On this page
TLDR:
- A hook is the first line of copy or the first three seconds of a video. It decides whether the rest gets read, and Dovey stores every ad's hook as a field of its own.
- Among ads running 120+ days in Dovey's index on September 24, 2026, the hooks split into five families: problem, offer, proof, question, story. Problem and offer hooks are the most common in the long runners.
- The strongest pattern is problem plus product in under six words: "Bloating? Try Amla." (169 days, 8 versions), the top result in Dovey for supplement hooks.
- Video hooks are spoken and visual at once. Dovey watches the first seconds: "This is a huge bag of gummies" over a hand holding the bag has run 117 days for Grüns.
- Write ten hooks per idea, test them as versions of one ad, keep the two that last. Ask Dovey which hook families perform best in your category before you write.
What counts as a hook?
The first thing the reader meets: the first line of the primary text, the headline if it is above the fold, or the first three seconds of a video, spoken and shown. Meta cuts the primary text after two lines, so the hook is often the only copy most people read.
Dovey's model reads the hook off every ad in the index and, for videos it has watched, the spoken hook and what is on screen in the first three seconds. The hooks below are from ads still running on September 24, 2026 after 120 days or more.
The five families, with the hooks that lasted
Problem hooks name the pain and stop.
- "Bloating? Try Amla." Alevia, 169 days, 8 versions
- "Fatigue? Try Amla." Alevia, 169 days
- "Winging it at the gym was fine, until..." Fitbod, 345 days
- "Struggling to stay consistent working out?" Tempo, 565 days
- "Tired of your videos getting lost in the social media sea?" Tyler Tometich, 247 days, 14 versions
- "When you try to cure your teen's acne" Norse Organics, 133 days
- "If you're wearing this to work, we need to talk." North Time, 153 days, 9 versions
- "Growth costing you your health, marriage, or mission?" Ryan Blair, 149 days
- "When hormones let gravity in, Arnica pushed back." Frøya Organics, 125 days, 7 versions
Offer hooks put the deal first.
- "Buy 2 meals, get one free!" Acme Farms + Kitchen, 1,432 days
- "Senior's Day Sale: Pain-free steps start today." Peak Footwear, 401 days, 24 versions
- "Try our free men's skincare sample kit" Brickell, 166 days
- "FREE full-sized body serum + free shipping" Beauty From Bees, 212 days
- "Cyber Sale: Get 40% Off" Hungryroot, 272 days
- "Black Friday Sale!!! UP TO 70% OFF SITEWIDE!!" Feelingirl, 280 days, 21 versions (a seasonal hook that never got turned off)
- "Make every trip count with Atmos Rewards Ascent Visa." Atmos Rewards, 127 days, 10 versions
- "Finally restocked: Pride Cuban Necklace" Pride Stance, 308 days, 9 versions
Proof hooks lead with a number or an authority.
- "Keratosis pilaris affects 40% of adults" Try Strawberry, 486 days, 9 versions
- "WARNING: Your daughter will get hooked" Ballboyz Soap, 488 days (the headline is "#1 Skincare for Female Athletes")
- "66 BIL CFU clinical probiotics to boost GLP-1" Innocuous Vitamins, 211 days
- "150+ clinicians openly support this formula" Try Strawberry, 301 days, 12 versions
- "4.6/5 on G2 Review" Syncfusion, 469 days
- "The World's Leading Travel Protection" Global Rescue, 282 days, 10 versions
Question hooks make the reader answer.
- "Wellness care is included?" Kaiser Permanente, 126 days, 10 versions
- "Hesitant to try Micro-Infusion? Here's what you should know" Dr. Muneeb Shah, 233 days
- "HubFit vs. Trainerize: See the difference!" HubFit, 278 days
Story hooks start mid-scene.
- "You subscribed once and now cute jewelry just shows up in your life every month" Atolea Jewelry, 144 days
- "Friday night dinner felt even more special with my Citi card." Citibank, 132 days, 7 versions
- "This is what happens when you say yes to outsourcing." Hungryroot, 148 days
- "You bought strawberry's brightening cream 1 day before they announced 50% off..." Try Strawberry, 301 days, 12 versions
- "Sorry Team Flair, we've officially gone beyond crazy." FLAIR Fútbol, 321 days, 9 versions
- "I need $20K rn" Shelby Sapp, 232 days, 8 versions
Claim hooks state the product in one line.
- "Build apps with AI" Buildify, 341 days, 129 versions
- "Ethereum is digital oil if Bitcoin is digital gold" Coinbase, 164 days, 6 versions
- "Real Deals. No Travel Hype." RatePunk, 120 days, 13 versions
- "Personal Training Without Breaking The Bank" Tempo, 565 days
- "Progress never stops" Myprotein, 446 days
- "Reverse your clock. Secure your future." The Wellness Dashboard, 123 days, 6 versions
What about video hooks?
A video hook is two things at once: what is said and what is shown. Grüns' longest-running video opens with a creator holding a large green bag saying "This is a huge bag of gummies. I'm actually in shock." That has run 117 days. Fitbod's form-tip videos open on the exercise with the tip as on-screen text ("Cable Lat Pullover Form Tips", 176 days, 8 versions).
The pattern in the videos the model has watched: the product is on screen inside three seconds, the first sentence is either a reaction or a claim, and captions are on.
How do I write hooks that last?
- Write the problem the way the customer says it, not the way you describe the solution. "Bloating?" beats "Digestive support".
- Put the number first when you have one. 40% of adults, 100,000 customers, $299.
- Keep it under eight words for stills. Every problem hook above fits.
- Write ten, run them as versions of one creative, keep two. The brands above with 12+ versions did exactly that: the hook is the cheapest thing to vary.
- Match the hook to the offer. A problem hook wants a solution in line two; an offer hook wants the terms; a proof hook wants the mechanism.
How do I see the hooks in my category?
Search the category in Dovey. Every card shows the hook the model read, the run time and the versions; the vertical pages list the hooks that keep running for supplements, skincare, fitness apps and 40 more.
FAQ
What is a hook in a Facebook ad?
The first line of the primary text, the headline if it shows first, or the first three seconds of a video. It is what decides whether anything else gets read.
Which type of hook works best?
Among ads running 120+ days in Dovey's index, problem hooks and offer hooks are the most common, followed by proof, story and question hooks. The best hook depends on the offer behind it: a problem hook needs a solution in the next line.
How long should a hook be?
Under eight words for a still image ad, since Meta truncates the primary text after two lines. Video hooks are the first three seconds, spoken and on screen.
How many hooks should I test?
Ten per idea, run as versions of the same creative, keeping the one or two that last. The long-running ads with 12 or more versions in the index got there this way.
See every ad that works. Then make yours.
Every ad in the index carries its hook. Search a category to see the top performers first.
See hooks in your category