Generic hooks blend into the scroll. Punchy hooks trigger curiosity and promise something specific—and the Hook Generator's sliders let you dial in that balance in seconds. This guide shows you exactly how to use curiosity and specificity settings to create hooks that stop thumbs and earn views.
Table of Contents
Category hub: /creator/social
Quick Start
- Open the Hook Generator
- Enter your niche and video topic
- Set curiosity slider to 0.75–0.85 (start here)
- Set specificity slider to 0.6–0.75 (start here)
- Generate 10 hooks and shortlist your top 3
- Test hooks in the first 3 seconds of your video; track retention
Why Curiosity and Specificity Matter
Hooks work by creating an information gap that viewers want to close (curiosity) while providing enough concrete detail to make the promise believable (specificity). Too much mystery and you sound clickbaity. Too much detail and you lose the intrigue. The Hook Generator's sliders let you balance these forces without guesswork.
Generic hooks like "Check this out" fail because they trigger neither curiosity nor trust. Effective hooks promise a specific outcome while withholding just enough to make viewers watch. The two sliders work together: curiosity opens the loop, specificity makes the loop worth closing.
Understanding the Curiosity Slider
What It Does
The curiosity slider controls how much mystery your hook contains. At the low end (0.0–0.3), hooks are factual and straightforward. At the high end (0.8–1.0), hooks tease without revealing. Mid-range (0.5–0.7) balances clarity with intrigue.
Examples Across the Spectrum
- Low curiosity (0.3): "Here's how to save $1,000 in 30 days." Clear and direct, but no tension.
- Medium curiosity (0.6): "This budgeting trick saved me $1,000 last month." Hints at a secret without full reveal.
- High curiosity (0.9): "This one habit doubled my savings—you won't believe it." Maximum intrigue, minimal detail.
Sweet Spots by Platform
- TikTok: 0.80–0.90. Fast scrollers need maximum curiosity to stop.
- YouTube Shorts: 0.75–0.85. High curiosity with slightly more context.
- YouTube long-form: 0.65–0.75. Viewers expect more upfront clarity.
- Instagram Reels: 0.75–0.85. Similar to Shorts; intrigue wins.
Understanding the Specificity Slider
What It Does
The specificity slider controls how concrete your hook is. Low specificity (0.0–0.3) uses vague language like "amazing results." High specificity (0.8–1.0) includes numbers, timeframes, and measurable outcomes. Mid-range (0.5–0.7) balances tangible detail with flexibility.
Examples Across the Spectrum
- Low specificity (0.3): "Want better finances? Try this." Vague and forgettable.
- Medium specificity (0.6): "This budgeting habit saved me thousands last year." Concrete but not overly precise.
- High specificity (0.9): "Save $1,247 in 30 days with this 3-step system." Hyper-specific, highly believable.
Sweet Spots by Niche
- Finance/Business: 0.70–0.85. Audiences expect numbers and proof.
- Fitness: 0.60–0.75. Balance aspirational goals with tangible milestones.
- Tech/Education: 0.75–0.90. Precision builds trust in technical content.
- Lifestyle/Beauty: 0.50–0.70. Aesthetics and emotion matter more than metrics.
Winning Slider Combinations
High Curiosity + High Specificity (0.8 / 0.8)
Best for scroll-stopping educational content. Promises a specific outcome while withholding the method. Example: "I doubled my engagement in 7 days—here's the exact system." Use this for tutorials, case studies, and data-driven stories.
High Curiosity + Medium Specificity (0.85 / 0.6)
Best for entertainment and aspirational content. Maximum intrigue with enough credibility to keep viewers interested. Example: "This one change transformed my content—watch to learn why." Use this for TikTok trends, behind-the-scenes, and storytelling.
Medium Curiosity + High Specificity (0.7 / 0.8)
Best for how-tos and tutorials. Clearly states the value upfront with enough detail to earn trust. Example: "Get 10,000 followers in 30 days with these 3 tactics." Use this for step-by-step guides, explainers, and actionable advice.
