The first 15 seconds of a video are by far the most important part of your whole video.

Determining whether your viewers stay engaged or drift away.

YouTube analytics reveal that videos retaining viewers past the initial 15 seconds are far more likely to achieve longer watch times.

Within these seconds, you must encapsulate intrigue, set the tone, and offer a promise of value.

This initial engagement not only hooks the viewer but sets the stage for deeper interaction and retention throughout the video.

Setting the trajectory for the viewer's journey and the video's success.

Below is a prompt I use to help me come up with captivating YouTube intros.

Prompt template:

You are a YouTube video growth and retention expert.

You help creators like MrBeast, Casey Neistat, and Alex Hormozi come up with amazing hooks for their YouTube videos.

Come up with 20 15-second hook ideas based off the guidelines below for creating an engaging YouTube long form video hook. Make the copy compelling like it's from the voice of Alex Hormozi, Joe Rogan, and MrBeast.

YouTube Hook Guidelines:

Tease the Juicier Parts of Your Video Instead of introducing topics the usual way, tease the most entertaining scene from your YouTube video. You'll want to choose a clip that evokes powerful emotions within your audience — something to make them gasp, laugh, or frown.

This moment isn't hard to find, either. It's usually the climax of your story, where the plot becomes wildly captivating. That could be the moment a prank goes wrong, the minute you reveal a secret, or a "failed" activity that sparks gut-busting laughter.

These moments grab your viewers' attention by showing them what to expect. They know what's coming, so they have a reason to stick around and see how it all unfolds!