Hook generator for short videos

Win the first three seconds.

Get five opening lines for one video idea, each built on a different hook formula and paired with on-screen text. No sign-up needed.

No sign-up needed
3 generations a day
5 hooks for one idea

Real outputs from this generator

Made by the same engine as the tool above, with gpt-4o-mini-2024-07-18 on 2026-10-03, and saved unedited. Your results will differ.

Example 1

Idea: Meal prepping a week of lunches for under $30
Audience: Busy office workers

Open loop
Imagine having a week of lunches for just $30.
On screen: Affordable lunches for the week
This hook creates curiosity about how to achieve this goal.
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Numbered list
Here are five easy meal prep ideas you can try.
On screen: 5 Meal Prep Ideas Under $30
The promise of a list invites viewers to learn effective strategies.
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Contrarian
Stop wasting money on takeout every day.
On screen: Ditch takeout for good
This challenges common habits and encourages a more mindful approach.
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Problem mirror
Are you tired of spending too much on lunch?
On screen: Frustrated by lunch costs?
This resonates with viewers' frustrations and draws them in.
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Result first
Save money and time with these lunch prep tips.
On screen: Save Time & Money with Prep
Opening with results immediately addresses viewers' desires for efficiency.
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Example 2

Idea: Why most beginner runners get shin splints
Audience: New runners

Problem mirror
Are you struggling with painful shin splints as a new runner?
On screen: Are you getting shin splints?
This hook directly addresses a common issue faced by new runners.
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Confession
I used to ignore shin splints, and it cost me.
On screen: I ignored my shin splints
This hook creates relatability and builds trust with the audience.
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Open loop
Most beginner runners face shin splints, but few know why.
On screen: Why do beginner runners get shin splints?
This hook piques curiosity and encourages viewers to seek answers.
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Specific number
[Your number] of new runners experience shin splints at some point.
On screen: [your number] of new runners get shin splints
This statistic highlights the commonality of the issue, drawing in viewers.
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Question
Do you want to avoid shin splints while running?
On screen: Want to avoid shin splints?
This hook engages viewers by prompting them to consider their own experiences.
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Example 3

Idea: A Notion setup that replaced five productivity apps
Audience: Freelancers

Open loop
Imagine replacing five apps with just one tool.
On screen: One tool to rule them all
This intrigues freelancers by presenting a powerful solution.
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Numbered list
Here are five productivity apps you can ditch today.
On screen: Ditch these five apps now
Freelancers love clear, actionable lists that promise efficiency.
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Contrarian
Stop juggling multiple apps for your productivity.
On screen: Stop juggling productivity apps
This challenges common habits and encourages reevaluation among freelancers.
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Question
Are you overwhelmed by too many productivity apps?
On screen: Overwhelmed by productivity tools?
Freelancers can relate to this sentiment, drawing them in.
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Result first
This Notion setup transformed my entire productivity system.
On screen: Transform your productivity with Notion
Starting with a strong result captures interest immediately.
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How to write hooks that stop the scroll

Why five hooks instead of one

The first two or three seconds decide most of a short video's reach, and nobody can reliably predict which opening will win. Performance marketers handle that by writing several hooks for one body, changing only the opening, and letting the numbers choose. Five is a practical batch: enough range to learn something, few enough to run side by side without spreading your audience too thin.

Five different reasons to watch

Rewording one sentence five ways tests nothing, because every version makes the same promise. Each hook in a set uses a different formula from Shotmatic's recipe research:

Open loop: state the stakes and hold back the answer.
Numbered list: promise a set number of things and tease the best one.
Contrarian: contradict a common belief, or tell viewers to stop doing something.
Confession: admit a mistake or a near miss.
Problem mirror: describe the viewer's exact frustration, or drop them into a POV.
Result first: open on the payoff, then explain.
Specific number: lead with a concrete figure or timeframe.
Question: ask something viewers answer in their head.
You-callout: name the exact person the video is for.
Mid-action: start in the middle of the moment.

The rules every hook follows

It works read cold. Many feeds start muted, so the on-screen line has to land before anyone hears a word.
It is short: at most fourteen spoken words, usually fewer, with an on-screen version of ten words or less.
It skips the warm-up. No greeting, no channel name, no "in this video".
It doesn't invent proof. A made-up statistic wins the click and loses the viewer, so when a formula needs a number you didn't give, the hook keeps a bracketed placeholder for your real one.

Each hook also comes with a one-line note on why it should hold your target viewer, which helps when you brief an editor or explain the test to a client.

How to test them

Keep the body identical and swap only the opening, then compare the share of viewers who stay past the first three seconds. Read that number per platform: TikTok, Reels and Shorts measure it differently, so a hook that wins on one can be average on another. Retire the weakest, keep the winner as your control, and write the next batch against it. Hooks wear out, so plan to refresh even a winner.

From hook to video

Pick a hook and Shotmatic carries your idea and that opening line into the creator after sign-up, as the brief for a Faceless Short. Write the rest of the script yourself, bring one from the script generator, or draft it with AI in the creator, where AI script drafts cost credits. The finished video is narrated over AI visuals with captions; you download it and post it yourself.

Questions

How many hooks should I test at once?

Three to five is plenty. Run each on the same body so the opening is the only difference, give every version enough views to compare, then keep the winner and write the next batch against it.

Do I need an account?

No. Anyone can generate up to 3 times a day, shared across Shotmatic's script tools, without signing up. You need an account to turn a script into a video.

What does it cost?

Generating here needs no account and no payment, up to 3 times a day. In Shotmatic's creator, an AI script draft costs 20 credits, and every video shows its credit cost before you create it.

Are the results checked?

For form, yes. Before you see a result, Shotmatic removes warm-up openers, stage directions and emojis, keeps hooks within 14 words and trims scripts to the length you chose. It doesn't check facts: replace any [bracketed placeholder] and verify every claim before you publish.

Which AI writes them?

OpenAI's gpt-4o-mini, guided by Shotmatic's hook rules and the story structures its creator uses. The saved examples on this page were made by the same engine.