How to write a hook that works in a language where a sentence can stretch on and on.
What happens in the first three seconds
Three things, in this order.
The viewer decides whether the video concerns them, based on a recognisable situation or object.
They decide whether it is credible, based on the tone and the setting.
And they decide whether it requires an effort: a complicated sentence is an effort.
One writing consequence: the first sentence does not introduce, it situates. The introduction, if needed, comes afterwards.
Three families of hooks that work
Three, to be tested in parallel and never one after the other.
The named problem: the annoying situation, said in one sentence, before any mention of the product.
The result shown upfront: the end of the demonstration placed at the beginning, with no explanation.
And the factual question: a query to which the viewer knows their own answer.
Three families that almost always fail here: the spectacular promise, the enthusiastic address, and the formula borrowed from another market, which sounds translated.
What sobriety changes
That is the local particularity, and it reverses several habits.
A strong promise triggers wariness rather than interest.
A precise figure works better than an adjective: three minutes, two years, four parts.
And a drawback stated at the start makes everything that follows more credible.
One writing rule follows: replace every adjective with a figure or an action. If neither exists, the sentence says nothing and can go.
On-screen text is part of the script
Three reasons, and they come from the reading context.
A significant share of views happens with no sound, in an office or a train.
Burnt-in text counts as published text: it binds as much as a spoken sentence.
And the length of words in this language imposes short lines, often four to six words.
Three practical rules. Only one line on screen at a time. The longest word decides the width. And proofreading is done by hand: speech recognition fails on product names and compound words.
How to test
Four to six variants per cycle, never more.
One economical method: a single shoot, a single video body, and five different openings edited onto it. You test the variable that counts without paying for five shoots.
Three indicators, in order. Retention at three seconds judges the hook. Retention at fifteen seconds judges the demonstration. The cost per result judges the rest.
One rule of patience: cut nothing before a variant has been seen by enough people to be comparable. A decision taken too early regularly eliminates the one that would have won.
What the first sentence must contain
| Type | What it promises | What must follow |
|---|---|---|
| A figure | A verifiable piece of information | Its source |
| A statement | A recognised situation | Its demonstration |
| A question | A stated doubt | The answer, not another question |
What is cut from a hook
The greeting, the self-introduction, the brand name and any sentence announcing what the video will say. The viewer wants the thing, not its announcement.
What works particularly well here
Useful information from the first second. An exact figure with its source holds better than a staging, and survives repetition over several weeks.
Where to find the sentences
Four sources, all free and already written.
The messages received by customer service, with the customers' exact words.
The reviews, especially the average ones, where the complaint is precisely formulated.
The questions asked on the product page, often left unanswered.
And sales conversations, where they are accessible.
One last thing not to forget: the advertising disclosure must stay visible from the start, including when the hook is written to surprise. Its exact forms are checked with the competent authorities, and in regulated categories the script is approved word for word with a lawyer before the shoot.
