40 Reel Hooks That Stop the Scroll (Templates for Instagram, TikTok & Shorts)

Your hook is the first line someone hears or reads, and the first thing they see. If it doesn't give them a reason to stay, they swipe, however good the rest of the video is.

Below are 40 fill-in-the-blank hook templates grouped by type. Swap in your topic and test a few.

What makes a hook work

A good hook does at least one of these within the first couple of seconds:

• Names the viewer ("If you're a beginner…") so the right people stay
• Promises a specific payoff ("3 moves", "in 10 minutes")
• Opens a loop the viewer wants closed ("Here's what nobody tells you…")
• Challenges a belief ("Stop doing X")

Say the hook out loud and put it on screen as text. Many people watch with the sound off.

Problem hooks

• "If you're struggling with ___, watch this."
• "Stop ___ if you want ___."
• "The reason your ___ isn't working."
• "You're making this ___ mistake without knowing it."
• "Tired of ___? Try this instead."
• "This is why you're still ___."
• "___ was hard for me until I learned this."

Promise hooks

• "How to ___ in ___ minutes."
• "3 ___ that changed my ___."
• "The easiest way to ___ as a beginner."
• "Do this before you ___."
• "Here's exactly how I ___."
• "One ___ that makes ___ so much easier."
• "Save this for your next ___."

Curiosity hooks

• "Nobody talks about this part of ___."
• "I tried ___ for ___ days. Here's what happened."
• "Watch until the end for the ___."
• "This ___ shouldn't work, but it does."
• "I wish I knew this before ___."
• "Here's what ___ don't tell you."

Contrarian hooks

• "Unpopular opinion: ___."
• "You don't need ___ to ___."
• "___ is overrated. Do this instead."
• "Everyone says ___. They're wrong."
• "Stop following this ___ advice."

Audience-callout hooks

• "If you're a ___, this is for you."
• "___ beginners, start here."
• "POV: you're a ___ trying to ___."
• "Every ___ needs to hear this."
• "Calling all ___."

Story hooks

• "A year ago I ___. Now ___."
• "This is the ___ that changed everything."
• "Here's how I went from ___ to ___."
• "I almost quit ___ until ___."
• "Day ___ of ___."

List and quick-win hooks

• "3 ___ you can do today."
• "___ things I'd tell my beginner self."
• "The only ___ you need for ___."
• "Steal my ___ routine."
• "___ in under ___ seconds."

Writing hooks for your own topic

Templates are a starting point. The strongest hooks are specific: "3 morning moves for total beginners" beats "a quick workout tip" every time. A few habits help:

• Write 3 options, then pick one. Your first idea is rarely your best.
• Cut every unnecessary word. Most strong hooks are under 10 words.
• Make the payoff real. If your hook promises 3 tips, deliver 3 tips. Viewers who feel tricked leave, and they remember.
• Match the hook to your hashtags and caption. All three should describe the same thing.

Get hooks written for your topic

ViralTagGen writes 3 hook lines, 3 captions and 25 hashtags for any topic, for Instagram, TikTok or YouTube Shorts. It's free, with 3 generations a day and no credit card.

For example, for "morning workout routine for beginners" it suggested:

• "Stop scrolling and start this 15-minute routine."
• "The easiest morning workout for total beginners."
• "How to wake up your metabolism in minutes."