15 Hook Examples for Short Explainer Videos (Reels and TikTok)

In a short video, the hook is the first one or two seconds: the first frame and the first line. It decides whether someone keeps watching or scrolls. For explainer videos it matters even more, because you're asking people to learn something, and they'll only give you that time if you've made them curious first.

Here are fifteen hook formulas that work for explainers, each with an example line. The examples are based on topics I've made videos about, like the "invisible triangle" in computer menus, which is my most-viewed explainer at 662,771 views.

Curiosity hooks

1. The hidden thing. Point at something people see every day but never noticed.

"There's an invisible triangle on your screen."

2. The "why" question. Ask a question they can't answer yet.

"Why do noise-cancelling headphones make silence?"

3. The thing that sounds wrong. A true statement that feels impossible.

"A stone arch holds itself up with nothing but gravity."

4. The detail. Zoom in on a tiny design decision.

"This menu knows where your mouse is going."

5. The 'you've done this' moment. Start with something they've experienced.

"You've moved your mouse to a menu and it didn't close. Here's why."

Value hooks

6. The result first. Show the end state, then explain how you got there.

"This is what $100 turns into. Here's the maths."

7. The number. A specific, true number makes people stop. Only use numbers you can back up.

"Compound interest, explained in 15 seconds."

8. The one-sentence promise. Say exactly what they'll understand by the end.

"By the end of this you'll know how fireflies make light."

Pattern hooks

9. Before and after. Two states, side by side, from the first frame.

10. The mistake. "Everyone gets this wrong" works if it's genuinely true.

"The keystone gets all the credit. But an arch stands because every stone pushes on its neighbours."

11. The comparison. Two things people confuse.

"Noise-cancelling vs noise-isolating: they're not the same."

12. The countdown. "3 tiny details that make apps feel fast." Viewers stay to see all three.

Visual hooks

13. Motion on frame one. Something should already be moving in the very first frame, not after an intro.

14. One bold word on screen. A single huge word ("Invisible.") before the explanation starts.

15. The unexpected visual. Show the topic in a way people haven't seen it: a 3D cutaway, a slowed-down moment, a glowing diagram.

Hooks to avoid

• "In this video…" Say the interesting thing instead of announcing it.
• Logos and intros. Every second before the idea costs viewers.
• Clickbait you don't pay off. If the hook promises a twist, the video has to deliver it, or people won't trust your next one.
• Fake numbers or claims. You'll get comments correcting you, not shares.
• Two hooks at once. One question per video.

How to test your hook

• The mute test: watch the first two seconds with no sound. Is it still clear and interesting?
• The one-line test: can the hook be read in under two seconds?
• The payoff test: does the last beat of the video answer the hook directly?

Write three hook options for every video and pick the strongest one. The hook is the part worth rewriting most. For the rest of the process, see how to make faceless explainer videos and the best fonts for video captions.