How to Create Irresistible Hooks (and blow up your content)

        1. **The Psychology Behind Hooks** — Understanding why hooks work matters more than memorizing templates
2. **The 3-Step Hook Formula:**
   - Step 1: Context Lean (topic clarity + getting them to lean in)
   - Step 2: Scroll Stop Interjection (the stun gun / contrasting word)
   - Step 3: Contrarian Snapback (snapping them in the opposite direction)
3. **Visual Hooks** — Text on screen + the right amount of motion
4. **Benefits & Pain Points** — Lead with the benefit, introduce the solution
5. **Cult Hopping** — Using known references to create subconscious comfort
6. **Speed to Value** — Compress time to first value hit
7. **Staccato Sentences** — Short, punchy sentences increase clarity and density

## The Psychology of Hooks: Why They Work and How to Write Them

Today we're talking about hooks. If you want your videos to perform better, you have to make better hooks.

But here's the thing: I'm not going to give you a list of 25 proven viral hooks. That's not what you need.

What you need is to understand the **psychology behind why those hooks worked** — and then the tactics for how to use that psychology in your own stuff.

These are the six best ways to improve your hooks immediately. If you do all of these, I guarantee your videos will perform better.

I know this works because content is all I do. I have almost a million followers, billions of views, and these are the secrets for how I go viral whenever I want.

## Tip #1: The 3-Step Hook Formula

This is the mega tip. My full three-step hook formula.

Here's how I look at social media: You are driving down the highway at 70 mph. I need you to see something, stop, turn around, and come back the other way.

How do I get you to do that?

**By building a curiosity loop.**

This is one of the base commandments in storytelling. If you want to tell a great story, you need the viewer to watch the first line and feel so compelled that they can't dream of doing anything else other than watching the second line. And the third line. And so on.

The domino effect. This is the curiosity loop.

The deeper the loop, the more curious you are. The more I've hooked you.

So the question is: how do I do that in just three or four sentences?

I built a formula that does this every single time. Three steps.

### Step 1: The Context Lean

In the first line or two, I need to do two things:

**One: Be super clear about what the video is actually about.**

Topic clarity. This is so you, the viewer, can self-select in or out based on your interest. If I'm talking about investing and you don't care about investing, I actually don't want to trick you into watching. You're not my target viewer. But if you DO care about investing, I want to signal this to you as soon as possible.

I need to give you immediate context about the topic.

**Two: Get you leaning in.**

Context lean. The more you lean in, the more curious you are.

Here are the easiest ways to get somebody to lean in:
- Establish common ground
- Reference a benefit or pain point they may have
- Use a metaphor to simplify a complex idea
- Tell them something so interesting it blows their mind

You need them to feel like what you're talking about relates to them in some way.

**Example: The Sphere Video (8 Million Views)**

Watch the first two lines:

> "The tech in the Vegas Sphere is insane. Biggest screen ever built — 20 times bigger than an IMAX."

Right away, I'm telling you exactly what the context is: the Sphere and the tech inside. And I'm getting you to lean in by talking about the screen, showing it, and referencing how much bigger it is than an IMAX — something you may have known.

This is taking the "show you something interesting to blow your mind" route.

Not everyone is going to be interested in this video. But if you heard about the Sphere or care about tech in venues, you're going to be leaning in.

That's step one.

### Step 2: The Scroll Stop Interjection

This is a single line meant to act like a **stun gun**.

I need you to start leaning in, and then immediately I need you to stop being able to move forward — like you ran into a window.

The best way to do this in practice is by using a **contrasting word**.

I like to use the word "but." But you could use: however, yet, although, therefore, on the other hand.

This is a setup line for the haymaker that's coming in step three. But in order for them to accept the haymaker, you need to stun them first.

**Back to the Sphere example — context lean + scroll stop interjection:**

> "The tech in the Vegas Sphere is insane. Biggest screen ever built — 20 times bigger than an IMAX. But get this: the screen is actually the least impressive part of the whole thing."

At this point, I've stunned you.

I first established context and got you leaning in about how interesting the Sphere is — the tech, the screen. But then I stunned you and told you the screen is actually not impressive at all.

You're like: "What could possibly be coming next? The screen looks HUGE. I can see it in the visuals."

This is the curiosity loop building. You wondering what's coming next is replacing any thought that could distract you and send you anywhere else.

### Step 3: The Contrarian Snapback

The contrarian snapback is a sentence that goes in the **opposite direction** of the initial lean. It's still on topic, but it snaps the viewer back on a different path.

**The bigger the shock, the bigger the snap, the better the effect.**

**The full Sphere example — all three parts:**

> "The tech in the Vegas Sphere is insane. Biggest screen ever built — 20 times bigger than an IMAX. But get this: the screen is actually the least impressive part of the whole thing. Because the most impressive part is the audio. This is going to blow your mind."

