The algorithm does not wait: 7 techniques for videos to hook the viewer in 2 seconds

The user doesn’t look, they scroll. If you don’t catch them right away, you don’t exist.

While you’re still saying “hi, everyone,” the user has already swiped twice. In TikTok, Reels, and Meta feeds, no one “watches a video” – everyone watches in seconds. And these seconds count for lead generation.

The algorithms are tough and straightforward: if a video doesn’t grab attention from the first 2-3 seconds, its display is reduced by several times. In TikTok, it’s called early hold rate, in Meta – engagement time per view, but the point is the same: if you don’t keep the user at the start, you won’t get any coverage, clicks, or sales.

On average, the decision to “watch or continue” is made at 1.7-2.5 seconds. And if the first frame is a boring face, a long introduction, or a black screen, you’ve lost before you even start.

No cool montages, no long climax, no captions with explanations can save you. In 2025, video either shoots in the first seconds or does not exist.

That’s why the following are not general tips, but specific techniques that “catch” from the first frame, prevent you from swiping and start watching. With examples, situations, and real-life cases. Without this, working with video today is like shooting blanks.

Are you ready? Then let’s see what really works.

Top 7 techniques that work at the start of a video

You have not a minute, not 15 seconds, but a maximum of 3 to make a person stop. So that they don’t swipe, close, or forget. It’s not about creativity, it’s about survival in the feed. Below are the techniques that really work in TikTok Ads, Meta, Reels, and Shorts.

1. Explosive thesis or bold-claim

This is when you haven’t even blinked your eyes yet, and the video has already slapped you on the forehead. A thesis that does not ask for attention but takes it by force.

• This face cream… I used it on my DAD!
• I spent $0 on advertising and made $60,000 – here’s how
• Here’s why I’m not allowed to enter the US after this launch

Such beginnings work because they create cognitive dissonance. Something sounds so unconventional or daring that the brain cannot ignore it. The person does not understand what is happening, and this is what keeps them in the frame. This is the moment of logic failure when attention is automatically turned on.

Why does it work?

• Fast and loud: no eyeliner, straight to the center of the situation
• Emotion at the entrance: surprise, laughter, shock, envy – any strong reaction triggers retention
• Creates a promise: if the statement is like this, then “what’s next?”

It’s a trigger trap: you watch it not because you want to, but because you can’t stop watching it.

How to use bold-claim in an advertising video

1. There is a case or a figure that “hits”

• Without a budget. No team. Only AI – and $8,000 in profit in 2 days
• Your offer is typical, but does the figure sound strong?
• Turn it into a thesis statement at the start, make it a promise: “This is how I got out of debt in two weeks.”

2. Have a non-standard approach or life hack

• I use baby cream instead of primer – and here’s why
• Is your product a non-obvious solution?
• Show it as a “rule breaker” or “secret trick.”

3. There is an outrageous or strange fact

Any conflict, ban, taboo violation is fuel for the first seconds. It works especially strongly in niches with stigma: gambling, crypto, dropshipping, “ambiguous” courses.

Examples for different niches

• Cosmetics: “This cream is the cheapest thing I’ve ever put on my face. And the most effective”
• Infobusiness: “I didn’t do anything. AI ran my ads by itself – that’s what happened.”
• Crypto: “It was a meme coin. Now I have a new Tesla”
• E-com Shopify: “This product sells even though it’s disgusting. And that’s why”
• Psychology/self-development: “After this exercise, my anxiety disappeared. In 2 minutes.”

When does it work best?

• In TikTok Ads and Reels, where attention is currency
• In gray or controversial niches, bold-claim borders on the ban
• In a video with a live speaker – when the thesis is voiced by a person, emotionally and directly to the camera
• When you are not afraid to provoke a reaction – even if part of the audience says: “what the hell?”

In 2025, the winner is not the one who is careful in his or her language, but the one who is not afraid to say the strange, exaggerated, honest, or provocative to the eye. While your competitors are explaining “what will happen in the video,” you are already holding the viewer by the collar.

2. Problem or pain – right in the face

This is a technique that works on the mechanics of recognition. A person sees the first seconds of the video and turns on the light in their head: “This is about me”. Then he/she no longer just watches – he/she is waiting for a decision.

