Lesson 1 of 5 · 4 min
A hook in the first seconds
A Reel starts playing by itself, and a thumb is already on the screen. If the first seconds are slow, people swipe. A hook is the short promise at the start that tells them why to stay.
Start with the good part
Many Reels begin with "Hi, welcome to our studio". That is polite, but it gives nobody a reason to stay. Start with the best thing instead:
- "Your first class is free"
- "Three tips for a tight back"
- "Watch this cake get made"
- "The $12 fix for a squeaky door"
A hook promises one thing: something to learn, something to see, or something to get. Finish this sentence: "Stay, because you will ...". If you can, you have your hook.
Keep it short
Six words or fewer. People read it in a glance, and it fits on the screen in big letters.
Put it on the video
- Open a post with your photos and press Make it a reel under Media.
- Pick Reel.
- Tick Add text on the video. Postfjord fills in the first sentence of your post.
- Replace it with your hook.
- Press Make the video.
The video takes about a minute, and you can keep working meanwhile. Nothing is posted until you schedule the draft it makes.
Before the next lesson
Write three hooks for one Reel and pick the one you would stop for yourself. Keep it, because the next lessons use it.
Quick check · 3 questions
Check what stuck
Which opening gives people a reason to stay?
Show the answer
"Your first class is free". A hook promises something: to learn it, see it or get it. A greeting promises nothing.
How long should a hook be?
Show the answer
Six words or fewer. Short words read in a glance and fit big on a phone screen.
When does Postfjord post the video you made with Make the video?
Show the answer
Only when you schedule the new draft. Nothing is posted by itself. You look at the draft first.
In this course
- 1A hook in the first secondsWhy the first seconds decide everything, how to write a hook in six words or fewer, and how to put it on your Reel. · 4 min
- 2Photos into a ReelPick photos that tell a story, put them in order, and let Postfjord turn them into a tall video with slow movement. · 4 min
- 3Words that fit the screenShort words on the video, kept clear of the buttons the apps put on top, and easy to read with the sound off. · 4 min
- 4The first picture and the captionWhat people see before the video plays, and a caption that helps without repeating the video. · 4 min
- 5Post it where it belongsSchedule the Reel for Instagram, send it to TikTok, and look at the numbers a few days later. · 4 min