At this point, I've got you hook, line, and sinker.

I established context immediately. I got you leaning in around something about the screen or something new you hadn't seen before. Then I stunned you and played the Uno reverse card, snapping you back in a different direction. Instead of talking about the screen, now I'm talking about the audio.

That is the snapback.

You are fully hooked and fully curious about what comes next. You can't dream of doing anything else other than learning how this audio is more impressive than the biggest screen ever built.

Hook, line, and sinker.

### The Formula Works Everywhere

If you go back and analyze best-performing content from any creator across any medium, a lot of it follows this exact same formula.

And it doesn't just have to be big entertainment-style video content.

**Example: Real Estate Agent (Pure B2B Lead Generation)**

> "There are three massive mistakes people are making with their mortgage. The average person pays an extra $12,000 per year. Now, most people think it's because of high interest rates. But it turns out it has nothing to do with that. Because the biggest waste of money is actually coming from..."

I don't know anything about real estate. I don't know what the right answer to that is. But just that hook setup — even without me knowing any context — I can get you leaning one way and then the other.

If you're a real estate agent and you make content in that format, I guarantee it would drive so many leads. It would build you as authority in your category.

This hook format works in every category, every space.

### Proof It Works: I Used It On You

If you don't believe it works, I'm going to do a magic trick.

I used the same psychology formula on you for the hook in THIS video. And if you're still watching, that proves it worked.

Let me show you exactly what I did.

**My Context Lean:**

> "Today we're talking about hooks. If you want your videos to perform better, you have to make better hooks."

Right away, I gave context on exactly what the video is about: hooks. But I also created common ground and got you leaning in around the benefit of making better videos.

If you watched those two sentences and don't care about making videos, you probably bounced. But if you're still here, it's because you're trying to figure out how to make videos perform better.

This built common ground with you — my target viewer.

**My Scroll Stop Interjection:**

> "But here's the thing: I'm not going to give you a list of 25 proven viral hooks. Because that's not what you need."

This is the stun gun. It stops you in your tracks.

I'm reiterating what you've typically heard in the past — creators talking about lists of 40 best proven hooks. But you know that's not the answer. I know that's not the answer. So I'm using that embedded belief in your head to stun you into waiting to see what comes next.

This is the setup line for the contrarian snapback. And it works especially well here because you and I both know conventional wisdom doesn't work. I'm playing on that embedded subconscious belief.

So far, you've stopped the car and exited off the highway. Now how do I get you to turn around?

**My Contrarian Snapback:**

> "What you need is to understand the psychology behind why those hooks worked — and then the tactics for how to use that psychology in your own stuff."

Most people have heard the word "psychology." You have a suspicion that it would result in some surprise or secret information that's way deeper than conventional wisdom.

You hear that, and you believe it to be true. So I've snapped you back off the conventional wisdom onto this psychology frame.

When I say "if you want to achieve X, don't do Y, do Z" — and you want to achieve X — you're going to listen. It works every time.

**The key:** Z needs to actually be compelling. If you do this game but don't have anything at the end of the rainbow, people just churn and you're a fraud.

### The Formula Summary

**Context Lean → Scroll Stop Interjection → Contrarian Snapback**

This works in all types of videos. Short form. Long form. Everywhere else. Any time. In content. In conversation. In life.

This is base psychology 101.

Implementing it in every different video and use case — that's what takes reps and practice. That is not easy.

## Tip #2: Visual Hooks

Visual hooks are so, so, so critical. I cannot overstate the importance.

**Visual hooks are probably 100 times more powerful than just spoken-word hooks.**

Why? Because people read faster than they can hear or visually comprehend a full video scene.

**Step One: Put title text on your videos.**

Three to five words on the screen in a big bold font that helps build that context lean. If you can speak it in one to two sentences, can you write three to five words and distill that message down?

**Example: Life-Size Floor Plans (15 Million Views)**

> "Check this out. These are called life-size floor plans."

I used the text "Future of Home Design" and "Life-Sized Floor Plans" with arrows to quickly establish the context.

I used "Future of Home Design" instead of "Life-Size Floor Plans" at the beginning because "life-size floor plans" is kind of the name of the thing, and I didn't want to risk misunderstanding.

That is how critical and in-detail I get with these visual hooks. That's how important they are.

**Step Two: The visual itself.**

You want the most compelling visual possible with enough motion to hold their attention.

It's like when a deer sees something out of the corner of their eye in the woods — they're going to stop and look. You want that same effect with your visual.

- Too much motion = overwhelm, miss the context
- Too little motion = bore them, they churn
- Just enough motion = holds attention

Sometimes this motion could be a girl in a "get ready with me" putting her hair up, kind of leaning forward and leaning back. That's sometimes just enough motion to stun the viewer into holding and watching for more.

