Most “video hook” lists are the same 10 tips copy pasted with different numbers. Here are the four hook types we actually use on client shoots, and when each one works.
Question hooks
Open on a question your viewer is already asking themselves. “Why does your best sales rep keep losing the same deal?” works because it’s specific enough to feel aimed at one person, not a general audience. Best for sales enablement and recruiting video, where the viewer needs to see themselves in the problem immediately.
Stat hooks
Lead with a number that reframes the stakes. “73% of conference attendees forget your booth by Monday” does more work in one line than a full minute of scene setting. Best for association and nonprofit video, where you’re trying to justify a budget or sponsorship decision to a board.
Cold-open hooks
Skip the intro entirely, start mid-action. A door opening onto a packed event floor, a hand signing a contract, a machine starting up. No logo, no title card, just motion. Best for event recap and brand video, where energy matters more than explanation.
Problem hooks
Name the pain point out loud before you’ve shown anything. “Your event video is going to sit in a folder nobody opens” is basically our own origin story. Best for testimonial and case study video, where you need the viewer to feel understood before they’ll trust the solution.
On set
We typically shoot two or three hook options per project, even ones with a locked script, because you don’t know which one lands until you see it cut against your actual footage. Budget an extra 10 to 15 minutes of shoot time for this and it pays for itself in the edit.
Need hooks that are built around your actual footage, not a template? Explore corporate video production.
