How to write a video ad hook that stops the scroll (20 examples)

Quick answer: a hook is the first one to three seconds of your video — the part that decides whether people keep watching. Strong hooks ask a question, show the result first, call out the viewer, make a claim you can back up, or show something unexpected. Put the hook on screen as text as well as in sound, because many people watch on mute.

People scroll fast. If the first two seconds of your video don't give them a reason to stop, the rest doesn't matter — however good it is. The good news: hooks follow patterns, and you can learn them.

Five hook formulas

1. The question. "Still paying ₦5,000 for delivery?" A question makes people answer it in their head.
2. The result first. Show the finished look, the full tray or the clean car before you show how you got there.
3. The call-out. "Lagos brides, this one's for you." People stop for things that are about them.
4. The claim you can back up. "This perfume lasts all day — here's the test." Only make claims that are true.
5. The pattern break. Something unexpected: a product dropped into water, a bag packed in five seconds, a strange close-up.

20 examples you can adapt

Fashion, shoes and bags

• "Three ways to wear one dress this weekend."
• "This bag holds more than you think."
• "Stop buying shoes that hurt after an hour."
• "The owambe look, for under ₦30,000."
• "Lagos, the restock you asked for is here."

Food and drinks

• "This is what ₦15,000 of small chops looks like."
• "Your party tray, packed live."
• "The zobo that sells out every Friday."
• "Office lunch, delivered by 1pm."
• "Watch this cake go from plain to wow."

Beauty and personal care

• "Wedding makeup that lasts through the after-party."
• "Before and after: 20 minutes, no filter."
• "The one step most people skip in their skincare."
• "Sensitive skin? Watch this first."
• "Why your wig doesn't look natural — and the fix."

Services and home

• "Moving house in Lagos? Save this."
• "What a ₦50,000 room makeover looks like."
• "Your AC shouldn't sound like this."
• "We clean the parts everyone forgets."
• "Three signs it's time to fix your roof."

The picture matters more than the words

The best hooks are visual. Start with movement, a close-up or the product itself. Then add short text on screen — five to eight words — so the hook works with the sound off. Avoid opening on your logo, a slow zoom into nothing, or a long intro.

Test more than one hook

You rarely know which hook will win until you try. Make three or four versions of the same video with different openings, post or run them, and compare how many people watch past the first few seconds. That's exactly why our Campaign Pack includes four alternative hooks.

Common mistakes

• Starting with "Hi guys" or your logo. Save introductions for later.
• Too much text. If it takes longer to read than to watch, cut it.
• Promises you can't keep. "Guaranteed" results get attention once — and lose trust for good.
• A hook that doesn't match the video. If the video doesn't deliver on the hook, people feel tricked.

Get hooks written for you

Every Boltreel video starts with a script you approve, and the hook is the first thing we work on. Tell us about your product or see our prices.