Step-by-Step: Dialing In Your Hook
- Start with baseline settings: Curiosity 0.75, Specificity 0.65. This works for most niches.
- Generate your first batch: Review the 10 hooks. Do they sound too clickbaity? Lower curiosity by 0.05–0.10. Too dry? Push curiosity up.
- Adjust for tone: If hooks feel vague, increase specificity to 0.75–0.80. If they feel like instruction manuals, lower specificity to 0.55–0.65.
- A/B test variations: Pick 2–3 hooks with different slider settings. Test them in actual videos and track retention in the first 10 seconds.
- Iterate: Double down on the slider combination that performs best for your niche and platform.
Platform-Specific Examples
TikTok
Settings: Curiosity 0.85, Specificity 0.65
Hook: "This skincare hack cleared my acne in 3 days—derms hate it."
Why it works: High curiosity stops the scroll; medium specificity makes it believable without giving away the method.
YouTube Shorts
Settings: Curiosity 0.80, Specificity 0.70
Hook: "I tested 5 budget apps—only one actually saved me money."
Why it works: Balances intrigue (which one?) with concrete framing (5 apps, money saved).
YouTube Long-Form
Settings: Curiosity 0.70, Specificity 0.80
Hook: "Here's how I grew from 0 to 100k subs in 6 months using these 3 strategies."
Why it works: Clear promise with enough detail to justify the time investment. Lower curiosity suits longer formats.
Instagram Reels
Settings: Curiosity 0.80, Specificity 0.65
Hook: "This outfit formula makes every look expensive."
Why it works: Aspirational and mysterious without overpromising specifics. Fits lifestyle content.
Common Mistakes & Fixes
- Too much curiosity, not enough specificity → Sounds clickbaity and untrustworthy. Add concrete numbers, timeframes, or outcomes. Example: change "This changed everything" to "This one habit saved me $500 last month."
- Too specific, not enough curiosity → Boring and predictable. Add tension or a "but" twist. Example: change "Save money with a budget" to "Budgeting failed me—until I tried this one trick."
- Both sliders too low → Generic and forgettable. Push both to at least 0.6 to create any engagement. Even baseline hooks need some intrigue and detail.
- Both sliders maxed out → Confusing or overwhelming. Viewers need either mystery or clarity, not both at 100%. Aim for 0.75–0.85 on your primary slider.
- Ignoring your niche expectations → Finance viewers expect specificity (0.75+); lifestyle viewers prefer moderate intrigue (0.65–0.75). Adjust sliders to match audience norms.
FAQs
- What's the best starting point for the sliders?
- Start with curiosity 0.75–0.80 and specificity 0.65–0.70. Generate a batch, review, then adjust based on tone and platform. This baseline works for most niches and gives you room to iterate.
- Can I use the same settings for all my content?
- No. Adjust by platform (TikTok needs higher curiosity, ~0.85) and content type (tutorials need higher specificity, ~0.80). Save winning combinations as presets using the share link feature.
- How many hooks should I generate per video?
- Generate 10, shortlist 3, test 1–2 in actual videos. Track retention in the first 10 seconds to see which hook holds attention. Archive winners and iterate on the slider settings that performed best.
- Should curiosity always be higher than specificity?
- Not always. Tutorials and educational content often benefit from higher specificity (0.8) with moderate curiosity (0.7). Entertainment and storytelling reverse this ratio. Match the slider balance to your content type.
- How do I know if a hook is "too curiosity" or "too specific"?
- Too curiosity = vague, clickbaity feel with no credibility. Too specific = reads like an instruction manual with no intrigue. Aim for a hook that makes you want to know more while believing the promise is real.
- Can I save my favorite slider combinations?
- Yes. Use the Hook Generator's share link feature to encode your niche, slider settings, and generated hooks into a URL. Bookmark these for quick access to proven settings.
- How often should I adjust my slider settings?
- Revisit every 10–15 videos or when retention drops. Audience tastes shift; your sliders should too. If a previously winning combination stops performing, try increasing curiosity by 0.05–0.10 or adjusting specificity to refresh the tone.