The first line of a reel decides whether anyone hears the rest. For software it's even harder, because the viewer doesn't know your product and has no reason to care yet.
We write and score several hooks for every reel we make. These are the twelve formulas we come back to most for AI and SaaS products, with a template and an example for each. Where the example comes from one of our own reels, we've included its score out of 100 from our hook scorer.
1. Nobody tells you
Template: Nobody tells you {surprising truth about the thing they want}.
Example: "Nobody tells you: Google's marketing AI is free." (scored 87.0)
It works because it promises inside knowledge. For a product with a free tier, it's hard to beat.
2. Negative command
Template: Stop {common action}. {Do this instead}.
Example: "Stop buying leads. This free repo finds your clients." (scored 87.0)
A direct order gets attention, and the second sentence names your product as the fix.
3. The replacement
Template: This {tool} replaced {expensive thing} for {price}.
Example: "This free tool turns your AI assistant into a video studio."
Viewers understand a product fastest when you name what it replaces.
4. Time collapse
Template: This used to take {long time}. Now it takes {short time}.
Example: "Proposals used to take five hours. Now they take twenty minutes."
5. Permission
Template: You don't need {the thing everyone says you need}.
Example: "You don't need ten AI tools. You need one prompt." (scored 77.8)
Good when your product removes a step or a whole category of tools.
6. The objection
Template: "{What your buyer actually says}." Fine. Here's the version that works anyway.
Example: "I don't want to be on camera." Fine. Here's the faceless version.
Say the buyer's doubt in their own words and they'll stay to hear the answer.
7. Wrong way, right way
Template: You're doing {thing} wrong, and it's not your fault.
Example: "You're writing prompts wrong, and it's not your fault."
8. Cold open demo
Template: {Start mid-action}. Watch what this does.
Example: "Watch what happens when I paste a competitor's pricing page into this."
The product is the hook. This one only works if the result shows up in the first few seconds.
9. Head to head
Template: {A} versus {B}. One of them wasn't close.
Example: "Your tool versus a spreadsheet. One of them wasn't close."
10. The callout
Template: {Specific group}, this is the one you've been ignoring.
Example: "Solo founders: this is the free tool you've been ignoring."
The narrower the group, the harder the people in it stop.
11. If this, then watch
Template: If you {specific situation}, the next {time} fixes it.
Example: "If your demo calls end with 'send me something', the next twenty seconds fix it."
12. The reveal
Template: This is the new {thing}.
Example: "This is the new way to watch Earth live, and it's free."
Best for launches and big releases.
How we pick between them
We don't trust a hook because it sounds good. For each reel we:
- Write three hooks from different formulas.
- Score each one for length, specificity and curiosity. Anything under 50 out of 100 doesn't make it.
- Check the top hook can be read aloud in under three seconds.
- Make sure the last line of the reel echoes it, so the reel loops.
Then the next seven seconds have to say what the product is. A great hook on a confusing reel just loses people at second four. The full structure is in how to explain your SaaS product in 30 seconds.
Want hooks written for your product? Send us a link. We reply with hook ideas before you pay anything.