If the goal is to get scrollers to watch your video content (and convert!) then your visual hooks should be top of mind. 🪝
Just like fishing, you’ve got to show your bait up front. In this case, your bait is your hook!
To stop the scroll (and catch the viewer), try putting your most visually interesting part of your video first.
Here are some examples from the Pilothouse team of best-performing visual hooks this holiday season:
When you think of email, you might not think of video-content, but a gif is a fabulous use of space and a killer way to standout in busy inboxes. Try adding a lifestyle gif in place of your email campaign hero image.
This is not the place to try your self-shot iPhone video. Your email gifs should be professional, polished, and pristine. No DIY jobs here!
Check out this example of a polished email hero gif:
▶️ YouTube
Despite most platforms thriving on visually-flashy imagery, the Pilothouse YouTube team has found that a killer audio hook is winning.
Check out this ad that focuses on a high-quality audio hook that uses a voice actor reading a strong tagline along with relaxing and authentic lifestyle visuals.
Now, check out this ad which uses a much flashier ‘commercial’ feeling ad format.
The ad using an audio-style hook is crushing in terms of viewer retention. 🔥
🅰️ Amazon
Polished product-feature-highlight video ads are high-performing on Amazon right now.
Here’s a hook to test out: Have your content production agency try “reverse fall” technique (example below) to get viewers to stop the scroll and watch your full video.
🎞 TikTok and Instagram Reels
This is where your more traditional visual hook comes into play.
Take the most visually interesting part of your video and put it at the very start, like a teaser to the video.
If you’re TikTok/Insta savvy, you can handle this one yourself; however, if you want to maximize your results, try using creator-generated content (CGC) to get a review-style sales pitch.
Here’s an example from the Pilothouse Studios team where you see a skin therapy wand in the dark for a confusing hook followed by a CGC sales pitch!
Try incorporating dynamic and static content together on a Facebook ad this holiday season.
Split-screen ads hook your attention through movement and can showcase different angles and features of your product at the same time!
Try using two product images and a video (or gif) to show scrollers everything they need to see to click and convert.
Generally, when people think of visual hooks for Google, they only think of high-quality white background images. This year, try testing eye-catching lifestyle images showing people interacting with your product.
Conveying feelings of joy (smiling, laughing) is the best way to capture attention and have viewers imagine the impact the product would have in their lives.
Shoutout to the Pilothouse team for sharing their stellar creatives! 🚀
Have you incorporated visual hooks into your ads? Send us an example of what’s crushing for your brand! 👀
