Hook
The first 1–2 seconds of a video — the line or visual that stops the scroll. The single biggest factor in whether a video performs.
The hook is the opening that earns the next few seconds. Most viral short-form videos win or lose in the first 1–2 seconds — a bold claim, an open loop, or an unexpected visual.
Because retention starts at second zero, a weak hook caps everything downstream — it doesn’t matter how good the payoff is if nobody stays for it. It’s the highest-leverage thing to get right.
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