What are hooks in UGC? 10 Hook Ideas

In the world of marketing and content creation, a hook is the opening grabber of a video or piece of content, such as a standalone video clip. It is that first sentence, image, clip or action that appears in the first 3 seconds and gets the viewer to stop scrolling and keep watching your content. Whether in paid ads or an organic video. Even in a video embedded on your website.

In the world of UGC, where videos are short, fast-paced and direct (see examples of UGC videos), hooks are key to capturing attention and boosting the performance of your UGC Ads or organic social media posts.

You can probably imagine, but here’s a summary:

1. They capture attention: users decide within seconds whether to keep watching or swipe.
2. They improve ad performance: a good hook can double or triple retention rates on TikTok Ads, Meta Ads or Google Ads.
3. They connect with emotion: surprise, curiosity or immediate identification.
4. They guide viewers towards conversion: if the opening hooks them, your product message reaches further.

In other words, without a good hook, your content doesn’t have time to demonstrate its value. This is one of the reasons why companies are looking for video creation for their social media and ads, whereas historically they have used static designed creatives.

You may be interested: calculate Instagram engagement.

Key points: the fast-paced opening hooks you in. On top of that, there’s a close-up shot accompanied by a simple call to action to look at something.

You may be interested in: how to make a viral video.

Key point: talking about money always works—just ask Broncano. In this case, the hook itself could be the topic, with the phrase “How much do people earn in Switzerland?”, but it is accompanied by a quick money-appearing effect that introduces it.

Key points: “breakfast at Madrid’s most viral café”—do you live in Madrid and not want to miss which one it is? Why is it viral? The hook is simple but brilliant. If an influencer also tells the story, retention is obviously even higher.

Key points: a question with a certain provocative edge and curiosity: “Do you have a boyfriend?” They all say no until… one says yes. You’ve already managed to retain your viewer, who wants to see how the question unfolds. And if they like football, they’ll stay to watch it and—cha-ching!—we’re reaching your football-loving audience.

Key points: “If you had to…” challenges you to see whether you can figure out how to order the elements, and ultimately gives you a moral about prioritisation. That challenge makes people respond to the video (greater virality) without even having finished watching it.

Key points: and not just any challenge—a challenge that generates plenty of controversy: “How well does this boyfriend know his girlfriend?” That alone, plus wanting to see whether he wins the free look, makes retention very high.

Key points: social media is full of parents eager to complain or empathise with other parents, and topics such as childcare, how difficult it is or school supplies work if handled well. Add simple storytelling and plenty of humour to the mix.

Key points: there’s little to say—who wouldn’t stay to read the copy after seeing this man dancing so… forcedly? Humour, simple and well-crafted copy that acts as a hook, and there you have your viral video.

Key point: use a message involving an action (asking ChatGPT), combined with the mystery of what answer I’m going to receive, encouraging viewers to consume the content.

For the final spot, we’ve chosen this video that we made for HICARI’s social media. What do you think?

Key points: A random character appearing in a stressful situation, something is happening… and criticism of influencers (this never fails).

This is the new trend in hooks, where the opening hook alone is no longer enough. Videos now need constant visual, creative and copy or caption stimuli.

A clear example of a video packed with hooks and constant visual stimuli:

• Don’t buy a home without knowing these steps
• I don’t know how to do that, but…
• The ant…
• How old were you when you found this out…?

• Cause and effect: “Did you know that if you don’t do this… this will happen?”
• Clear promise: “In 10 seconds, I’ll show you how…”
• Emotional shock: “The worst thing that happened to me when trying this product was…”
• Comparison: “Before vs. after using it”
• Everyday situation: “If you’re [target], this is for you”

Here are examples of hooks ready to inspire creators and brands, organized by the main sectors:

• “This is what happened to my skin after 7 days of using this serum…”
• “This [product] has changed my life. Stick around and I’ll tell you about it”

• “The mistake 90% of people make when they go to the gym…”
• “I quit 12 gyms in my life before I discovered…”

• “Which of these outfits would you wear on a first date?”
• “I ask my girlfriend about this outfit and her face…”

• “I tried the drink that’s going viral on TikTok and this happened…”

• “No one tells you this before going to [destination]…”
• “I don’t have much money, so I’m planning an amazing day in Madrid. Stick around and I’ll tell you about it…”

• “3 apps I use every day to study in half the time”

• “This is how I doubled my sales in just 30 days”
• “Comment [Word] and I’ll send you how to get [product] for X€…”

• “Is the new [product] really worth paying so much for? Here’s the truth…”

• “The hidden trick that changed the way I play [video game]”

• “The worst financial mistake I made at 20 (and how I fixed it)”

• Keep it short and clear: fewer than 5 words if possible.
• Use emotion: surprise, humor, fear of missing out (FOMO).
• Speak directly to your target audience: “If you’re a [parent, student, entrepreneur]…”
• Support it with visuals: on-screen text + an eye-catching gesture.
• Test variations: create 3 different hooks for the same video and measure which one gets the most engagement.

Hooks are the gateway to success in your UGC videos. If you manage to capture attention in the first few seconds, the rest of the content will have the opportunity to generate trust, emotion and conversions. At HICARI, your UGC platform, you’ll find creators who know how to apply powerful hooks in UGC videos designed for ads that convert.