Instagram Reels are your ticket to standing out in a sea of endless scrolls. They’re the most shareable content type – our latest study shows Reels are shared 49% more often than carousels and photos.
But here’s the catch: you’ve got just 3 seconds to stop viewers in their tracks, or they’re gone.
That’s where Instagram Reels hooks come in — short and punchy phrases or eye-catching visuals that grab attention and keep the users’ eyes glued to your video.
As an Instagram content creator or brand, you’re battling for attention daily. A killer hook can mean the difference between a viral Reel and a flop.
Ready to hook your audience? Read on to find a list of the best hooks for Instagram Reels, with examples and tips to make them work for you.
Why Should You Add a Hook to Your Instagram Reels?
Attention is a currency on social media. Given the 8-second human attention span, a compelling and relatable hook stops users from scrolling past your brand’s Reel.
Typically, your Reel’s first 3-5 seconds dictate whether viewers will continue watching it or just swipe away.
Here is how a strong Reel hook can benefit your brand’s reach and engagement:
- Increased watch times
- Increased brand discoverability on the Explore page and suggested Reels
- Sparked curiosity that drives your viewer’s reactions and comments
- Improved IG recommendation system: More engagement = higher brand visibility
List of the Best Hooks for Instagram Reels
The real magic of an Instagram hook happens in the first few seconds. It simply makes the difference between a viral brand hit and a video that gets overshadowed in the feed.
We’ve compiled some of the most effective Instagram Reel hook ideas and tips on maximizing your Reel’s watch time and user interactions. Let’s dive in!
1. I Asked X People to [Add Survey Topic]
This hook instantly grabs attention as people would want to find the survey results (as long as it is about something they are interested in). This hook plays on people’s curiosity to find out more information.
For example, @bookedandbusyreader starts her Reel by mentioning that she surveyed 70K people and compiled a list of the top 20 books based on the curated answers. Any avid reader would be instantly hooked and would want to find out which books made the cut.
Tips to effectively use this Reel hook idea:
- Choose a survey topic that’s relevant to your target audience and niche.
- Ask people to guess the answer in the comments (before they see the results) to boost engagement.
- Promise a specific number when providing them with a “top X” list.
2. Are You Planning to Visit [Destination]? You Need to Know This
Travel content creators or businesses often use this viral hook for their Instagram Reels. It gives people the fear of missing out on critical information that can make their trip easier or more fun.
For example, @marvio.tour encouraged people traveling to Bali to indulge in river tubing in Ubud for the right amount of thrill and chill.
Tips to effectively use this hook:
- If you’re suggesting an activity, ensure you include a video capturing the experience.
- If you’re providing travel-related information, use relevant visuals.
- Provide a sneak peek in the Reel video and ask people to read the caption to learn more about the suggested activity, restaurant, or place.
- Ask people to share their travel tips and must-visit places in comments to boost engagement.
3. Show Off Results First, Followed by the Routine That Helped You Achieve It
This is one of the best trending hooks for Instagram Reels. It promises your viewers straightforward and actionable steps to attaining a certain goal with tangible upshots. Offer practical advice to keep viewers engaged till the end of your Reel.
For example, see how @itsnessaraye (a personal trainer and health coach) hooks viewers by showing off her abs in the first few seconds of her Reel video. She then gives a sneak peek into her workout routine that helped her shape her muscles that way.
In the caption, she encouraged viewers to make 3 changes to develop abs, offering practical, helpful advice to fitness enthusiasts.
The video has over 2K likes and dozens of comments, depicting the hook’s effectiveness in grabbing viewers’ attention and encouraging interactions.
Tips to effectively use this Instagram Reel hook idea:
- Pique people’s curiosity with a statement that promises a solution to a common problem/challenge your audience faces.
- Use a specific number of steps or changes to make it sound easy and doable. You may add a visual countdown to keep the viewer hooked through all the points.
- Ensure your tips are clear and easy to implement, complemented by fast-paced visuals, transitions, and text overlays.
- Include a CTA asking viewers to like, share, and comment after viewing the Reel. Encourage them to share the experience of using your advice.
- Leverage trending Reel audios and post the Reel during your audience’s peak engagement times to boost its views.
4. [Unique Feature or Value Point] That Just Makes Sense
Leverage this trending hook to highlight the specific features or unique value propositions that make your products or brand stand out. It could be your product packaging, formulation, design, quality, or customer service.
Consumers interested in similar products will likely watch your Reel video till the end to see what makes your packaging this great. Ensure the video proves your initial claim.
Take, for example, LANEIGE, a Korean skincare and makeup brand that is known for its innovative product packaging. The Reel below showcases various products packaging and has garnered 203K likes, which proves this hook’s effectiveness.
