• ani7ruddha
• 12 Oct, 2024
• 0 Comments
• 12 Mins Read

How To Write Killer Ad Hooks That Converts in 2024? Curated by Aniruddha Mishra

Most people skim through social media without a second thought. If your hook doesn’t grab them instantly, they’re gone.

Think about your own behavior online.

What stops you from scrolling? It’s emotion.

You pause when something hits a nerve—whether it excites, intrigues, or even irritates you. And when a creator consistently taps into that emotion, you start recognizing their content, and their name triggers your curiosity.

This is emotional resonance at work. Consistently evoke that feeling, and you’ll become memorable, trusted, and click-worthy. But you need a solid follow-up to make that hook count.

This has not only led to everything looking the same but it’s also given birth to a clickbait culture.

No, you cannot teach someone in two minutes than you learned in two years 🚫 🙄

“Hooks” like these are structured with clicks and clicks alone in mind. They’re devoid of value because they’re built on baseless promises.

Clickbait hooks may get attention, but they kill credibility. Unless you’re in the game of selling clickbait hooks, then by all means, go for it.

But if you want to write anti-clickbait content on social that builds authority, sets you apart from the crowd, and converts, you need to understand how to capture attention strategically. With this course, you’ll learn how to do just that.

Table of Content

1. The Basics of a Hook
2. Hook Magic
3. How to Gather Audience Information
4. How to Write Specific Hooks (and Avoid Generalizations)
5. The Three Hook Frameworks To Use
6. Conclusion

The Basics of a Hook

“A ‘hook’ is a statement (either spoken or written) that provides context to the viewer of what your video will be about.

Essential Components of a Hook

• Duration: Should be concise, ideally 3-5 seconds, to prevent viewers from scrolling past.
• Characteristics: Must spark curiosity, be clear, easy to understand, and convey the video’s value.
• Role of Hooks: They provide context, enhance viewer retention by keeping the content engaging, and stimulate curiosity, which is vital for algorithmic favor.

Four Ways to Deliver Your Hook

1. Speaking to Camera (Vocal): Immediate and direct, requiring clarity from the start.
2. Text Blocks: Useful for videos that don’t start with spoken words, offering clarity or serving as a secondary hook.
3. Video’s Caption: Utilized as an additional or reinforcing hook, this should entice the viewer to watch the entire content.
4. Visual Hooks: Showing the product or service right in action.

Hook Magic

Emotions stop the scroll but don’t necessarily catalyze a click.

To get readers to stop, drop, and click more, follow these four principles:

1. Poke at the Pain
   • This lights up emotions and gives readers something to relate to, e.g.:
     • “Most people struggle with [thing].”
     • “I’d tried every prescriptive tip, and nothing worked—until…”
     • “Your boss is tired of being your manager.”
2. Add Credibility
   • This acts as social proof and gives people a reason to trust what you’re saying, e.g.:
     • “I’ve edited 3M+ words.”
     • “We spent 5 years building systems that net us $1M ARR.”
     • “I’ve spent 1,500 hours learning about pricing psychology.”
3. Get Specific with Outcomes
   • Specific outcomes allow readers to picture what they can accomplish after they read your content, e.g.:
     • “Never waste time hiring B-players again.”
     • “2x conversions in 30 days.”
     • “Use these 9 questions to save thousands:”
4. Leave a Cliffhanger
   • This piques curiosity and encourages people to click to read more. For example, if your outcome is “2x conversions in 30 days,” don’t specify how to do that in the hook. Instead, open the loop, so they must click more to find out how.

These foundations are essential but mean nothing if you don’t deeply understand your audience.

Who You’re Talking To Matters

No matter what you bring to the table, it means nothing if your audience doesn’t get who you are and how you help them. To make an impact, you must uncover your “why” and your audience’s “so what.”

• YOUR WHY: Why are you sharing? What’s your end goal? What do you hope to change?
• YOUR AUDIENCE’S SO WHAT: What do they care about? What do they need help with? What content types do they seek (e.g., do they need inspiration, actionable tips, a mindset shift)? Why should they listen to you instead of someone else?

You don’t need to figure these out before you start posting. But you should have the intention to uncover these answers with time. One of the best ways to get to the heart of the matter is through experimentation. The more you post, the more you’ll glean insights into what excites you and your audience.

