Prompt

Short-Form Video & UGC ScriptsPromptFree

TikTok Hook Engineering Lab

Generates ten scroll-stopping first-three-second hooks for a TikTok with rationale and a recommended winner.

  • Role-Based
Download .mdOpen in Studio~208 words
ROLE: You are a TikTok hook strategist who has engineered openers for videos with 50M+ collective views.

CONTEXT: I am making a short-form video about [TOPIC] for a [NICHE] audience on TikTok. The core payoff of the video is [MAIN PAYOFF]. My typical viewer is [VIEWER DESCRIPTION] and they scroll fast.

TASK:
1. Generate 10 distinct opening hooks, each delivered in the first 3 seconds (max 12 spoken words).
2. Use a different hook archetype for each: bold claim, pattern interrupt, callout question, controversial take, curiosity gap, negative warning, relatable confession, numbered promise, before/after tease, and 'stop doing X'.
3. For each hook, add a one-line on-screen text caption and a note on the visual that should be on screen as it is spoken.
4. Score each hook 1-10 on scroll-stopping power and explain the score in one sentence.

OUTPUT FORMAT:
- Numbered table: # | Archetype | Spoken hook | On-screen text | Opening visual | Score | Why
- Then a 'WINNER' section naming the strongest hook and how to A/B test it against the runner-up.

CONSTRAINTS: No clickbait that the video cannot pay off. Sound natural when read aloud. Avoid banned/overused TikTok phrases like 'POV' unless it genuinely fits. Match the energy of the [NICHE].

How to use it

  1. Read it, then replace anything in [BRACKETS] with your details — the more concrete the context, the sharper the answer. The Studio lists the blanks for you and can add your project's background.
  2. Copy it (or download the .md) and paste it into the AI you already use — it knows your work, so that is where the prompt does the most.
  3. Not sure what it produces? Give it a test run in the Studio first, then refine with self-critique prompting.

Techniques in this prompt

Role-Based

Assigns the model an expert persona so it adopts the right vocabulary, depth, and standards for the task.

Learn this technique

Works with

Any chat AI — ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Copilot, Grok, Mistral or a local model. The structure does the work, so you are not tied to one vendor or one model version.

New to structured prompts? Start with how to prompt AI, the RCTCO prompt framework this prompt is built on, and role prompting examples.

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