Tips to effectively use this Reel hook:
- Whatever product-related claim you make, ensure your visuals prove it.
- Back your claims with facts and additional details in the caption.
- Use high-quality visuals and videos of your products.
- Ask people to tell you which products they liked the most in the comments.
5. Here’s What No One Tells About [Your Expertise]
Notably, this Instagram Reels hook is an attention-grabber.
When you use the phrase, “No one tells you,” you are encouraging viewers to question existing advice and beliefs. From the onset, it suggests that they can uncover something exclusive, unconventional, or hidden.
It is quite effective in piquing the audience’s curiosity by hinting that they will get a piece of information they haven’t heard of elsewhere.
The icing on the cake? It boosts engagement as people are naturally drawn to insider knowledge. This hook is most effective in fitness and entrepreneurship niches, where giving away unconventional tips may distinguish your content from others.
Look at this Reel by @mickeyguyton where she announces that she sang the National Anthem at the Super Bowl, followed by “Here’s what no one tells you…” about what went behind her singing it.
This hook implies that the video will show them the emotional reality behind the scenes of a moment or achievement they fantasize about. It gives them the feeling of peeking into their artists’ lives.
This video has over 3K likes, which indicates how effectively this hook can drive engagement when paired with emotional content.
Tips to effectively use this hook:
- Focus on the unspoken realities of an event, career, or life experience that viewers least expect. Examples can include behind-the-scenes footage or personal challenges you faced before the glorified achievement.
- Use raw and relatable emotional experiences to captivate viewers and help them connect with your story.
- Develop expectations and suspense in the first few sentences. You can begin your video with a captivating shot or sound to complement your hook.
6. Please DO NOT [Action That Harms or is Not Allowed]
The quickest way to get people to do something is to tell them they’re not allowed to. “DO NOT,” especially when written in capital letters, instantly grabs attention and makes people curious about what they shouldn’t do.
It’s a classic case of reverse psychology that can work in your favor and boost your Instagram Reels visibility and engagement.
For example, the Reel below by @infusifie shows a lovely tea infuser and asks people not to show it to a tea lover. Of course, that’s the exact opposite of what the brand wants — to make people share it with tea lovers they know.
Tips to effectively use this hook:
- Ask people not to do what you actually want them to do.
- For example, if you want them to buy a product, say something like “DO NOT buy this product, unless…”
- Add high-quality visuals of the product or experience you are promoting in your Reel video.
7. How To [Add the Concept You Are Explaining]
How-to content is evergreen as it provides valuable information to people about topics they’re interested in. This hook works because it tells people they’re about to learn something useful.
This Reel by @finer.jewelry shows how to wear a necklace like a bracelet. The hook attracts people interested in wearing the same accessories in multiple unique styles. They’ll likely keep watching your Reel till the end, increasing watch times.
Tips to effectively use this hook:
- If the concept you’re explaining can be demonstrated, ensure the video does that.
- If not, add relevant visuals that show the step-by-step process of how to do something.
- Make sure you pick topics relevant to your audience for such how-to videos. Leverage Google searches and Pinterest idea boards to identify topics with high interest.
8. Quick or Trending Hacks for [Niche Tasks]
“Quick hack” is one of the top Instagram Reel hooks as it zeroes in on your audience’s craving for quick and efficient solutions. People are constantly looking for shortcuts that save time, level up skills, or fix headaches effortlessly.
Dropping in words like “quick trick” or “trending hack” signals that the insight in the video is fresh, useful, and shareable. The simpler and smarter your hack will be, the more it will be shared across feeds and DMs.
Take @cookwith_drrupali, a recipe wizard, for example. In the Reel below, she flashes a creamy, drool-worthy coffee brew in seconds with a text overlay that says, “Trending Frothy Coffee Hack ☕.”
The visual is irresistible. Viewers have to watch it to learn the process and enjoy the mouth-watering brew themselves.
The coffee hack hooks viewers early with a visual win, then seals the deal with a practical takeaway. Shares spike as viewers tag their caffeine-obsessed friends or save the Reel to try it themselves.
That’s why the Reel garnered 1M views.
Tips to effectively leverage this viral hook for your Instagram Reels:
- Instead of simply saying “Quick hack,” hook viewers harder by hinting at the value upfront. For example: Hack to 3x your coffee froth in 60 seconds
- Show, don’t tell. Display the hack in action to stop people from scrolling.
- Leverage captions or text overlays so that your message pops even when the Reel is mute.
- End the Reel video with a killer CTA to drive comments and shares. For example, “Tag who needs this!” or “Share how it worked.”
