Meta Ads Copy Best Practices: 10 Hook Formulas + A/B Playbook

1) Why the 3‑second hook decides your results

You don’t have a branding problem—you have a thumb‑stop problem. On Reels/Stories, people decide in the first 0–3 seconds whether to keep watching. That’s why your hook (the first line/first shot) is the only variable you should touch at the start. Keep everything else constant so you know what actually moved your 3‑second hold and Outbound CTR.

2) Pre‑flight: format, safe zones, and what to prepare

• Format: 9:16, 6–15s, H.264, 24–30 fps. Export at a bitrate that keeps text crisp.
• Safe zones: Keep text away from the top/bottom UI areas so it won’t be covered by names/buttons.
• Captions: Turn your hook into readable on‑screen text. Many people watch on mute.
• SFX: Subtle whooshes/hits at cuts can lift attention. Don’t drown your VO.

Suggested images to insert:

• [IMAGE: 9:16 safe‑zone overlay] — A transparent PNG showing the top/bottom UI areas to avoid. Alt: “Meta Reels/Stories safe zone overlay 9:16”.
• [IMAGE: good vs bad hook placement] — Two frames: hook text inside safe zone vs covered by UI. Alt: “On‑screen hook inside safe zone example”.

3) The 10 hook formulas (with out‑of‑the‑box lines you can copy)

Each formula includes a short on‑screen hook (5–8 words), a primary text line, and a headline. Adapt the examples to your brand voice.

1. Counter‑intuition — “It’s not more, it’s less.”
   • Hook: “Stop adding more steps.”
   • Primary: “Cut routine time by 30% without cutting results.”
   • Headline: “Less, But Better”
2. Number‑proof — “Put a number in the first line.”
   • Hook: “Save 30% this week.”
   • Primary: “Real users. Real time saved. See how.”
   • Headline: “30% Faster”
3. Pain‑point — “Still stuck with X?”
   • Hook: “Still fighting [problem]?”
   • Primary: “Here’s the 15‑second fix you can try today.”
   • Headline: “Fix It Today”
4. Versus — “X vs Y—here’s the 15‑second answer.”
   • Hook: “X vs Y: which wins?”
   • Primary: “A one‑screen demo to make it obvious.”
   • Headline: “See the Difference”
5. One‑screen demo — “Show the outcome first.”
   • Hook: “Watch this in 3 seconds.”
   • Primary: “Result → how we got it → how you can too.”
   • Headline: “How It Works”
6. Authority — “Why trust you?”
   • Hook: “Over 10,000 teams use this.”
   • Primary: “Here’s why they don’t switch back.”
   • Headline: “Trusted by Thousands”
7. UGC first‑person — “I tried X so you don’t have to.”
   • Hook: “I switched for 7 days.”
   • Primary: “What changed and what didn’t (no hype).”
   • Headline: “7‑Day Switch”
8. Question — “What if you could…?”
   • Hook: “What if setup took 3 minutes?”
   • Primary: “Short, honest demo with the exact steps.”
   • Headline: “3‑Minute Setup”
9. Conclusion first — “Here’s the short answer.”
   • Hook: “Short answer: do this.”
   • Primary: “Then we’ll show the quick why.”
   • Headline: “Skip to the Good Part”
10. Scarcity/urgency (be compliant) — “Don’t fake it.”
    • Hook: “Spots close Sunday.”
    • Primary: “If it’s truly limited, say why, not just ‘hurry’.”
    • Headline: “Closes Soon”

[IMAGE: grid of 10 hook screenshots] — A 2×5 grid with sample frames and on‑screen hook text. Alt: “Ten hook openings for Meta video ads”.

4) Name and track everything (copy/paste this)

When you’re testing 10 hooks, you’ll drown in files unless you name and log them consistently. Here’s a simple naming rule and a manifest you can copy.

Naming pattern (edit to taste):

{date}-{brand}-{angle}-{hookAorB}-{placement}-{version}.mp4
2025-10-28-acme-counterintuitive-hookA-reels-v1.mp4
2025-10-28-acme-counterintuitive-hookB-reels-v1.mp4

manifest.csv (create this in a spreadsheet and export as CSV):

file_name,angle,hook_text,placement,cta_button,primary_text,headline,notes
2025-10-28-acme-counterintuitive-hookA-reels-v1.mp4,Counter-intuitive,"Stop adding more steps",Reels,Learn more,"Cut routine time by 30% without cutting results","Less, But Better",""
2025-10-28-acme-counterintuitive-hookB-reels-v1.mp4,Counter-intuitive,"Not more steps, just the right ones",Reels,Learn more,"Cut routine time by 30% without cutting results","Less, But Better",""

