Video hook generator for the first 3 seconds
Most viewers decide in the first few seconds whether to keep watching. This prompt has your todo.is agent read your script or idea and write 20 opening lines across different hook types, each with the visual and on-screen text, so you can test a few and keep the ones that hold attention.
The prompt
- Act as a video hook generator. My video is about [VIDEO TOPIC] for [YOUR AUDIENCE], posted on [PLATFORM]. The payoff at the end is [WHAT VIEWERS GET]. Here is my script or idea: [SCRIPT OR IDEA]. Write 20 hooks for the first 3 seconds, under 15 words each, across these types: bold claim, question, mistake or warning, result first, curiosity gap, and story start. For each hook also give what to show on screen in that first second and the on-screen text (max 5 words). No clickbait that the video doesn't deliver. Then pick your top 3, explain why they fit this video, and write a matching first 10 seconds for each.
What to change
- [VIDEO TOPIC]: e.g. "a 15-minute lentil curry", "how I paid off my car loan" or "testing a cheap drone".
- [YOUR AUDIENCE]: e.g. "busy parents", "first-time drone buyers".
- [PLATFORM]: e.g. "TikTok", "YouTube Shorts", "a long YouTube video" or "Instagram Reels".
- [WHAT VIEWERS GET]: The payoff, e.g. "a full dinner for 4 in one pot".
- [SCRIPT OR IDEA]: Paste the script or a few lines about the video. You can also attach the video file.
Example result
- Video
- 15-minute lentil curry for busy parents, TikTok. Payoff: dinner for 4 in one pot, no fancy spices.
- Bold claim
- • "This is the cheapest dinner I make, and my kids ask for it." Visual: kids' empty bowls. Text: Cheapest dinner. Zero leftovers.
- • "You don't need 12 spices for a good curry." Visual: a full spice rack, then 3 jars. Text: Only 3 spices
- Question
- • "What if dinner took less time than ordering takeaway?" Visual: phone with a delivery app, then the pot. Text: Faster than delivery?
- Mistake or warning
- • "Stop rinsing red lentils for five minutes." Visual: sieve under the tap. Text: You're overdoing it
- • "Your curry is bland because of this one step." Visual: onions going in too early.
- Result first
- • Visual: the finished, steaming pot first. Line: "15 minutes, one pot, dinner for 4. Here's how." Text: One pot. 15 min.
- Curiosity gap
- • "The ingredient that makes this taste like a restaurant curry is in your fridge." Text: Secret ingredient?
- Story start
- • "Tuesday, 6pm, nothing planned, two hungry kids." Visual: open fridge. Text: 6pm panic
- (and 12 more in the full list)
- Top 3
- 1. Result first: food videos stop the scroll with the finished dish, and it promises exactly what the video gives.
- - First 10 seconds: finished pot, "15 minutes, one pot, dinner for 4." Cut to onions in the pan: "Start with one onion and a big spoon of oil."
- 2. Story start (6pm panic): every parent knows this moment.
- - First 10 seconds: open fridge, "Nothing planned, two hungry kids." Then the lentil bag: "This bag saves me every week."
- 3. Curiosity gap: the secret is yogurt stirred in at the end, so the payoff is real.
- Why these work
- • They promise the payoff early and the video delivers it
- • The visual and the words match in the first second
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and add your topic, audience, platform, payoff and script or idea.
- Paste it into todo.is or send it to your agent on WhatsApp or Telegram.
- Get 20 hooks in 6 styles with visuals, plus the first 10 seconds for the top 3.
- Film 2 or 3 hooks, post the same video with different openings over time and tell your agent which one held viewers best.
Tips for a better result
- The visual is half the hook. Show the result, the problem or movement in the very first frame.
- Match the hook to the payoff. If the video doesn't deliver what the hook promises, viewers leave and trust drops.
- Cut the intro. No logo, no "hey guys", no long setup before the hook.
- Check your retention graph. If many viewers leave in the first 3 seconds, test a different hook type.
video hook generator: FAQ
- What is a video hook? The first 1 to 3 seconds of a video, words and visuals together, that make viewers want to keep watching.
- How long should a video hook be? For short videos, one sentence that is said or shown in 1 to 3 seconds. For long YouTube videos, the full hook can run 10 to 30 seconds.
- Are hooks the same on TikTok and YouTube? The ideas are the same, but short videos need the hook in the first second, while long videos can build a bit more before the main content.
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