# 7 Viral Video Hook Formulas

> Seven fill-in-the-blank opening hook templates for short-form video scripts.

This tip outlines seven psychological curiosity frameworks designed to capture viewer attention in the first few seconds of a video. Each template leverages specific triggers such as controversy, shared curiosity, or universal desires to reduce scroll-past rates on platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels.

## How it works

7 Viral Hook Templates to use at the start of your videos:

1. "\[FAMOUS PERSON\] just made a HUGE mistake" (News / Drama hook - e.g., "Logan Paul just made a huge mistake...")
2. "What're some weird things people don't know about \[X\]?" (Curiosity / Interview hook - e.g., "What're some weird things people don't know about teeth?")
3. "This is the most interesting fact of the last decade" (Superlative knowledge hook - e.g., "The most interesting finding of the last decade: your muscles secrete...")
4. "I don't think people understand \[X\]" (Contrarian / Perspective hook - e.g., "I don't think people understand how much property Oprah actually owns...")
5. "Am I the only one that didn't know \[X\]?" (Relatability / Discovery hook - e.g., "Am I the only one that didn't know this inside of Google Maps?")
6. "Everybody's looking for \[fundamental human desire\]" (Universal desire hook - e.g., "Everybody's looking for the fountain of youth...")
7. "This is the secret to \[desired outcome\]" (Exclusive solution hook - e.g., "This is the secret to staying in touch with your friends after graduating...")

## What it is for

- Draft the opening line of a TikTok or Reel script
- Repurpose text posts into high-retention video openers
- A/B test different opening angles for organic marketing content

## Key points

- Famous person drama hook: '\[Famous Person\] just made a huge mistake'
- Curiosity and interview hook: 'What are some weird things people don't know about \[X\]?'
- Superlative knowledge hook: 'This is the most interesting fact of the last decade'
- Contrarian perspective hook: 'I don't think people understand \[X\]'
- Relatable discovery hook: 'Am I the only one that didn't know \[X\]?'
- Universal desire hook: 'Everybody is looking for \[fundamental human desire\]'
- Exclusive solution hook: 'This is the secret to \[desired outcome\]'

## Pricing

Free

## Details

- Type: Tip
- Category: [Marketing & Sales](https://xiry.app/topics/marketing-sales.md)
- Topic: [Content Creation](https://xiry.app/topics/marketing-sales/content-creation.md)
- Open source: no
- Platforms: other
- For: Short-form video creators, scriptwriters, and social media marketers
- Tags: copywriting, hooks, video scripts, tiktok, reels, short form

## Why it was saved

- [@viralvideo.club, 22 September 2023](https://www.instagram.com/reel/CxfjXkiIzNS/): A video's hook determines whether viewers scroll past or watch; using proven psychological curiosity patterns dramatically improves view counts.

## Related

- [33 Instagram Hooks for Reels and Posts](https://xiry.app/resources/33-instagram-hooks-for-reels-and-posts): A list of fill-in-the-blank hook templates categorized by engagement goal. (Tip, Free)
- [5 Viral Video Hooks Framework](https://xiry.app/resources/5-viral-video-hooks-framework): Five opening hook formulas to improve short-form video retention and views (Tip, Free)
- [7 Viral Hook Frameworks for Video Content](https://xiry.app/resources/7-viral-hook-frameworks-for-video-content): Seven structured hook formulas to capture attention in short-form video. (Tip, Free)
- [7 Viral Hook Templates for Short-Form Video](https://xiry.app/resources/7-viral-hook-templates-for-short-form-video): Seven fill-in-the-blank opening line formulas for short-form video retention (Tip, Free)
- [Aprilynne Alter](https://xiry.app/resources/aprilynne-alter): Deep-dive YouTube breakdowns teaching retention, video structure, and storytelling. (Website, Free)
- [EDA](https://xiry.app/resources/eda): Custom GPT assistant for brainstorming viral hooks and video concepts (AI model)

Updated 3 October 2026. Page: https://xiry.app/resources/7-viral-video-hook-formulas

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