<!-- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT -->
<!-- SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025-2026 Marcus Quinn -->

# Hooks Organized by Type

> The hook is everything. First words/seconds determine whether your ad lives or dies.

**How to use**: Match category to your angle → adapt template → test 3-5 variations.

## Curiosity — create an information gap

| Sub-type | Templates |
|----------|-----------|
| **Secret** | "The secret [experts] don't want you to know" · "Here's what nobody tells you about [topic]" |
| **Mystery** | "What happened next shocked me" · "This makes no sense, but it works" |
| **Revelation** | "I finally figured out why [problem] happens" · "The real reason [thing] doesn't work" |
| **Story Starter** | "True story: I was [situation] when..." · "You won't believe what happened when I..." |

## Pain Point — surface the frustration they already feel

| Sub-type | Templates |
|----------|-----------|
| **Frustration** | "Tired of [frustrating situation]?" · "Still struggling with [problem]?" |
| **Problem Call-Out** | "This is why your [thing] isn't working" · "The #1 reason [people like you] fail at [thing]" |
| **Fear** | "The [thing] that's silently destroying your [area]" · "Warning: [thing] is worse than you think" |
| **Loss** | "You're leaving $[X] on the table every [time period]" · "Every day you wait, you lose [thing]" |

## Benefit — promise the outcome they want

| Sub-type | Templates |
|----------|-----------|
| **Transformation** | "How to go from [bad state] to [good state] in [timeframe]" · "The fastest way to [desired outcome]" |
| **Result** | "How I [achieved result] in [timeframe]" · "The exact system that generated [result]" |
| **Possibility** | "Imagine waking up to [desired state]" · "Finally: [desired outcome] without [pain point]" |
| **Specific Benefit** | "[Product] gives you [specific benefit] without [drawback]" · "The only [product] that [unique benefit]" |

## Controversy — challenge conventional wisdom

| Sub-type | Templates |
|----------|-----------|
| **Myth-Busting** | "Everything you've been told about [topic] is wrong" · "[X] is dead. Here's what's replacing it." |
| **Hot Take** | "Unpopular opinion: [controversial stance]" · "I don't care if this is controversial: [opinion]" |
| **Comparison** | "Why I quit [competitor] and never looked back" · "Why [popular solution] is overrated" |

## Social Proof — show others trust you

| Sub-type | Templates |
|----------|-----------|
| **Number** | "[X,000+] [people] can't be wrong" · "[Number] 5-star reviews from real customers" |
| **Testimonial** | "'[Strong quote]' — [Name], [Company]" · "Real people. Real results. Here's [name]'s story." |
| **Authority** | "Featured in [Forbes/TechCrunch/etc.]" · "Trusted by [impressive clients]" |

## Question — invite them into conversation

| Sub-type | Templates |
|----------|-----------|
| **Direct** | "Have you ever [relatable experience]?" · "Ready to finally [achieve goal]?" |
| **Rhetorical** | "Why do [thing] when you could [better thing]?" · "What would [outcome] be worth to you?" |
| **Quiz** | "Take this 30-second quiz to find out if [thing]" · "Which [type] are you?" |

## Instructional — promise to teach something useful

| Sub-type | Templates |
|----------|-----------|
| **How To** | "How to [achieve outcome] in [timeframe]" · "How to [do thing] (without [common obstacle])" |
| **Listicle** | "[Number] [things] every [person] needs to know" · "[Number] mistakes [people] make (and how to avoid them)" |
| **Hack** | "The [number]-second hack that [outcome]" · "The shortcut to [goal] that [type of people] use" |

## Time-Sensitive — create need for immediate action

| Sub-type | Templates |
|----------|-----------|
| **Limited Time** | "[X] hours left: [offer]" · "Today only: [benefit/discount]" |
| **Limited Quantity** | "Only [X] left in stock" · "While supplies last: [offer]" |
| **Timely/Trending** | "Everyone's talking about [topic]" · "The [year] update you need to see" |

## Pattern Interrupt — break the scroll

| Sub-type | Templates |
|----------|-----------|
| **Direct Address** | "Stop scrolling. You need to see this." · "Real talk: [honest message]" |
| **Unexpected** | "This is the weirdest [product] I've ever used" · "Okay, this is going to sound weird" |
| **Humor** | "POV: You just discovered [product]" · "That moment when [relatable situation]" |

---

## Industry-Specific

| Vertical | Hooks |
|----------|-------|
| **SaaS / B2B** | "Your [software/process] is costing you hours every week" · "The tool your competitors are using (and you're not)" · "Automate your [task] in under 5 minutes" · "The tool that pays for itself in [timeframe]" |
| **Ecommerce** | "The [product] that [X,000] people can't stop talking about" · "The [product] I didn't know I needed" · "Why [product] has a 4.9-star rating" |
| **Services / Lead Gen** | "Get a free [analysis/audit/consultation] in [timeframe]" · "After [years] in [industry], here's what I know" · "The [framework/system] that's worked [X] times" |

---

## Testing & Benchmarks

**A/B Test Process**: Week 1 — test 3-5 hooks from different categories (same body + CTA) to find winning category. Week 2 — test variations within winning category. Week 3 — iterate on winner.

**Performance Benchmarks**

| Quality | Video 3s View Rate | Static CTR |
|---------|-------------------|------------|
| Poor | <20% | <0.5% |
| Average | 20–30% | 0.5–1.0% |
| Good | 30–40% | 1.0–1.5% |
| Great | 40–50% | 1.5–2.5% |
| Exceptional | >50% | >2.5% |

**Universal Principles**: Specificity beats generality ("Save $347" > "Save money") · Emotion beats logic · Questions engage (brain can't ignore them) · Contradiction intrigues · Numbers add credibility · Personal pronouns ("You"/"I") create intimacy · Active voice wins.

**Platform Notes**

| Platform | Guidance |
|----------|---------|
| Facebook Feed | Full sentence OK; question + testimonial hooks perform well; first line visible before "See More" |
| Instagram Feed | Shorter/punchier; visual hook must match text hook |
| Stories/Reels | Must work in first 1–2 seconds; text overlay is the hook |
| Audience Network | Very short; direct value statement |

---

*Next: [Scripts](scripts.md)*