How to Gather Audience Information

There are many ways to uncover your audience’s passions, desires, struggles, challenges, and sticking points. Here are a few methods:

• Speak to Them Directly (Qualitative Data): Once you’ve identified your target audience, hop on a call with them and ask them verbatim about their goals, struggles, etc. Pay attention to the words they use and what they light up about. You’ll want to reflect that verbiage and sentiment in your content to build emotional resonance.
• Run a Survey or Poll (Quantitative Data): Send a DM, collect emails, or run a simple poll on social to collect data on all of the above. Use this data to inform your topical ideation and strategy.
• Follow Them and Study Their Posts and Comments: Pay attention to what they consistently talk about and share. Look for patterns.
• Follow Who They Follow and Study Their Posts and Comments: If they consistently comment on somebody’s posts in agreement or disagreement, read that person’s posts to understand what spikes their passion in either direction.
• Share Your Own Experiences and Note How People Engage: Pay attention to which posts resonate and why. Often, people will tell you what captured their attention in the comments. Save the post and these relevant comments to return to later and use as inspirational fodder.

How to Write Specific Hooks (and Avoid Generalizations)

How to Write Specific Hooks (and Avoid Generalizations)

In the fast-paced world of online browsing, your content has a brief moment to convince readers it’s worth their time. Specific hooks can bridge the gap between interest and action, providing clear answers to the reader’s silent questions: “What’s in it for me?” and “Why should I care?”

The Power of Specificity:

• Specificity clarifies the benefit and reduces the effort to engage, helping readers envision the journey from problem to solution.
• General advice or outcomes blur into the online noise, becoming forgettable.

From General to Specific – Examples:

1. Before: “Done right, you’ll win hearts and minds.”
   • After: “Done right, you’ll build emotional resonance, so your offer is top of mind during decision-making.”
     • The “After” provides a clear outcome and process.
2. Before: “Audit processes quarterly to make your business better.”
   • After: “Audit processes quarterly to identify gaps for improvement, double down on what’s working, and streamline workflows.”
     • The “After” outlines specific actions and results for business improvement.

Tailoring Hooks to Your Audience:

• Effective hooks reflect the audience’s language, challenges, and aspirations, making your message resonate deeply.
• Understanding your audience’s awareness stage—from unaware to ready to buy—helps tailor your message for maximum impact.

Audience Research for Insightful Hooks:

• Direct interaction, online queries, and observing communications can unveil your audience’s needs and language.
• Segmenting your content based on the audience’s awareness level ensures relevance and engagement.

Implementing Specificity:

• Use quantifiable metrics for credibility (“I’ve edited 10k words” vs. “I’ve edited many words”).
• Address precise problems your audience faces (“Struggling with how to send DMs that will generate responses on Twitter?” vs. “Struggling to send good DMs?”).
• Highlight specific outcomes they can achieve (“Overcome low open rates” vs. “Write better emails”).

Consistent Audience Research:

• Ongoing dialogue with your audience keeps your content aligned with their evolving needs and interests.
• This continuous cycle of feedback and adjustment fosters stronger connections and more effective communication.

By focusing on specificity, your hooks become compelling invitations to engage, offering clear pathways to the value your content promises.

Hook Example 1: Skincare Serum

❌ General: Improve your skincare routine

✅ Specific: Reduce fine lines in 30 days with our peptide complex serum

Hook Example 2: Athletic Footwear

❌ General: Get better running shoes

✅  Specific: Increase your running distance by 20% without injuries with our bio-engineered sneakers

The Four Hook Frameworks To Use

These are the four pivotal frameworks you’ll ever need to master the art of crafting compelling hooks. Amidst the myriad of strategies available, these four stand out for their frequent use and effectiveness. They simplify the process, guiding you from a vague idea to a captivating hook that’s hard to ignore.

Based on the analysis of the 650+ hooks of our repository, the categorization reveals prominent themes that can inform the development of compelling hook frameworks for user-generated content scripts. Here are the frameworks derived from the observed patterns:

Framework 1: Personalization

• Description: Hooks that directly address the audience or imply a personalized experience are incredibly effective. They make the viewer feel like the message is crafted specifically for them, increasing engagement and interest.
• Count: 223 hooks fall into this category, indicating a strong preference for personalization in effective ad hooks.
• Examples:

1. “___ I can’t get enough of” – This type of hook can be personalized to fit various interests, making the audience feel directly spoken to.
2. “___ like a Movie Star” – By suggesting an aspirational quality or lifestyle, this hook invites the audience to see themselves in a glamorous or successful light.
3. “___ is the only one I use for ___ and I’m gonna tell you why” – This template allows for a direct address and personal endorsement, creating a sense of trust and authority.