5) A/B test only the hook (step‑by‑step in Ads Manager)

You’re going to duplicate the ad and change only the opening line/first shot. Here’s the exact flow:

1. Goal & tracking — Create a campaign with your usual objective (Sales/Leads/Traffic). Make sure pixel & events are firing.
2. Placements — Prioritize Reels/Stories for hook tests (or use Advantage+ placements if you must, but monitor).
3. Create 1 ad with Hook A:
   • Upload the Hook A video (9:16, 6–15s).
   • Add on‑screen hook text if it isn’t burned in. Add captions if available.
   • Primary text = 1 benefit + 1 factual proof (no fluff). Headline = 6–8 words, command style.
4. Duplicate → Hook B — Duplicate the ad and swap only the hook (first line/first shot). Everything else stays identical.
5. Budget & duration — Give each variant a fair shot. As a simple rule of thumb:
   • Run 48–72 hours.
   • Aim for at least 1,000 impressions per variant (adjust for your account size).
6. Columns you need — Click Columns > Customize columns and add:
   • Video plays at 3 seconds (3s hold)
   • ThruPlays
   • Outbound clicks and Outbound CTR
   • (Optional) Unique link clicks, Cost per outbound click
7. Don’t touch anything mid‑test — No audience changes, no budget shocks, no creative swaps. You’re testing hooks, not everything.

Suggested images to insert:

• [IMAGE: Duplicate ad flow] — Ads Manager showing “Duplicate” and the A/B hook swap. Alt: “Duplicate ad to A/B test only the hook”.
• [IMAGE: Customize columns] — The modal with 3s plays, ThruPlays, Outbound CTR checked. Alt: “Meta Ads columns for hook testing”.

6) Read results in 48–72 hours (simple decision rules)

You don’t need statistics PhDs for this. Keep it simple and consistent.

1. Gate by impressions — If a variant has < 1,000 impressions (or your typical daily reach), let it run longer before judging.
2. Primary pick = Outbound CTR — Choose the hook with the higher Outbound CTR if 3s hold isn’t worse by more than ~15%.
3. Tie‑breaker = 3s hold — If Outbound CTR is similar, pick the higher 3s hold and better ThruPlay (players liked watching it).
4. Scale gently — Increase spend on the winner by 10–20%, not 100% overnight.
5. Rotate on fatigue — If frequency > 4 or 3‑day Outbound CTR drops > 25%, rotate to your next best hook.

Make a tiny table to stay honest:

variant,impressions,3s_plays,3s_hold_rate,thruplays,outbound_clicks,outbound_ctr,notes
hookA,  2,350, 1,150, 48.9%, 620, 32, 1.36%, clear winner (scale +15%)
hookB,  2,180,  980,  45.0%, 570, 24, 1.10%, rotate out

7) Common pitfalls (and how you fix them)

• Too many variables at once — Only the hook changes. Keep audience, budget, length, headline, and primary text the same.
• Hook says nothing — Verbs first, benefit first. If your friend can’t repeat it in one breath, it’s too long.
• “Tech reject” or coverage issues — Check format (9:16, 6–15s, H.264, 24–30 fps) and place text inside safe zones.
• Rushing the read — Don’t judge variants with tiny impression counts. You’ll pick the wrong winner.
• Budget lurches — Keep changes gentle (10–20%). Big jumps can kick you back into learning and muddy your read.

8) Handy extras you’ll actually use

• Hook overlay file — Make a transparent PNG with top/bottom margins you never cross. Drop it into your editor as a safety grid.
• Shot‑list template for 15s — 0–3s: hook → 3–6s: benefit demo → 6–12s: proof/social → 12–15s: CTA.
• Baseline tracker — Write down your account’s typical 3s hold and Outbound CTR. Your goal is “beat the baseline,” not random internet benchmarks.

FAQ

How long should my hook be?

Keep it to 5–8 words, verbs up front, readable on mute. If you can show the idea in the first shot, do that plus a short on‑screen line.

What’s a good Outbound CTR?

“Good” is what beats your baseline. Track your average and try to improve it by 10–20% with each testing round.

Do I need captions and SFX?

They’re optional but helpful. Captions make hooks readable for mute scrollers. SFX gives your cuts extra snap without overpowering the voice.

How do I avoid policy issues?

Avoid personal attributes (“people like you”), medical/financial claims that can’t be substantiated, and misleading “before/after.” Keep claims factual and consistent with your landing page.