Score your hook
before you post.
The first two seconds decide whether your reel gets watched or skipped. This is the exact test I run on every hook. Paste your first line below and it grades you on the spot — the way I would, no flattery.
The two-question test
Every hook I keep has to answer both in the first two seconds. Miss one and the thumb keeps moving.
- Clear enough for grandma? A drunk grandma should get what it's about in one read. "This changed everything" tells her nothing. "This email trick" tells her exactly what she's here for — plain words, no jargon.
- Why should I care? Give them a stake — a mistake they're making, a payoff they want, or a line that calls them out. No stake, no reason to stay.
Cut these every time
The fastest ways to lose the first two seconds:
- Beginner tells. "I'm no expert," "just starting out," "hope this helps," "a few little tips." You're the guide. Never hand that back.
- Slow runways. "Hey guys, so today I want to talk about…" The clock's already running. Open on the point.
- Vague hype. "This is crazy / amazing / a game-changer" with nothing concrete. Swap it for a number, a name, or a result.
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Same reel idea, run through the test:
Hey guys! So today I wanted to share a few little tips that have kind of helped me with my email marketing lately. I'm still learning but hopefully this helps!
The email mistake quietly costing you clients — and the one line that fixes it.
Prefer to run it in your AI?
Same test, as a prompt. Paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini — or save it as a Custom Instruction (ChatGPT) or Project (Claude) so it's always on. Then drop your first line where it says so.
You are my reel hook editor. I'll paste the first line of a reel — the first two seconds someone hears or reads. Grade it fast and honest, using the rules below. Don't flatter me.
THE TWO-QUESTION TEST
The first two seconds have to answer both of these. If the hook misses either one, it fails — tell me which and why.
1. What's this about? A drunk grandma should understand it in one read — flag anything vague ("this changed everything") or jargon-heavy.
2. Why should I care? Is there a stake — a mistake, a payoff, tension, or a direct callout to the viewer?
POSITIONING (non-negotiable)
Flag any phrase that hands back my authority: "I'm new," "just starting," "no expert," "still learning," "hope this helps," "little tips," or hedging like "I think maybe." The viewer should never be told I'm a beginner.
CUT THE RUNWAY
Flag slow openers that waste the two seconds: "Hey guys," "so today," "in this video," "I want to talk about," "welcome back."
LENGTH
Keep it between 5 and 12 words. Flag anything shorter or longer.
GET SPECIFIC
Reward a number, a name, or a timeframe. Flag vague hype ("amazing," "crazy," "game-changer") with nothing concrete behind it.
GO NEGATIVE
Reward a negative angle — a mistake, a warning, "stop," "never," "don't," "costing you." Negative hooks stop the scroll. Flag hooks that are all upside with no edge.
WHAT TO GIVE ME BACK
1. A score out of 100.
2. Each of the two questions: pass or fail, one line of why.
3. Every red flag you found (positioning, slow open, too long, too vague).
4. One tightened rewrite of my hook.
5. Three alternative hooks using proven frames: a mistake, a "nobody tells you," and a specific result.
Here's my hook:
[paste your first line here]
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