Framework 2: Curiosity

• Description: Hooks designed to pique the audience’s curiosity create an irresistible urge to find out more. By teasing information or asking provocative questions, these hooks draw viewers into the content.
• Count: 139 hooks inspire curiosity, showcasing its value in attracting attention in a crowded media landscape.
• Example:

1. “___ like a Movie Star” – Such hooks generate interest by promising insider information or transformative secrets.
2. “Why ___ is changing the ___ game” – By posing a question or introducing a change, this hook piques interest in the subject matter, compelling the audience to learn more.
3. “Discover the secret behind ___” – Suggests there’s insider knowledge to be gained, which can attract an audience looking for exclusive information or insights.
4. “The surprising truth about ___” – Invites the audience to uncover something unexpected, sparking curiosity and engagement.

Preview

Framework 3: Urgency

• Description: Creating a sense of urgency or scarcity compels the audience to act immediately. These hooks suggest that delaying could mean missing out on something valuable or exclusive.
• Count: 53 hooks utilize urgency, highlighting its effectiveness in driving immediate engagement or action.
• Example:

1. “Last chance to grab ___” – Creates a sense of scarcity and prompts immediate action, leveraging the fear of missing out.
2. “Don’t miss out on ___” – Similar to the first, this hook encourages quick engagement by hinting that something valuable is on the verge of being unavailable.
3. “Offer ends soon: ___” – Directly states that there is a limited time to take advantage of something, pushing the audience towards making a swift decision.

Preview

Framework 4: Transformation

Description: Transformation hooks emphasize the potential for significant change, appealing to desires for improvement or a better state of being. These hooks typically present a before-and-after scenario that showcases the benefits of a product or service.

Count: There are 17 hooks focused on transformation, underscoring its value in demonstrating the impactful difference a product or service can make, even though it’s less prevalent in the dataset.

Examples

1. “Transform your ___ in just ___ days” – This hook promises a significant change or improvement within a specific timeframe, appealing to those looking for quick and effective solutions.
2. “From ___ to ___: A transformation story” – Narrates a journey of change, encouraging the audience to envision a similar path for themselves or learn from the experience presented.
3. “How to upgrade your ___ and become a ___” – Offers a pathway to enhancement or success, targeting those interested in personal or professional development

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💡 Want lifetime access to our 650+ hooks (which we continuously update)? Get access to my Ultimate Meta Ads Toolkit for a one-time fee of $129.

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Conclusion & Takeaways for you

In 2024, the key to creating ad hooks that convert lies in understanding and resonating with your audience’s emotions. The strategies outlined emphasize the importance of brevity, clarity, emotional engagement, and specificity in crafting messages that not only capture attention but also encourage clicks and conversions. By steering clear of the pitfalls of clickbait, marketers can build credibility and authority in their niche.

Key Takeaways

1. Emotionally Resonant Hooks: Leverage the emotional resonance effect by crafting hooks that resonate, annoy, excite, or intrigue your audience. This emotional connection makes your brand memorable and credible.
2. Anti-Clickbait Content: Focus on building authority and trust by avoiding baseless promises. Instead, offer valuable and authentic content that delivers on your hooks’ promises.
3. Understanding Your Audience: Deep knowledge of your audience’s needs, desires, and the language they use is crucial. This understanding allows you to craft hooks that speak directly to them, fostering a stronger connection.
4. Specificity Over Generalization: Specific hooks are more effective than general ones. They provide clear benefits and outcomes, making it easier for the audience to understand the value of what you’re offering.
5. Three Hook Frameworks: Master the art of personalization, curiosity, and urgency in your hooks. These frameworks are your toolkit for engaging your audience and compelling them to take action.

Actionable Task for Marketers

Task: Conduct a “Hook Experimentation Week.”

1. Day 1: Identify and segment your audience based on their interests, pain points, and stage in the buyer’s journey.
2. Days 2-3: Craft 10 different hooks for a single piece of content, each based on one of the key strategies: emotional resonance, specificity, personalization, curiosity, and urgency. Include at least two hooks for each category.
3. Days 4-6: Test these hooks on your chosen ad networks (Meta or TikTok ad). Use the same piece of content but change the hook for each ad set or post. Track engagement, click-through rates, CPA and conversions.
4. Day 7: Analyze the data. Identify which hooks performed best across different audience segments and why. Look for patterns in engagement and conversion to understand what resonates with your audience.
5. Going Forward: Use the insights gained from this experiment to refine your approach to creating ad hooks. Incorporate the most effective elements into your broader marketing strategy, continuously testing and adapting as you gain more data on what works with your target audience.