Ad Hook
An ad hook is the first few seconds of a video ad — the opening line or visual that stops the scroll and earns the next three seconds of attention.
On short-form feeds, the hook decides whether an ad gets watched at all. The first ~3 seconds have to call out the audience, spark curiosity or tension, and promise a payoff, or the viewer keeps scrolling.
Strong hooks are usually pattern interrupts: a bold claim, a relatable problem, a surprising visual, or a direct 'if you… then watch this' callout. Advertisers test many hooks against the same body because the hook is the single biggest lever on watch-through and cost.