33 Reels Hooks for Viral Instagram Videos

Content Ideas, Instagram Strategy

It’s not a secret that Reels are one of the most powerful ways to grow your small business on Instagram these days. And the key to making them really good lays in the first few seconds.

Meta itself has confirmed that the first 3 seconds of your video need to have a strong hook to keep your audience interested.

So, if you’re unsure how to come up with attention-grabbing hooks and want to create better Reels for your business, you’re in the right spot!

In this blog post, we’ve collected 33 powerful Reels hooks you can copy and paste to create viral videos.

What is a Reels hook and what makes it great?

There are a few factors that determine if your hook is made to capture your audience’s attention or if it will fall flat. Let’s look at some characteristics of a great reels hook:

It grabs instant attention (in 2-3 seconds or less = the 3-second rule)
It talks about the problems, desires or goals of your target audience
It is short and on point
It uses trending words and triggers (like ‘POV’ or ‘Stop’)

And what about trending sounds?

While it’s not so important nowadays to use early trending audios, it can still be helpful to be mindful about your sound choice.

Pick sounds people will recognize or that make them feel something in the first seconds – and make sure to pick an audio that matches your video / your message.

Where do you place your hook?

There are two places where a strong hook is important to grab your viewer’s attention:

On your Reel video (make sure to maintain enough contrast, so it’s readable)
At the start of your caption

What many people don’t realise is that your video is also part of your hook. Make the first 1-2 seconds interesting and attention grabbing, for example by doing something unusual, following a trend, or playing into watch patterns that are currently trending.

Places to find ideas for successful Instagram hooks:

Instagram (Reels tab)
TikTok (scan for early trends before they become popular on Instagram)
In this blog post 😉

The 33 Best Hooks for your Instagram Reels

Here we go: We’ve collected 33 proven and strategic Reels Hooks below. Save this post in your browser’s favorites to come back later when you need inspiration.

Or pin the graphics at the end of the list to Pinterest for a quick reference.

1. Do you know the real reason you’re struggling to [Reach Goal]? Read the caption →

2. There is no ‘secret sauce’ to [Goal], but here is what you can do →

3. My #1 Tactic for [Goal]

4. Every [Audience Member Description] needs to hear this: [Message]

5. Get rid of [Pain Point] once and for all

6. X [Topic] lessons that will pay off

7. This is the game-changer for [Topic]

8. X things I gain from (Routine, Desired Goal, etc.)

9. Pssstttt… you can get allll this for freeee – Read the caption

10. Stop making [X] until you nail [Y]

11. I never thought I would [What you have achieved that your ideal client wants to achieve, too] – it’s crazy how much can change in [a year, a month, 2 years, …]

12. What does next-level YOU do in relation to your [Industry] goals?

13. Our clients BEFORE & AFTER they hired us

14. 3 Things I always do when [Problem happens]

15. Don’t let the internet fool you: [Bust a myth that seems to be common in your niche]

16. [Random rule i.e. Sundays are reserved for Movie Nights] – I LIVE by this rule and it’s weirdly changed my [Life/Business]

17. Do you ever feel like [Goal] is just too good to be true?

18. Revealing my signature method to [Goal]

19. Storytime: This was the HARDEST time in my [Life/Business] and what I learned from it for [Topic]

20. Normally I wouldn’t reveal this, but… [Tip, Message, …]

21. STOP [X] and instead, do this (Read the caption)

22. Just your friendly reminder that [Insert Reminder]

23. POV: You’re [Describe what your ideal client is struggling with], but then you find my account… I’ve got you!

24. It all started when [Date]. Read my story in the caption

25. Yay! You’ve found [Your Job Description] that [Insert your USP] ????

26. This happens when [Fear of Client]. – Nothing

27. This is your sign to start [Habit, Routine, New Thing, …]

28. Hey algorithm, I’m [Name], [Describe What you Do]. Please connect me with [Describe your Target Audience].

29. 5 secret tips for [Topic] I can’t gatekeep any longer

30. If you want to [Goal], make these 3 changes

31. How it started vs How it’s going

32. Day in the life of a [Your Title / Job Description]

33. [Day of the week] Confession: I [Relatable Habit your Audience will understand]

Next, learn how to create stunning Reels in Canva for maximum engagement (free tutorial!)

Did you know that you can edit and animate your Reels in Canva?

Instead of fizzling around in extra apps, I’ll show you the easiest approach to create trending, engagement-boosting Reels.

Learn Reels Design in Canva

Did you find this post helpful? Let me know in the comments below!

Now that you’ve got your hooks down, how about making the Reel design process easier?

Ready to stop wasting time on endless edits?

Our faceless reels templates are designed to help you create stunning, engagement-boosting Reels in minutes. Plus, they’re fully customizable in Canva!