Touhidur Rahman AdilCEO & Founder, Adil Digital Media · October 1, 2026 · 4 min read
On a phone, a viewer decides whether to keep watching almost instantly. If the opening does not give them a reason to stay, the rest of the edit never gets seen.
Lead with the payoff
Show the result, the reveal or the most surprising line first. Context can come after the viewer has decided to stay.
Say it and show it
Put the hook on screen as text as well as in the voiceover. Many people watch with the sound off.
Cut the warm-up
- No logo stings at the start
- No "hey guys, welcome back"
- No slow pans before the subject appears
Questions people ask
How long should a hook be?
Aim to make the point within the first two to three seconds, before most viewers decide to scroll.
Should every video start with text on screen?
Most should. Many people watch with the sound off, so on-screen text carries the hook either way.