Your video is judged in three seconds.
Not by the algorithm first. By a thumb. If the opening does not earn another second, the rest of your script never gets seen.
Most creators and small brands spend hours on editing and minutes on the hook. I’m not a TikTok marketer. I build AI prompt systems, so for this guide I studied how short-form scripts are built, from the first line to the call to action, and where AI helps and where it lets you down.
The Blank Page Is the Real Enemy
Every video starts empty. Hook. Story. Demo. CTA. Then again tomorrow.
AI can fill that page in seconds. But “write me a TikTok hook” gets you a hook that could belong to anyone.
Here are five hook formats from Chapter 1 of the book. Each one comes from a prompt you can paste and adapt:
- “Nobody tells you that…” followed by a counterintuitive truth about your topic (Prompt 3)
- “POV:” hooks that target your audience’s pain points (Prompt 5)
- “What if I told you…” hooks that challenge a common belief (Prompt 6)
- Curiosity-gap hooks that end on an unresolved question (Prompt 7)
- “I almost quit [topic] until…” emotional hooks (Prompt 8)
Here is Prompt 7, word for word:
“Write 10 curiosity-gap hooks for [niche] Reels that end with an unresolved question to keep viewers watching.”
Notice the number (10) and the niche in brackets. Ten options means you choose, not accept. The book’s own advice is to generate at least five hook variations per video and test two in the first week. Let data decide, not instinct.
👉 [Grab your copy of 200 AI Prompts for TikTok & Reels Marketing]
Before and After
Weak: “Write me a TikTok hook.”
Better: ask for 10 hooks, name the niche, and tell the AI what each hook must do, such as end on an unresolved question. Then pick two and record them as separate five-second clips.
The second version gives you choices and a test. The first gives you one guess.
That is the whole difference. The rest of the book applies the same idea to stories, demos, calls to action and repurposing.
What Is Inside
205 prompts in 8 chapters, plus 45 bonus prompts, 250 in total:
- Chapter 1: viral-style hooks and openers (25)
- Chapter 2: storytelling scripts (25)
- Chapter 3: trend-jacking prompts (25)
- Chapter 4: product demos and testimonials (25)
- Chapter 5: UGC and behind-the-scenes (25)
- Chapter 6: call-to-action sequences (25)
- Chapter 7: A/B testing and optimisation (25)
- Chapter 8: repurposing and scheduling (30)
- Bonuses: 20 fill-in-the-blank templates, 10 mega-prompts, 15 advanced prompts, and a weekly production checklist
They work in Claude, ChatGPT and other AI writing tools.
Four Things AI Cannot Check for You
This is the part most prompt lists skip.
- Statistics. A hook that uses a “shocking statistic” is only as good as the statistic. AI can invent one. Use only numbers you can source.
- Trends. A prompt that asks AI to “find the top trending sounds this week” needs an AI tool that can see live data. Most chat tools cannot. Paste in the trend yourself, and check the platform’s music rules for business accounts.
- Testimonials. Several prompts write testimonial-style scripts. Use only real customer words, with permission. An invented review is a fake review, and platforms and regulators take that seriously.
- Disclosure. If you are paid or gifted to promote something, say so using the platform’s tools. Check each platform’s current rules on AI-generated content labels too. This is not legal advice.
Who It Is For
Creators, small business owners, marketers, agencies, coaches and anyone who has to produce short-form video on a schedule.
Start With the Hook
Pick one video you are about to make. Run Prompt 7. Choose two hooks. Record both as separate five-second clips and see which one holds people.
No prompt can promise views. What it can do is shorten the part where you stare at the screen.
👉 [Grab your copy of 200 AI Prompts for TikTok & Reels Marketing]
If you want the basic prompt formula behind all my guides, it is in a free book: AI Superpower for Everyone.
Platform rules change often. Check TikTok’s and Instagram’s current policies before you publish. This article is for education only and is not legal advice.
