Rec 00:00:03:00 105 hooks TikTok · Reels · Shorts

ScrollFreeze

Every proven way to stop the thumb in the first three seconds

Anatomy of the first 3 seconds

Stack all four layers on one idea
V1Visual
Frame 1Movement, a face or the result. No logo, no slow fade-in.
T1Text
Caption4–8 words, on screen from the first frame
A1Voice
Line 1Straight to the point. No “hey guys”.
A2Sound
HitSFX / sound
≈1.3s TikTok / Reels
≈2.1s Shorts

Dashed lines: rough estimates of when viewers decide to stay or swipe (third-party data, not official). By 3.0 s the viewer should know what they'll get.

Hook of the day

A new hook every day, the same for everyone. Try it in your next video.

Build a hook in 6 steps

Use this every time you plan a video. Then pick a hook from the library below for step 2.

  1. STEP 1

    Write the payoff first

    Decide the one thing the viewer gets by the end. The hook is a promise of that payoff, so you can't write it until you know it.

  2. STEP 2

    Pick one hook

    Choose a hook from the library that fits the payoff. One clear hook beats three mixed ones.

  3. STEP 3

    Stack the layers

    First frame, on-screen text, first line and sound all point at the same idea (see the timeline above). Text that says one thing over a voice saying another splits attention.

  4. STEP 4

    Cut the warm-up

    Delete everything before the first interesting frame: greetings, logos, “so today…”. Start mid-action.

  5. STEP 5

    Film three openings

    Shoot three different first 3 seconds for the same video. Post the strongest, or post two versions a few days apart and compare.

  6. STEP 6

    Read the swipe rate

    In YouTube Studio, open the Short and check Viewed vs swiped away. Many coaches aim for 70%+ viewed. Below 60%? Change the hook, not the whole video.

Why the opening matters

Most numbers about hooks come from ad studies and creator tools. Here's what they say, and where they come from.

47%

of a video ad campaign's value came from the first 3 seconds.

Facebook × Nielsen, 2016. Ads, not Shorts, and paid for by Facebook. Source
63%

of TikTok's highest click-through ads put the key message in the first 3 seconds.

TikTok for Business, creative tips. Source
70–80%

“Viewed” rate many Shorts coaches aim for. YouTube doesn't publish an official target.

Third-party benchmark. Source
1 min

MrBeast's production guide says the opening must hook and prove the thumbnail's promise.

Leaked internal guide (long-form). Source
Page 1 of the ScrollFreeze cheat sheet

Free download · PDF · 2 pages

The cheat sheet

All 105 hooks with their key lines on one sheet of paper. On the back: the 6 steps and a box to plan your next hook. Print it and keep it next to you when you film.

Download the cheat sheet PDF
Sources & notes

Hook types are collected from creator interviews, platform guidance and hook libraries. Treat any percentage as a direction, not a rule. Your own swipe rate is the number that counts.

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