Hooks30 May 2026· 6 min read
15 Viral Hook Formulas for Reels and Shorts (With Examples)
Retention graphs all tell the same story: most viewers leave in the first second. The hook, your opening line and frame, is the highest-leverage sentence you'll write all day.
Steal these formulas.
Curiosity hooks
- 'Nobody talks about this, but…'
- 'I found out why [X] and I'm not okay.'
- 'Wait till you see what happens at 0:12.'
- 'This is illegal to know for free.'
- 'POV: you just discovered [X].'
Relatability hooks
- 'If you grew up in an Indian household, you already know.'
- 'Every college student has done this at least once.'
- 'Tell me you're desi without telling me you're desi.'
- 'This is for everyone whose mom says 5 minute mein aa rahi hoon.'
- 'Office people will feel this in their soul.'
Authority + contrarian hooks
- 'Stop doing [common thing]. Do this instead.'
- 'I posted daily for 90 days. Here's the truth.'
- 'Everyone is wrong about [X].'
- 'The [niche] advice nobody wants to hear.'
- 'Rating [things] until I get cancelled.'
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