JOURNAL

A hook is not a trick. It’s a promise.

A hook is not a trick. It’s a promise.

A hook is not a trick. It’s a promise.

The first second of a sports video should tell viewers exactly why they should stay — without pretending the rest will be something else.

The first second of a sports video should tell viewers exactly why they should stay — without pretending the rest will be something else.

Earn the next second

A strong hook gives the audience a reason to watch that the video can genuinely deliver on. That might be a match-up, a problem, a surprising result, or a question that only the next clip can answer.

The best hooks are specific. They say something meaningful to the person who is already interested, rather than shouting at everyone else.