Did you know that 65% of users who watch the first three seconds of a video will usually watch until the ten-second mark? And that 45% of those same viewers will continue to watch for up to thirty seconds.
What does this mean? Quick, powerful connections are what compel viewers to stick around. You have only a few seconds to hook them into your ad before boredom, disinterest, or frustration sets in.
What’s the best way to make that happen? In our clogged and noisy online world, how can you overcome the short human attention span?
You don’t have time to waste. Get your pain points and future framing or controversial positions out right away. Tell them right off the bat that this is relevant to them and that you’re going to make it worth their while.
Before you put up your next YouTube ad, you need to have a plan for quickly capturing attention.
Winning Hook Ideas For Video Ads
Video content creation is more time-consuming than other channels but in today’s market, they’re also the most powerful. Here are some effective and exciting ways to make an instant connection and inspire longer viewing times.
Ask A Question
What obstacles and challenges does your ideal client face? What future positioning can you present that resonates with their goals and desires? Ask them questions that mirror their current state back at them and show that you understand who they are and what they want.
Use A Relevant Quote
Pull from industry partners, thought leaders, and recognizable experts that your target audience will respect. Borrow the influence that person or brand has garnered to make an instant connection. Think Oprah, Neild Patel, Russel Brunson, and Rihanna.
Instant Value Tactic
If the first words out of your mouth are the answer to their burning questions, you immediately establish yourself as an expert. They now know that you understand them and you’re well on your way to establishing a high level of trust. Let them know you’ll elaborate as the video continues and to stick around for more.
Use “What If” Positioning
The “what if” question is like human catnip. Show them a glimpse of the future place where their problem is solved and their goals are realized. Or the reverse, a future time when they’re still stuck at the same roadblock. They’re both equally powerful tactics.
Tell A Story
Seconds isn’t enough to tell a complete story with a beginning, middle, and end but it’s enough to get out the “once upon a time.” Drop a hint that makes the end of the story highly compelling so they’re keen to watch to the end.
Not just any story will work. It has to be a topic that your ideal customer cares about. Create a scene where they can visualize themselves as the star of the show. What setting connects most with the journey they’re on?
Polarizing Data
The state of the industry you’re in is probably fairly common knowledge. But your take on it may not be. What’s your new and exciting plot twist? “Stop doing X like everyone else. Here’s why our XX method is better.”
Break Out The Jokes
Humor and comedy are easy ways to build rapport with an audience. Some creative folks do this for a living, proof that it’s highly effective. It won’t work for every market but it can work for most if used strategically.
Connect Emotionally
Music, facial expressions, scenery, and captions all contribute to how videos make the viewer feel. You can inspire sentiments of happiness, sadness, anger, annoyance, fear, and boldness. Emotions connect people with experiences and make videos memorable.
Psychological triggers are frequently leveraged in marketing efforts to inspire action, not just emotion. You can inspire a sense of desire, desire, and FOMO to move the viewer beyond passive viewing and into clicking or subscribing.
Use Transitions and Motions
Have you ever been to a magic or illusionist show? They use movement to distract and engage their audience and direct their attention away from the trick. Video ads can use the same principle to keep the viewer’s attention.
It has been reported that 85% of users watch most social media videos and ads with the sound off. [2] This is a tough statistic to combat but by optimizing your videos to include more appealing visuals you simultaneously create more inclusive content and increase your chances of longer viewing.
Use video transitions, frequent movements, and dynamic pop-ups or text overlays to capture and keep attention, even when there’s no sound. Get comfortable with current dance trends or challenges and keep up your energy to the end.
Capture Viewer Attention and Increase Your ROAS!
Use these fun and simple tactics to enhance the quality and engagement of the first few seconds of your video and watch your CTR climb.
