Think of your hook as the headline of your TikTok—it needs to grab attention immediately. Whether you’re storytelling, giving advice, teaching something, or trying to go viral, your hook is key to getting your audience’s eyes on your video.

Here we’re going to break down proven types of TikTok hooks to keep your viewers engaged, and boost your views and engagements.

1. The Open Loop TikTok Hook

One of the most effective ways to hook someone is by creating an open loop, also known as a curiosity gap. You present an intriguing idea or a question, but don’t give away the answer immediately, leaving viewers curious and keen to watch to the end for the “reveal.” Think of it like a mini cliffhanger.

This works great for delivering tips, lessons, or sharing surprising insights.

You can create open loop hooks in a few different ways, with the main two being: asking questions of your audience, and making bold claims without immediate evidence. For example:

Asking questions:

• Can this tiny life hack save my morning?
• Have you ever felt like your world is ending?
• Can you believe what my manager said to me last week?
• Can this tiny change really save me two hours every day?
• Why does this simple home décor trick make every room look bigger?

Making bold claims:

• This is such a huge mistake to make when editing your TikToks, but I can tell you how to fix it
• This mistake is sabotaging your fitness progress
• LinkedIn is the worst platform for networking – there’s another way
• Flawless Filter doesn’t work, but I’ve got a solution
• This is the one thing that will make you totally tank a job interview

The key here is to tease the solution, but delay giving it for a bit, keeping your audience engaged throughout the video.

2. The Social Proof TikTok Hook

We’ve all seen viral trends that blow up overnight: that’s the power of the bandwagon effect – people want to be involved if they’ve seen (or heard of!) others success doing the same.

This TikTok hook uses such an effect alongside social proof to immediately reassure your viewer that if there’s data behind it then your content is well worth watching. For example:

• I made three creators go viral this week, here’s how I did it
• I sleep trained my daughter by the age of 3 months, you’ll never guess how
• I saved my client £5k in the first week of working together, here’s how I did it
• I coached over 100 clients this year—here’s the one piece of advice that changed all their lives.
• 9 out of 10 mums swear by this parenting trick—it’s saved me so much time

You can even bring in techniques from open loop TikTok hooks to further craft impactful hooks:

• 9 out of 10 small business owners do this even though it’s costing them money
• 80% of mums say they don’t feed their children peanut butter, but they’re wrong
• 93% of people said this moisturiser made them look younger, but that’s rubbish

Be sure to include the source behind your data within your content – there’s always one questioning its validity. This type of hook works wonders for establishing authority and credibility, making viewers more likely to take your advice.

3. The Storytelling Hook

Storytelling is wired into our DNA – people are naturally drawn to narratives, especially if they’re relatable: start your TikTok with a captivating line that promises a great story, and your audience will stick around to hear the full tale.

You don’t need to tell a long, drawn-out story – sometimes even a quick, bullet-pointed version can do the job. What you do need to do is make sure that hook captures attention immediately, promising intrigue and a strong payback, so make it as compelling and sensationalist as possible. For example:

• I almost gave up my job last year because I couldn’t handle it anymore, but one person’s advice changed everything
• My client was about to go bankrupt until I stepped in with this business-changing tactic
• This morning routine saved my productivity – and I’m about to share every step with you.
• I failed five times before I finally got this right – here’s what I learned along the way.
• I lost my biggest client in a day – but that failure taught me something invaluable.
• When I became a parent, I thought I had it all figured out. But I quickly learned I was wrong
• I couldn’t run for more than 5 minutes – now I’ve completed a marathon. Here’s my journey

This sets the stage for a journey, drawing viewers in because they want to know what happened next. You can give your story in bite-sized chunks, like key lessons or milestones, so it’s easier to digest.

4. Contrarian TikTok Hook

If you want to stand out from the crowd, try going against the grain with a contrarian hook. This means challenging a common belief or popular opinion, which instantly grabs attention because it surprises people.

Similar to the bold statement hook, be sure that your stance is thoughtful and backed up by facts, so it comes across as confident rather than controversial. For example:

• Posting more often isn’t growing your account – it’s killing your engagement. Here’s why.
• Stop using planners – they’re ruining your productivity
• Forget everything you know about dieting – this approach works better.
• Hiring a social media manager won’t solve your content problems
• Business plans are overrated – here’s what you should do instead
• Everyone’s telling you to wake up early – but late risers are more productive. Here’s the proof
• You don’t need a degree to be successful in business – here’s how I built my empire without one

This works because it goes against the standard follow-the-crowd advice, intriguing viewers enough to see why you’re offering a different perspective.

5. FOMO Hook (Fear of Missing Out)

Fear of missing out is a powerful motivator, especially on social media. This hook is all about tapping into your audience’s anxiety over potentially missing a valuable opportunity, whether it’s a limited-time tip, an exclusive offer, or key advice they can’t afford to skip.

When used well, a FOMO TikTok hook can skyrocket your engagement by creating urgency. For example:

• This TikTok growth hack is going viral – learn it before everyone else does!
• This viral fitness routine is about to change your life – but you need to start now.
• You’re missing out on the best productivity tool of 2024 – here’s why everyone is talking about it
• You have to try this skincare trick before everyone else does!
• This one tactic could double your business revenue – are you going to miss out on it?

Here, you’re creating a sense of urgency and exclusivity, prompting your audience to watch now rather than later. It works particularly well for timely or culturally relevant content.

Want a hand with your hooks? We’re experts, drop us a note.