Examples are illustrations. Swap in your own real numbers and stories; never invent them.
You've been [DOING X] wrong your whole life and your [AUTHORITY FIGURE] was right about it.
“You've been browning butter wrong your whole life and your grandma was right about it.”
When you're correcting a basic technique most people get wrong; the authority figure earns the credibility.
Say the claim flat and calm, then prove it within a few seconds. A contrarian line without proof reads as bait.
[X RESTAURANT/CUISINE] cooks don't [DO Y]. Here's what they do instead and why your [DISH] tastes flat.
“Italian restaurants don't add oil to their pasta water. Here's what they do instead and why your sauce won't stick.”
Authority hook for technique-driven content; works best when the contrast is genuinely surprising.
Name your credential in a few words, then go straight to the point. Only claim experience you actually have.
I made [DISH] [N] times before I figured out the one mistake that ruined every batch.
“I made croissants 11 times before I figured out the one mistake that ruined every batch.”
Pulls in viewers who've also failed at the dish; the specific number signals real labor.
Start mid-scene. Say the line in the first second, while something is already happening on screen, and skip any setup.
I spent $[N] testing every [PRODUCT CATEGORY] so you don't have to. Number [X] surprised me.
“I spent $340 testing every supermarket olive oil so you don't have to. Number two surprised me.”
Affiliate-friendly testing-content hook. The specific dollar figure makes it feel like real work.
Lead with the number in the first two words and put it on screen. Use your own real figure, never a made-up one.
After [N] years cooking professionally I still can't [DO X]. Here's why nobody talks about it.
“After 12 years cooking professionally I still can't make a perfect omelette every time. Here's why nobody talks about it.”
Vulnerable authority hook. Works well for chefs and food professionals who want to sound human.
Keep the delivery plain and unpolished. Over-produced vulnerability feels staged.
Everyone says you need [EXPENSIVE THING] for [DISH]. I made it with [CHEAP ALTERNATIVE] and it's better.
“Everyone says you need a $400 stand mixer for proper bread. I made it with a wooden spoon and a 4am alarm and it's better.”
Anti-bougie hook for cost-conscious audiences. The specificity of the cheap alternative is the punchline.
Say the claim flat and calm, then prove it within a few seconds. A contrarian line without proof reads as bait.
Three things [PROFESSIONAL GROUP] do at home that home cooks never think to try.
“Three things restaurant chefs do at home that home cooks never think to try.”
Listicle hook with built-in curiosity gap. Tighter the group, sharper the hook.
Show the count on screen as text and keep each item short. Deliver the strongest item first or tease it by number.
If your [DISH] is [PROBLEM], you're [DOING X]. Stop doing that.
“If your scrambled eggs are rubbery, you're using high heat. Stop doing that.”
Punchy direct hook for technique fixes. Works on TikTok especially because it cuts the scroll fast.
Talk to one viewer, not an audience. Short sentences, no warm-up, and put the key word on screen.
Why [COUNTRY A]'s [DISH] tastes different from [COUNTRY B]'s, and which one's actually correct.
“Why Vietnamese pho tastes different from American pho and which one's actually correct.”
Cultural-comparison hook. The 'which one's correct' part invites people to argue their side in the comments.
Ask it straight to camera and pause half a beat. Only ask questions you answer in the video.
The single ingredient that separates [GREAT DISH] from [MEDIOCRE VERSION]. It's not what you think.
“The single ingredient that separates great risotto from gluey rice. It's not the rice.”
Reveal-style hook; works when the actual answer is genuinely non-obvious.
Pair the line with a visual change in the first frame: a cut, a prop, a zoom. The surprise has to be on screen, not only in the words.
Pick your niche and we will email you 5 fill-in templates from the library, each with a pattern and a worked example. Free, no account needed.
Pick the template closest to your video, swap every [BRACKETED] part for your own specifics, and say it as your first line while a few words of it appear on screen. Use your own real numbers and stories; the examples are illustrations.
10 templates covering these types: Contrarian, Authority, Story, Number first, Vulnerable, List, Direct, Question, Pattern interrupt. Rotating types keeps your openings from sounding the same.
Paste it into the free hook analyzer for a quick text-only estimate. For a real answer, check the filmed draft in ViralAri, which scores the opening you actually recorded.
Check any short in about a minute: Ari scores the opening, flags the moments most likely to lose viewers, suggests 3 fixes and writes 5 hooks from what you say. Got a podcast or stream? Clip finder finds the best moments in videos up to 15 minutes.