours get 200?"
8. "The British tried to erase this story. It survived anyway."
9. "If you sell sarees online, stop scrolling for 30 seconds."
10. "Here is a 5-second test to know if a photo is AI-made."

Notice the pattern. Each one is short, specific, and makes you want the next sentence.

Let AI write 20 hooks for you

Copy this prompt into ChatGPT or Claude. Replace the words in brackets.

You are a short-video scriptwriter for Instagram Reels in India.
Topic: [your topic]
Audience: [who will watch, e.g. college students, home bakers]
Write 20 hooks for this topic. Rules:
- Each hook must be under 15 words.
- Use 5 question hooks, 5 "you're doing it wrong" hooks,
  5 result-first hooks and 5 story hooks.
- Simple English, no hashtags, no emojis.
Then tell me which 3 are strongest and why.

Do not just pick the first one AI gives you. Read all 20, choose the 3 you like, and say them out loud. The one that sounds most natural in your voice is usually the winner.

3 mistakes that kill a good hook

• Starting with a greeting. "Hi guys, welcome back to my channel" wastes your 3 seconds.
• Promising something the video does not deliver. Viewers leave, and they remember.
• Mismatched visuals. If the hook talks about a king, the first shot should show a king, not your face in a room.

Quick FAQ

How long should a hook be?
Ideally 1 to 3 seconds when spoken, which is about 8 to 15 words.

Should the hook be in text, voice, or both?
Both is best. Many people watch without sound, so put the hook on screen as text too.

Can AI write the whole script after the hook?
Yes. Once you have a strong hook, ask AI to write a short script with a clear middle and an ending that tells people what to do next. Then edit it so it sounds like you.

Want to see this done live?

The hook is only step one. In my ₹21 AI Video Masterclass, I take one simple idea and turn it into a finished video in front of you: hook, script, AI images, video, voice, music and captions.

Every Sunday · 12 PM IST · 2 hours live · Phone or laptop is enough

Book your seat for ₹21 →

Krishan Kant Arora, founder of Dramebaaj. I make AI videos for brands in India, UAE, Canada and Germany, and have trained 500+ students. I also run @kka.history (150K+ followers), made fully with AI. Say hi on @krishan_arora28.