**Example: Colin and Samir's Ray-Ban Meta Video (60 Million Views)**

The reason this went so viral, in my opinion, is because the initial clip has the perfect amount of rapid motion, and then him in the mirror — that motion holds and allows them to talk about the point, which eventually convinces viewers that the Ray-Ban Metas are cool.

Motion is so critical in the visual hook.

**The combo of text on screen + motion in the video + spoken word is way more powerful than just spoken word.**

## Tip #3: Lead with Benefits and Pain Points

People like hearing things they're already interested in. But they're open to hearing new perspectives if they think that perspective will unlock a benefit or solve a pain point.

**Average Hook (Magnesium Supplement Video):**

> "You should be taking magnesium because it's one of 21 core building-block minerals."

Kind of decent, but it requires a previous understanding about magnesium and doesn't really talk about a benefit or pain point.

**Better Context Lean:**

> "If you want better sleep, you need to be taking magnesium."

This leads with the benefit of better sleep, then introduces magnesium as a potential solution.

Even if someone is against supplements or against magnesium, they will likely wait and hear you out because their desire to solve the pain of not sleeping well is so strong.

When you're writing hooks, always think about what the benefit or pain point solve is to the target viewer — then work that in if you can.

## Tip #4: Cult Hopping

When people hear something they've heard before, it unlocks comfort in their subconscious. The opposite is also true — if you hear a bunch of stuff you've never heard before, you start to feel dumb. And you don't like that feeling. So you bounce.

This is why if you tried to listen to an advanced physics lecture without ever taking a physics class, you would likely feel super dumb and not want to listen.

When you're making videos about complex or niche topics, you need to find a way to wrap the unknown idea in something that IS known — some common layer.

**Cult hopping** is taking a known brand, celebrity, movement, or cultural reference and using it as a metaphor or comparison around your point.

**Example: Tax Planning Content**

Maybe you talk about how Taylor Swift's financial advisor would plan her estate around the Eras Tour earnings she just made. Or you reference her in a group of celebrities when talking about the elite level of wealth you serve.

Using these references is a really easy way to establish common ground. It's subconscious, but it creates comfort for the viewer.

You don't need to make your full piece of content around that celebrity or brand. But this will help you draft off the credibility and popularity of something that already exists — especially when you're still smaller and growing.

## Tip #5: Compress Speed to Value

This is a phrase I use a lot, especially when talking about short-form video.

When you make a piece of content, you should feel like you have a timer counting down in your head before that content explodes and no one pays attention to it.

- **For short form:** That timer is about 4 seconds
- **For YouTube videos:** That timer is maybe 1-2 minutes

You need to find a way to compress the time to demonstrate initial value to BEFORE that explosion line.

**The best way to do this:** Give a little hit of value right at the front — either in the hook or right after the hook.

Don't bury your best stuff.

Think of it like this: Anything you make after they click off might as well be a black screen because they're not going to see it.

You should frontload the value as much as possible. You're not going for full completion — your super fans will watch the full video. You want to frontload value to eek out an extra 30 seconds at a time.

I find that as long as that first hit of value is unique and helpful, they will typically stay around long enough to give you a chance to show your second hit of value.

**The same logic we apply with a curiosity loop should apply to a value loop:**

Give context → immediate value → give context → immediate value

Frontload that as much as possible.

Ideally, you can inject that first hit of value within the hook. That's when you're really masterful. But if you can't do it in the hook, do it right after the hook to keep them.

## Tip #6: Make Your Hook Sentences Staccato

If you don't know what staccato means: staccato is a type of note in music that is short. *Tap.* That's staccato.

I talked about in my storytelling video how it's good to vary the length of your sentences to create a diverse rhythm. That is true for the whole video.

**But for the hook up front, you want to compress short sentences as much as you can.**

Why? Because shorter sentences force you to achieve max clarity. It increases the density of value per word at the beginning.

When time is at a premium at the beginning of the video, you want to increase density of value per word as much as you can.

Go shorter initially. Then expand to medium and longer as the video extends.

## The Bottom Line

A lot of this is just getting the reps in and continuing to iterate and learn. Make this subconscious.

There are dozens of other tips I didn't have time for that I also try to infuse. It's all about the reps.

This takes time. I've spent thousands of hours doing this myself.

What you really need are reps — and guidance from somebody who has more reps than you.

**The 6 Tips:**

1. **The 3-Step Hook Formula:** Context Lean → Scroll Stop Interjection → Contrarian Snapback
2. **Visual Hooks:** Text on screen + the right amount of motion
3. **Benefits & Pain Points:** Lead with the benefit, introduce the solution
4. **Cult Hopping:** Use known references to create subconscious comfort
5. **Speed to Value:** Frontload value as much as possible
6. **Staccato Sentences:** Short, punchy sentences for max clarity

*That's how you write hooks that stop the scroll.*