• This is what happens if you don’t wash off your makeup before bed…
• Do you also feel tired all day, even though you sleep for 8 hours?
  
• I thought I was just stressed until I checked this

This format doesn’t provoke, surprise, or shock – it hits you. And it does it instantly. It works on empathy, on the user’s experience, on the already painful question that is in his head.

Why does it work?

• The viewer recognizes themselves – and stays to hear what they “did wrong”
• There is no resistance – you don’t “sell”, you empathize
• It works in any video: UGC, explainers, expert presentation, TikTok-style

This is a direct way into the subconscious: when the problem resonates, attention is held by itself.

How to use this technique in video?

1. Start with a domestic or bodily situation

• Wake up and the fatigue hasn’t disappeared?
  
• Does your face feel like it’s been washed away by the paint of life?
  
• You’re doing everything right, but the fat on your stomach won’t go away?

This should be a common situation that the viewer has seen dozens of times – but hasn’t paid attention to.

1. Specify: “not just you”. After the thesis, you can immediately insert a clarification that this is a massive problem.
2. Give a promise of a solution – but not right away. Keep the intrigue, but show that there will be an answer.

Examples for different niches

• Nutraceuticals / supplements: “These symptoms look like stress, but they’re actually magnesium deficiency.” “Why fatigue doesn’t disappear even when you rest”
• Fitness/Loss:“The weight is there because you’re still eating ‘healthy food’ – the wrong kind.”“These abdominal exercises don’t work until you remove one thing.”
• Psychology / Mental: “You didn’t burn out. It’s just that everything happened at once and no one told you how to deal with it.”
• SaaS / B2C products: “You spend an hour a day on a routine that can be automated in a minute.”
• Finance / Arbitrage / Marketing: “Is your budget flowing, but you don’t have any leads? In 80% of cases, the reason is here.” “The problem is not in the target. The problem is in the first three seconds of the video.”

When does it work best?

• When you know the clear pain of your audience – and you’re not afraid to voice it
• In niches where the solution is not obvious but effective
• If the video is in UGC, monologue, screencast or case study format
• When you want to lead the viewer to the logic “I have this too – I want to know more”

While competitors show what a great product they have, you show the viewer’s pain. And this is how you win attention. You don’t have to be creative. You just need to be accurate.

3. A shout, gesture, or visual “blow” to the camera

Sometimes there is no time for complex drama. On TikTok or Reels, every swipe is a shot in the head to your video. And in order to survive, you need to catch attention physically-literally.

• “STOP! Don’t waste your budget on these creatives”, followed by a finger gesture to the camera and a sharp zoom-in + finger snap sound

This is a primitive but effective trick: an unexpected movement, a loud word, an aggressive action – and the viewer flinched. The brain automatically records the signal: “something has happened”, which means you need to stop.

Why does it work?

• Breaking the pattern: most videos are smooth, calm. And here – sharpness, emphasis, invasion of personal space.
  
• Physical trigger: the camera is shaky, the sound is sharp, the face is close – the brain perceives this as a “real” event.
• Subconscious retention: even if the viewer did not understand what it was about, they did not swipe, which means you got a chance.

It’s like someone knocking on the table in silence. There will be a reaction.

How to use this technique in video?

1. Gesture or movement in the first half second

• finger into the camera
• Click, click, bounce
• tilt your face closer to the lens

It should be an unexpected movement that changes the angle and excites attention.

1. Shout, whisper, sharp sound

• “STOP!”, “Just don’t press the swipe”
• “Listen to me. This is important”
• unexpected sound effect: bell, explosion, impact

The sound does not have to be loud – just a contrast with the “usual tape” is enough.

1. Interrupting the expected script

• The viewer sees a typical UGC picture – and then: the frame shakes, the face screams, the text twitches.
• you can make a pseudo-error: the image “flies out”, “breaks”, there is noise – the attention is definitely yours.

