How long should a video hook be?

One spoken sentence, usually under five seconds and ten to fifteen words.

Should I write the hook first or last?

Last. Once the body of the script is written, you know exactly what the video promises and can say it in one line.

How to write a video hook: the first 5 seconds

Updated October 29, 2026 · Anthony Delmotte

Short answer. A hook is the first sentence of your video, and its only job is to make the viewer want the second. State the result, the problem or the surprise straight away, in one short spoken sentence, and cut any greeting or introduction before it.

Cut the warm-up

“Hi, welcome back to my channel, today we’re going to…” costs five seconds and gives no reason to stay. Start with the reason. Introduce yourself later, if at all.

Six patterns that work

The result: “This is how I cut my editing time in half.”
The problem: “If your videos sound read, it’s probably your line length.”
The mistake: “Most people put their teleprompter in the wrong place.”
The question: “Why do some people look natural on camera and others don’t?”
The number: “Three things to check before you hit record.”
The promise: “By the end of this video, you’ll have a script that sounds like you.”

Keep it to one breath

If you cannot say the hook in one breath, it is too long. Ten to fifteen words is plenty.

Deliver it to the lens

Learn the hook by heart and say it looking straight into the camera, with energy. It is the one line where reading shows most. Our guide on eye contact on camera helps.

Pay it off

A hook the video does not deliver on loses trust. Write it last, once you know what the video actually gives. More in our guide to writing a video script.