The hook frame is the image on screen in the first second of a video, and it is what decides whether the viewer keeps watching. On social platforms the user decides mid-scroll; with no movement, no face and no clear question in the first frame, the video is scrolled past unwatched. Its metric is hook rate.
Tests that change only the opening frame of the same video can produce a marked difference with everything else held constant. The patterns that work are limited: the product in use, an unexpected angle, showing the result up front, one large readable sentence on screen. Opening with a logo is the most expensive mistake, because it creates no curiosity if the brand is unknown. In vertical format the interface elements at the top and bottom cover text, so a safe area has to be left and the frame checked on a real device.
Tests that change only the opening frame of the same video can produce a marked difference with everything else held constant. The patterns that work are limited: the product in use, an unexpected angle, showing the result up front, one large readable sentence on screen. Opening with a logo is the most expensive mistake, because it creates no curiosity if the brand is unknown. In vertical format the interface elements at the top and bottom cover text, so a safe area has to be left and the frame checked on a real device.
Tests that change only the opening frame of the same video can produce a marked difference with everything else held constant. The patterns that work are limited: the product in use, an unexpected angle, showing the result up front, one large readable sentence on screen. Opening with a logo is the most expensive mistak…
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