# Hook Craft by Format

The same idea has to be hooked differently depending on where it appears. Each format imposes a
cutoff and a set of channels. Match the mechanism to the format's constraints.

> Cutoffs and specs shift; treat the principles as durable and re-verify exact numbers. See
> `caption-writer/references/platforms.md` for current per-platform caption limits.

---

## Caption first line

- **Cutoff:** one line before "…more" — ~125 chars on Instagram, ~140 on LinkedIn, even fewer on
  Facebook (~80). The hook must land *inside* the cutoff; tension at character 200 doesn't exist.
- **Channel:** text only.
- **Craft:** front-load the gap; cut every warm-up word. No greeting, no "Happy Monday," no
  describing the image.
- **Test:** read only the first line, truncated at the cutoff. Would a stranger tap "…more"?

## Video — first 1–3 seconds (Reels, TikTok, Shorts)

- **Cutoff:** ~1–3 seconds. The single highest-stakes window in social.
- **Channels (all at once):** visual (first frame + motion), verbal (first spoken words),
  on-screen text (the written hook).
- **Craft:**
  - **Must work muted** — the on-screen text + visual carry the hook for sound-off viewers.
  - Open *in motion* or on a striking frame; no logo, no slow intro, no "Hey guys."
  - The first spoken sentence is a hook mechanism, not a greeting.
  - Match the on-screen text to the spoken hook (reinforce, don't repeat verbatim).
- **Deliver:** give the user the verbal line **and** the on-screen text **and** a note on the
  opening visual.

## Carousel cover (slide 1)

- **Cutoff:** a glance. The cover *is* the hook; if it doesn't promise the swipe, slides 2–10
  never get seen.
- **Channel:** a few words + visual; must be legible at thumbnail size.
- **Craft:** one idea, big and clear. Promise the payoff the carousel delivers ("5 hooks that
  actually work →"). Avoid cramming; the cover sells the swipe, the slides do the work.

## Thread opener (first post)

- **Cutoff:** the first post (≤280 chars on X; the lead post on LinkedIn/Threads).
- **Channel:** text (sometimes + media).
- **Craft:** promise the thread's through-line and payoff so people commit to reading down.
  Tease the destination without giving it away. A weak first post means the thread dies at post
  one.

## YouTube — title + thumbnail

- **Channels:** title (text) + thumbnail (visual) working *together* — they should add up to
  more than either alone, not repeat each other.
- **Craft:** curiosity + clarity. The title sets a gap; the thumbnail is the visual hook (a
  face/emotion, a striking image, minimal legible text). Avoid pure clickbait the video doesn't
  deliver — retention is the real ranking signal.

## Email — subject + preview

- **Cutoff:** subject truncates on mobile (~30–40 chars visible); the preview text is a second
  hook.
- **Craft:** specificity or curiosity, short. Use the preview line to extend the subject's gap,
  not waste it on "view in browser." Don't overpromise — opens you burn don't come back.

---

## Format quick reference

| Format | Cutoff | Channels | The hook's job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caption | ~125 ch (IG) | text | earn the "…more" tap |
| Short video | 1–3 sec | visual + verbal + text | stop the thumb, muted |
| Carousel cover | a glance | words + visual | promise the swipe |
| Thread opener | first post | text | promise the thread |
| YouTube | title + thumb | text + visual | earn the click, honestly |
| Email | ~30–40 ch subject | subject + preview | earn the open |

Whatever the format: open the gap, inside the cutoff, in the brand's voice, true to what
follows.


---
资料：Frank Heijdenrijk / pavelhov/social-media-skills

原始版本：https://github.com/pavelhov/social-media-skills/blob/1680b37bf0dc32b52da247a8196ef27a6cd47bd4/skills/hook-writer/references/formats.md

许可：MIT。目录与内部链接已经整理，未收录图片已省略。

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2026 Frank Heijdenrijk

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.