Examples for different niches

• Arbitrage: STOP. If you have a CPM above 20, watch this to the end.Zoom-in on Ads Manager with the red graph, finger on the camera.
• Finance/Infobiz: This video could save you $2000. Why aren’t you listening? Look directly into the camera, tense face, background “beep.”
• SaaS product/task tracker:Does your Monday start with chaos? Here’s how to stop it. Quickly zoom in on the calendar screen and gesture “close everything.
  
• Beauty/Fitness: Don’t do this in the morning if you want normal skin. Gesture of repulsion of the product, a sharp transition to the “right one.

When does it work best?

• In TikTok Ads and Reels, where everyone is used to “soft” intros – and that’s why aggressive intervention works
• In gray offers where you need to immediately “knock” the user out of inertia
• In short commercials – up to 15 seconds, where there is no time for eyeliner
• In videos with a live face or organic presentation – when the viewer feels “human”, not production

In a film where everything is too polite, sharpness is a weapon. It doesn’t sell directly, but it opens the door for sales. Sometimes you just need to knock loudly. Or hit the attention so that you don’t have to ask for it.

4. Large text in the center: intrigue, prohibition or provocation

In a movie where everything is screaming, sometimes it is the text that works the loudest. Not the face, not the sound, not the editing. It’s a big, bold thesis in the center of the screen that leaves no chance to pass by.

“THIS VIDEO WILL BE DELETED IN 24 HOURS”
“HOW I BROKE THE BAN IN META”
“THE FORBIDDEN METHOD YOGA TEACHERS DON’T TALK ABOUT”

This is a classic clickbait, but in a new format: not in the title, but in the first second of the video. This thesis immediately raises questions: “why?”, “what exactly is forbidden?”, “where is the deception?”. And the most important thing is that the user does not feel like a spectator, he is already a participant in the solution.

Why does it work?

• Destroys curiosity: text looks like a secret, conflict or “inside story”
• Creates a sense of urgency:“before they delete”, “last time”, “3 hours left”
• Masked as native: looks like text from a story or a message with insight
• Instant adaptation:you can formulate an intrigue for any niche

How to use this technique in video?

1. Begin the video with the text – without intros and voiceover

At 0:00, the following phrase appears on a black or contrasting background:“This method is blocked every day. But while it works, I will show you.” “Here’s what agencies won’t tell you.”

The duration is a maximum of 2 seconds. Then – a transition to a face or scene that continues the thesis.

1. Use “against the rules”

Wording like:

• “This video violates the policy, but…”
• “Don’t run this in Meta – until you’ve watched it”
• “Why this strategy works when it shouldn’t”

This creates a sense of breaking the ban – and the viewer subconsciously wants to know more.

1. Add movement or dynamics

The text can appear in jerks, flash, shoot out in parts – anything to avoid it being perceived as a “dry banner.”

Examples for different niches

• Gambling/Crypto:“Don’t launch an offer in Tier-1 until you check this. “This method bypasses the ban – but not for long.”
• Infobusiness / courses: “This is NOT another warm-up course. And here’s why.” “3 mistakes in an online school that cause 70% of the budget to go to waste”
• SMM / arbitrage / analytics: “This creative has a 12% CTR. But it gets banned every day.”“How to make a video that passes moderation but looks “gray.””
• B2C / Shopify / cosmetics: “This cream is not officially sold in Europe. But we got it.” “Why Sephora doesn’t talk about this product – and why it works.”

When does it work best?

• In gray, hot, or forbidden niches – where users are used to risk and intrigue
• When the product/service is not new, but has a “feature” that can be presented as prohibited
• In Reels and TikTok, where the voice can be turned off – and it is the text that draws attention
• When you want to provoke a reaction, even a hateful one, the main thing is to be viewed

The main thing is not to promise something that will not happen. The text should intrigue, not lie. If there is nothing after it, you have not aroused interest, you have lost trust.

5. Before / After right at the start

One of the strongest visual triggers is transformation. We don’t “promise the result” or “explain what will happen,” but show what was and what has become. And we do it before the viewer has time to think.

Start of video:

• swollen face → glowing skin
• $0 on the account → $18,432 in 7 days
• launch Ads Manager → graph with takeoff
• shoot overweight → toned abs

No explanation. Just two shots – before/after. And that’s it. The viewer is already in the process. He sees changes. And the brain wants to know: how?

