The formula. Hook rate equals early video views divided by impressions. On Meta the standard build is 3-second video plays over impressions, usually set up as a custom metric in Ads Manager; TikTok reports 2-second views, so exact thresholds differ by platform. Either way, the metric isolates one question: of everyone the ad reached, how many did the first moments stop from scrolling?
What moves it. The first frame and opening line do almost all the work: a pattern interrupt, a bold claim or question, on-screen text that frames the payoff, immediate motion, and a native, non-ad look. This is a large part of why UGC-style creative tends to out-hook studio footage — it resembles the content people opened the app to watch.
How to use it. Hook rate is a diagnostic, not a goal. Read it alongside hold rate (viewers retained deeper into the video) and click-through and conversion rates: a high hook rate with poor conversion signals clickbait, while a low hook rate makes everything downstream irrelevant. The standard workflow is testing multiple hooks on the same video body and letting hook rate pick the opener.
Why it matters for brands
On feeds where the swipe is instant, the hook decides whether media budget buys attention or noise. Optimizing hook rate is the cheapest creative lever available — re-shooting three seconds costs far less than re-shooting a campaign.