Hook Rate: Definition, Formula, and Benchmarks
Hook rate is the percentage of viewers who watch past the first 1-3 seconds of a short-form video. It measures how effectively the opening (the "hook") stops the scroll. A higher hook rate means more viewers stay to watch, which signals to algorithms like TikTok's that the content is worth distributing further.
Hook Rate = (Viewers at 3 seconds / Total Impressions) x 100
Benchmarks by platform
How Hooklayer measures hook quality
Hooklayer's score_hook tool rates hook text 0-100 against patterns from analyzed viral videos. This is a predictive score, not a post-publish metric. It lets you test hooks before posting and reject anything that would likely produce a low hook rate. Hooks scoring below 70 are flagged for rewriting. Hooklayer is the QA gate and slop filter for AI-generated content.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good hook rate on TikTok?
A good hook rate on TikTok is 40% or higher at 3 seconds. Top-performing viral content often hits 60-80%. Below 30% means the hook is not stopping the scroll. Hooklayer score_hook rates hooks 0-100, where 70+ is considered passing and 85+ is strong.
How is hook rate calculated?
Hook rate = (number of viewers who watch past 3 seconds / total impressions) x 100. Some platforms measure at 1 second, others at 2 or 3 seconds. TikTok uses 3 seconds as the standard threshold for "hooked."
How is hook rate different from retention rate?
Hook rate measures the first 1-3 seconds (did they stop scrolling?). Retention rate measures how long they kept watching (did they stay?). A video can have a high hook rate but low retention if the hook is strong but the content does not deliver.
Can AI score a hook before I post?
Yes. Hooklayer score_hook takes any hook text and returns a 0-100 score based on patterns from analyzed viral videos. This lets you test and iterate on hooks before publishing, catching weak hooks before they waste impressions.
What kills hook rate?
The most common hook rate killers: generic openings ("Hey guys, today I want to talk about..."), slow visual pacing, no pattern interrupt, and text overlays that take too long to read. Strong hooks create curiosity, urgency, or a visual disruption within the first second.