Read Time: 4 Minutes

You're creating fantastic videos, but they're not getting the attention they deserve online.

Chances are, viewers are scrolling past, and your important message is falling on deaf ears, as you can’t seem to get your viewers through to the heart of your video.

The internet is flooded with content, and viewers have shorter attention spans than ever before. Without an attention-grabbing hook, your video risks going unnoticed and blending in online. Which I’d imagine you don’t want to happen?

Crafting a powerful video hook is the key to getting more clicks, retaining viewers, and engaging your audience.

So, here’s how you do it.

This weeks newsletter is inspired by a recent video released on TikTok by an old client of mine, reaching over 4M+ views in a matter of days. Chris, this one is for you, mate.

@cleaningupbusiness

What Would You Do With Unlimited Holiday? ☀️ #shorts #business #holiday #unlimited #fyp #podcast #staff

So, how did he do it?

Well, there are a few tricks of the trade at play here, and I’m going to break down some of the ways that you can get your video to skyrocket 🚀

• The Element of Surprise:

Start your video with an unexpected statement or visual. Surprise your viewers, pique their curiosity, and make them want to see what happens next.

In Chris’ video, the first opening sentence is: “We decided to implement unlimited holidays and fully flexible working”. Is your opening as strong as this?

• Ask a Thought-Provoking Question:

Pose a question that resonates with your target audience's pain points or desires. This will help to create an instant connection and encourage your viewers to keep watching in order to find out the answer to the question.

Use this as an opportunity to do some audience research, and really understand what your audience is asking.

• Tell a Story:

Everyone loves a good story. So, begin your video with a short, captivating narrative that sets the stage for what's to come. But make sure that it relates to your content's main message.

This is used very heavily within personal branding (especially on LinkedIn) where stories are used to engage viewers around the journey of the individual,

• Highlight the Problem:

Address a common problem your audience faces and hint at the solution without revealing it entirely. This creates a sense of urgency, compelling viewers to stay tuned for the resolution.

This is considered almost like teasing your audience. Giving them a little bit of the information without giving them everything they need to know.

• Tease with Benefits:

Talking of teasing, showcase the benefits or outcomes your viewers can expect by watching your video. Make it clear how your content will add value to their lives or solve their problems.

This is commonly used in top tip videos, where the individual will say: “In this video, I’m going to give you my five tips on (X)”. This sets the scene and engages viewers to want to know what your points are.

• Use Visual Intrigue:

Start with a visually engaging scene or a compelling image. A striking visual can capture attention instantly and leave viewers eager to explore further.

This could be a multi-shot introduction similar to MrBeasts’ style of videos, or the use of subtitles or special effects to grab attention.

• Create a Knowledge Gap:

Introduce a concept or topic but leave a knowledge gap. Let your audience know they'll gain valuable insights by watching the rest of the video.

These types of introductions are often seen in financial or economic videos online, but they can be implemented across the board, with creators including introductions such as: “Here’s what you need to know to get ahead of your competitors this year”.

• Leverage Emotional Appeal:

Trigger emotions by starting with a relatable situation or a heartfelt moment. Emotional hooks can be powerful in drawing viewers in. Again, a very powerful tool in personal branding, especially this year.

People buy from people, and leveraging emotional appeal will only support the building of tight-knit relationships and long-term trust with your viewers.

Now, it's time to put these tips into action.

Experiment with different approaches to see what resonates best with your audience. Remember, the key here is to grab attention within the first few seconds and maintain interest throughout your video.

But don't forget, a strong hook is just the beginning.

Your content must deliver on the promise made within the hook to keep viewers engaged and satisfied. Quality content coupled with an attention-grabbing hook is a winning combination.

TLDR 💁🏼‍♀️

• Surprise Start: Begin with an unexpected statement or visual.

• Questions: Engage viewers with questions that connect.

• Story: Start with a short narrative related to your message.

• Problem & Solution Tease: Address issues and hint at solutions.

• Benefits Teaser: Showcase how your video adds value.

 Whenever you’re ready, here’s how I can help you:

1. Book a Content Power Hour with me, and let’s chat about how you can make your social media videos stand out online as we tweak your approach, and analyse how you can improve your videos.

2. Don’t have time to create great videos yourself? Focus on your business, whilst we focus on creating the videos that you’ve always dreamed of. Get in touch to find out more.

Until then, I’ll see you in next week’s newsletter!