Why does it work?

• Visual proof without promises – you don’t sell, you demonstrate
• Instant wow effect: transformation causes admiration or shock
• Activation of inner desire: a person automatically compares himself with “before” and wants “after”
• Works even without sound: important for TikTok, Reels and Meta, where browsing is often without voiceover

How to implement Before / After at the start?

• Make the transition instantaneous – in the first 0.5-1 seconds

You can start with “before” at 0:00, “after” – already at 0:01. No words, just frames.
After that – intro, explanation, offer.

1. Show changes in dynamics

• Show problem → reaction → result
• Short video “before” → editing to “after” → freeze frame with the phrase “this is how it worked”

1. Don’t forget the context

Visuals should be understandable without explanation. If it’s Ads Manager, show the date, amount, chart. If it’s a face, show an emotion. If the body – clothes, pose, light.

Examples for different niches

• Gut / fitness / cosmetics:
• before: photos with acne, weight, tired look
• after: skin tone, figure, sparkle in the eyes
• Frames can be “organic”, such as selfie, mirror, unpacking

Marketing / arbitrage / smm:

• before: empty account, drained budget
• After: screen with results, live client comment, Ads Manager interface
• Courses / SaaS / infobusiness:
• to: chaos in tasks, missed deadlines, overload
• after: dashboard, structure, result in the form of money or free time

Crypto/Trading:

• before: minus on the exchange, and after: balance growth,
• PnL screen
• or even like this: night schedule on the phone → new car

When does it work best?

• In a product where there is a visual difference before/after: body, skin, UI, metrics
• If you have results or UGC content with transformation
• In advertising, where it is difficult to “promise” with words, but easy to show
• In niches where the viewer has doubts and needs quick proof

When you show the “after” before you say “hello”, you give the most valuable thing: the belief that it’s real. Your task is not to explain, but to visualize. Because the result that is visible does not need to be sold.

6. An unexpected question or direct appeal

• “Are you already 18?”
• “When was the last time you had a real vacation?”
• “How much money do you burn every month just because of…?”

This technique works simply: you ask a question directly to the viewer’s face. And if this question affects him, causes doubt or nerves – he does not leave.

The brain subconsciously strives to complete any logical construction. If you are asked something, you involuntarily answer. And you stay to check if your answer is correct.

Why does it work?

• Creates a sense of personal communication:“this is me being addressed”
• Breaks out of passive viewing: the viewer becomes a participant in the dialog
• Starts an internal search for an answer: attention is held naturally
• Breaks the format: most videos are monologues. And here is a conversation.

It’s like saying to a person on the street: “Have you lost something?” – even if not, they will stop.

How to implement a question in a video?

• Formulate it simply, as if a friend has just written to Direct
• Do you really believe this cream works?
• Do you sometimes feel like life is an endless deadline too?
• Why do you still do ads manually?

The main thing is not a clerical language, but a live. As if the person already knows you.

1. Begin the video with a direct “you”

• You don’t do one thing – and that’s why there is no result
• Are you tired of paying for it every month?

This is not a sale. This is a proximity trigger.

1. Ask a “risky” question – and promise an answer

• Is it true that this supplement does nothing? I decided to check
• How much truth is there in the fact that Meta bans everything?

The question should touch or provoke. If the viewer feels challenged, they stay.

Examples for different niches

• Gut / wellness / mental:
  • Do you also fall asleep on TikTok and wake up in the same state?
    
  • When was the last time you got a good night’s sleep?
• Finance / Arbitrage:
  • How much did you lose today just because of this creative?
    
  • Have you ever counted how much you pay Meta for silence?
• Infobusiness / SMM / production:
  • Why doesn’t your blogger convert, even though everyone says he’s a top one?
    
  • Do you really want to sell courses – or are you just afraid not to try?
• B2C / Shopify / cosmetics:
  • You look at this jar every day – but your skin doesn’t get better. Why?
  • How many creams do you have that you bought and don’t use?

When does it work best?

