Hook rate
Hook rate is the share of viewers who keep watching a video past its first few seconds.
Hook rate is the share of viewers who keep watching a video past its first few seconds. It is usually worked out as the number of people who watched past the opening divided by the number who saw the video start. It tells you whether your opening earned attention, before anything else in the video gets a chance.
Why it matters
Everything a video teaches sits behind its opening. If most viewers leave in the first few seconds, the best explanation in the world never gets heard, and comments, shares and sales all shrink with it. Hook rate isolates that first gate so you can fix it on its own. Some practitioners claim platforms weigh this early hold heavily when deciding how far to push a video, and that paid ads reward it with cheaper delivery. Treat that as a claim to test against your own numbers, not as a rule.
Key concepts
- Platforms define the cut-off differently, often around the first three seconds. Use the definition your analytics tool reports and keep it constant when comparing videos.
- Hook rate measures the opening only. A high hook rate with low completion means the hook made a promise the body did not keep.
- Compare hook rates within one format and one audience. A carousel, a talking head video and an ad do not share a fair baseline.
- A strong hook rate is the first read, not the last. Shares are the better sign that the whole piece was worth it.
Go deeper
FAQs
What is a good hook rate?
There is no universal good number, because platforms count it differently and formats vary. The useful benchmark is your own: track the hook rate of your recent videos in one format, then judge each new opening against that average. Beat your own median before chasing anyone else's.
How do you calculate hook rate?
Divide the number of viewers who watched past the opening seconds by the number of viewers whose video started, then multiply by 100. Many ad tools use three-second video plays divided by impressions. Whichever version you use, use the same one every time so the numbers compare.
How do I improve my hook rate?
Put the payoff signal in the first line, show something moving or unexpected in the first frame, cut any greeting, and make sure the opening states the topic clearly. Then test two openings on the same body and keep the one that holds more viewers.