There’s one key thing to remember… if your hook is bad then nothing else in your video matters. The CTA is WORTHLESS, the main body means NOTHING. If the start of your video doesn’t do enough to hook people in, they’re just going to scroll to the next video. 

Social media marketing professionals are screaming from the rooftops to “hook your audience” and reiterating that “it’s all in the hook”. 

But, you shouldn’t just take everything at face value. It’s time to test the “hook” hypothesis once and for all. So, let's unearth our dusty lab coats, and delve into the science of hooks…  

Hypothesis: There is a positive correlation between using hooks in paid social media marketing videos and increasing thumb-stop ratio.

Methodology:

‍We will decipher five commonly used hooks, portrayed by social media marketers to be successful in stopping the scroll. We will explore and discuss the psychology behind why these hooks may, or may not, be attention-grabbing. 

Introduction:

‍“Hooks” can be defined as the initial sentence or phrase that is used in the first 1 - 5 seconds of a video. It sets the tone for the rest of the video and is often the deciding factor for whether or not the viewer will continue watching the video, or continue doom scrolling. 

There are many examples of hooks, and they vary greatly. The key is to use a hook that is unique, but also relatable, funny, interesting or intriguing. However, the difficulty is that once a hook is seen to be working, this is observed, and often replicated by many other creators or brands. So, there is a need for constant iterations, creativity, and observation.

Discussion: 

Hook 1 - Humour: 

It is a well-known fact that shared joy brings humans together. We are connected by having a laugh.

In a recent podcast for Stanford University, the topic of humour was discussed, and it was claimed that “humour does more than just make people laugh. It allows you to connect with your audience, diffuse tension, elevate status, foster trust, and compel others to your point of view.”

Furthermore, it was noted that “humour can also help you and your message stand out.”

So, not only does humour build connection, it can also make your ad content more memorable, and according to a 2019 study by the Journal of Marketing, ads that made people laugh were 30% more likely to be remembered than serious ads.

However, social media can be a tough crowd, and it is important to make your joke specific to your target audience in order to land. In other words - read the room, be relatable, and steer away from anything that could be deemed as offensive. 

Examples of humour hooks: 

• Funny skits “e.g. you’ll never believe what just happened…” 
• Relatable memes e.g. “POV: you just…” 

Hook 2 - Negativity: 

Unfortunately, we are programmed to be haters. 

Well, not necessarily haters, but… negative bias is a real thing. 

VeryWell mind discuss the science of ‘negative bias’ and explains “people tend to focus more on the negative as they try to make sense of the world.” It influences decision-making, attention, and thinking patterns. 

So, as we are more likely to respond to negative stimuli, rather than positive stimuli, it makes sense that we use this in marketing to elicit reactions from users and stop the scroll. 

Negative hooks are rooted in our natural human instincts to pay attention to negative information as it might be needed for survival. 

Once upon a time, we needed our brains to operate like this so that we could stay away from potential dangers in the wild. Whilst we are no longer under such threats (thanks to ring doorbells etc), our brains still operate like this, and we will be more programmed to pay attention to negative hooks on TikTok, rather than corresponding positive claims. Oh, how we have evolved… 

But what exactly do we mean by negative hooks? We use negativity to draw people in and then angle the rest of the content in a positive way. ‘Don’t buy this product if you want dull, bland, and boring hair. 

Examples of negative hooks: 

• Why I regret buying X and what you should buy instead
• Stop doing X and start doing X
• Dont buy X if you want X 

Hook 3 - Pattern Interrupts e.g. Visual and Audio Disruptions

Does anyone remember the viral “ghost car” advert, whereby a car was meandering peacefully across some rolling hills, and then a zombie-like figure jumped out and screamed?

This might be a very niche example (it formed an integral part of my childhood). If you haven’t seen it, you can watch it here.

This is a perfect example of a pattern interrupt. 

We are psychologically programmed with schemas that expect certain things to play out in particular ways. For example, we expect car adverts to be idealistic, romanticising a smooth and idyllic journey. However, all of these expectations are flouted when we are shaken to our core by a terrifying creature appearing.

Nowadays, this advert might not work on social media as our attention spans have whittled away, and there is arguably not enough going on in the first few seconds. However, the bottom line still stands.

Disrupting patterns and disobeying norms will get your product noticed, and make it memorable (I still remember that advert 20 years later). 

Hubspot explains how pattern interrupt is “Useful at any point in the sales funnel, these techniques are often employed during the prospecting phase. It breaks habitual responses like “not interested” or “no, thanks,” giving prospects a chance to actually hear your message.” 

Examples of pattern interrupt hooks: 

• Whispering 
• Sitting down before speaking/ entering the frame from a separate space 
• Spilling something/ starting with an interruption 

Hook 4 - Storytelling

For over 30,000 years, we have been telling stories, and having a good ol’ chin wag. 

National Geographic explains storytelling is integral to our psychological makeup as human beings as it “helps us feel in control. That is, it helps us to find order in things that have happened to us and make sense of the events of a random world.” 

We are hardwired for narratives, as they help us to understand each other, build connections, and convey important messages about the way we live. 

That said, “storytelling is one of the most captivating techniques to convey messages and information”. Being that we are innately programmed to listen to each other’s tales, it makes sense that we use this technique to incorporate marketing messages and plug products and businesses.

Examples of storytelling hooks: 

• Start with the result e.g. “I just did X. Let me show you how I did it…” 
• GRWM while I tell you about X
• What would you do if X?

Hook 5 - ‘POV’ and ‘with me’

This more recent trend is built on the foundation that we are inherently nosey. 

A lot of us hate to admit it, but we often do wonder what goes on behind closed doors and what people are like when nobody is watching. Again, this nosiness is rooted in our instinct to survive (and when we find out about what goes on behind the scenes, we gossip about it and tell stories). 

Laura Tarbox, an expert in cultural and brand strategy who studies emerging shifts and behaviours in social media for clients, explains for the BBC that “social media is where we pick up the cues and learn the rules” 

She goes on to say that “nosiness, also known as curiosity, is a fundamental aspect of human behaviour that plays a significant role in our daily lives. It is the compelling desire to seek information or knowledge about others, their activities, and their personal affairs. While nosiness can sometimes be seen as intrusive or bothersome, it is rooted in our innate human nature to explore and understand the world around us.”

We are naturally curious beings, and so content that allows us to glimpse into the everyday lives of ordinary people sparks our interest and can stop people from scrolling. 

Some examples of POV and ‘with me’ hooks: 

• Come with me to the gym
• Spend the day with me as an X 
• POV: you work in X and this is your morning routine 

Conclusion

After examining the evidence, it appears that the results support the hypothesis that there is a positive correlation between using hooks in paid social media marketing videos  - such as the five mentioned in our study - and increasing thumb-stop ratio.

However, social media marketers must pay attention to the nuances that apply to each of these hooks, and ensure that they keep their finger on the pulse to stay ahead of the competition.

If you run an e-commerce brand and are looking for a digital marketing partner to take your business to the next level, please book a call with one of our team here.

Written by Jody Lynch - Content Marketing Executive