← DictionaryHook
also called opening hook
The opening device that earns the next few seconds of attention.
The first line or frame that stops the scroll.
What It Is
Hook sits on the Content side of the work, in the Craft area. In practice it means this: the opening device that earns the next few seconds of attention.
It is a label with a settled working definition, so the value is in using it the same way every time. That is the version worth keeping, because it survives contact with a real project.
How It's Used
You will usually meet Hook in editorial planning, briefs and the day-to-day work of publishing. It is usually discussed together with Scroll-Stopper, Headline and Caption. The practical test is whether everyone in the room means the same thing by it.
Why It Matters
Hook is cheap to get right early and awkward to fix late. When it is unclear, output goes up and effect goes sideways. It is worth pinning down before anyone builds on top of it.
Think of it as a name on a box. Open the box and this is what is inside: The first line or frame that stops the scroll.
Termshift™
How the meaning shifts depending on who is using it, and where.
Practitioners use Hook as shorthand and expect no explanation — the opening device that earns the next few seconds of attention.
Outside the industry, most people would just say: the first line or frame that stops the scroll.
The Bottom Line
Treat Hook as a decision, not a description. The first line or frame that stops the scroll.