• In live video – where you can see what a real person is saying
• In UGC formats, explanatory or overview
• When you know exactly what the main objection or fear of the target audience is
• If the offer is difficult to explain in the forehead, but easy to derive through “conversation”

The viewer doesn’t want advertising. But he doesn’t mind talking. And if the first phrase of the video is not “hi, I’m an expert” but “aren’t you tired of this bullshit?”, then you already have more than just a viewing experience. You have a dialog.

7. Start with drama: fly into the middle of the climax

Instead of a story – immediately a shot where something went wrong, or vice versa: something strong has already happened – and we are in the middle of it.

• “I was shaking. I was standing at my computer and couldn’t believe it had come in.”
  (frame: crying face, blurred background, blurred voice)
• “I recorded this video after two hours of panic. If you see it, it means I did it.”

This is not a story. This is an emotional middleemotional middle. We find ourselves in a moment where everything is already happening. And the viewer has no choice: either they will find out what happened here – or they will miss the moment that “could have been deleted later.”

Why does it work?

• Emotion from the first second: instead of a dry eyeliner – a live scene in which something “breaks”
• Breaking the structure: the viewer expects an introduction – instead, there is a climax at once
• Unanswered questions:“what happened?”, “why is she crying?”, “what exploded?”, “what video didn’t work?”

This is the effect of “falling into history”. Like in a movie, where the movie starts with an explosion scene – and only then “two days ago…”.

How to implement this technique in video?

1. Start with a strong scene, phrase, sound

• voice shaking, light flashing, breathing ragged
• emotion: shock, panic, tears, screaming, laughter, absolute silence
• image: monitor with a refusal in the advertising office, empty account, screen with a ban

1. Visually – nothing “clean”

• not a studio, not a white background, not a tripod
• everything is moving, the camera is “in hand”, the face is shot from the side or from below
• “video that was not planned to be shot”

1. Keep your explanation to 3-4 seconds

The viewer is already in the story – now give a reason why it’s important:

• “I was banned. Not my account – my entire business. Here’s how it happened – and how I survived”
• “I wanted to give up. I really did. But this thing pulled me out in 2 days.”

Examples for different niches

Arbitrage:

• “The campaign lost $3000. And then – CTR 17%”– frames from Ads Manager, fragments of the live screen, the face is not emotional, but exhausted

Cosmetics / wellness:

• “I was really shy about showing this face. But I’m going to show it, because the result is wild.”
• before/after – but not in a template, but through “I went through it”

Infobusiness / producers / experts:

• “It was supposed to be just a webinar. It turned out to be my worst launch. And the best result.”
• focus, presentation chunks, panic shots, or silence

Finance / SaaS / business products:

• “The day we lost 40% of MRR. And what made this hole profitable”

When does it work best?

• In UGC or “shot on a phone”
• In a video that aims to evoke an emotion, not just explain
• In niches where the viewer is tired of the expert tone and wants reality
• If there is a personal story, a real scene, a context with ups and downs

The secret of this format is not in drama queen, but in honesty. Don’t play the pain. Show the moment that was real. And that’s why it catches on.

Because the tape is full of videos where “everything is according to plan”. And the one with shaking hands is trustworthy.

Conclusion: attention is a currency, and you either take it or lose it

On TikTok, Reels, and Meta, people don’t watch videos – they scan everything at speed. If you don’t grab them in 3 seconds, they won’t see your video. Not because it’s bad. It’s because it didn’t have time to shoot.

What works in 2025:

• Explosive thesis or bold-claim – to surprise, outrage, or intrigue
• Direct pain – to touch an emotion and make the viewer recognize themselves
• Motion, scream, gestures – to stop the swipe physically
• Large text – to convey a message without voiceover
• Before/After – to give the result before the promise
• Unexpected question – to start a dialog
• Drama from the first seconds – so that the viewer gets into the story instantly

These are not rules of “how to shoot beautifully”. These are working hooks that allow you to get a chance. After that, the product, the offer, the text, the editing are already working. But it all starts from the first second.

Test. Combine. Scroll the feed like a consumer and ask yourself: would I watch this next?

Because you don’t really have a minute to reel. You only have the first three seconds – and they make all the difference.