Design A Hook Playbook So You Are Not Freestyling Every Intro

Hooks carry most of the weight in the first few seconds. Yet many creators write intros at the very end, under time pressure, or improvise them on camera. Some land, many drift. A hook playbook changes this. You create a small library of intro patterns that fit your channel so you can pick, tweak and deploy instead of starting from a blank page each time.

TL;DR

Collect your own best performing intros, sort them into patterns, name those patterns and write fill in the blank versions. Next time you plan a video, choose a pattern on purpose instead of guessing.

Collect hooks that already worked

Start with your own channel.

List recent videos that held viewers well through the first minute.
Write out the exact first line or first few seconds of each one.
Note the topic and outcome so you remember the context.

You are looking for patterns, not perfect scripts.

Group hooks into simple pattern types

Most hooks fall into a few families.

Big promise, such as this will save you time or money.
Mistake or threat, such as do not do this if.
Curiosity gap, such as we tried X and this surprised us.
Before and after contrast, such as here is what changed when.
Identity call out, such as if you are the kind of person who.

Sort your hooks into these buckets or make your own names.

Name each pattern in your own language

Names make patterns easy to remember.

Give each pattern a short label that feels natural to you, such as scary future, tiny win, hard truth or simple swap.
Add one sentence that explains when to use this pattern.
Note which topics it tends to fit best on your channel.

The playbook should read like advice to yourself, not jargon.

Create fill in the blank templates

Templates remove friction when you are tired.

For each pattern, write two or three basic lines with blanks, such as the one mistake that makes your result worse or we tried option A and here is what happened.
Keep blanks aligned with viewer outcomes, not just content description.
Write at least one version that works for shorts and one for long form.

Next time you plan, you just fill in the blanks and refine.

Link patterns to different viewer jobs

Hooks land better when they match why someone clicked.

Map which hook patterns fit which viewer jobs, such as avoid mistakes, choose between options, learn basics or see examples.
Note that mistake hooks may fit avoid jobs, while contrast hooks may fit choose jobs.
Use this map when picking a hook type for a new video.

This keeps you from using the same tone for every purpose.

Design a quick hook selection step in your process

The playbook only works if you actually use it.

Add a line to your planning checklist that says choose hook pattern before outline.
Pick the pattern first, then shape the opening around it.
Write two or three hook options from that pattern and pick the strongest.

This takes a few minutes and often lifts retention significantly.

Test and rotate patterns over time

Hook performance will change as your audience grows.

Tag videos in your notes with the hook pattern they used.
During reviews, glance at retention for each pattern type.
Keep patterns that perform reliably and retire ones that rarely help.

Your playbook should shrink and sharpen as you learn.

Practical checklist for a hook playbook

Collect intros from your own best performing videos and write them out.

Group those hooks into simple pattern types based on how they work.

Name each pattern and write two or three fill in the blank lines for it.

Link patterns to viewer jobs so you know when each one fits best.

Add choose hook pattern as a step before you outline or shoot any video.

Review pattern performance every so often and refine the playbook.

When you design a hook playbook so you are not freestyling every intro, openings stop being a last minute scramble. They become a small, deliberate tool you use to keep the right viewers watching past the first few seconds.