04:16Lace · Tutorial
Hooks Are Dead
A 4-minute breakdown of why on-screen text outperforms spoken hooks -- and the three-step STI framework that turns any hook into a scroll-stopper.
June 5thThe argument in one line.
The algorithm doesn't decide if your content grows — your hook, your consistency, and your emotional resonance do, and all three are entirely within your control.
Read if. Skip if.
READ IF YOU ARE…
- You're posting regularly but not seeing the view counts you expected and you've been blaming the platform.
- You've started a channel or account and quit within the first year, or you're on the edge of quitting now.
- You want a clear, actionable framework for structuring the opening seconds of any video.
- You create content for YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram Reels and want to understand why retention drops off early.
SKIP IF…
- You already have a strong hook system you're confident in and you're looking for advanced growth tactics.
- You're looking for platform-specific algorithm hacks or SEO/keyword strategy — this video explicitly argues against that lens.
The full version, fast.
Most creators blame the algorithm when their content doesn't perform, but the real culprits are things they control. First, the hook: viewers decide in three seconds whether to stay, and a strong hook requires a direct spoken statement of the topic, on-screen text that complements (not duplicates) what you're saying, and visuals that match the subject matter. Second, consistency: only 12% of creators are still posting after their first year, and improvement comes from repetition, not waiting for inspiration. Third, emotional resonance: people share content that made them feel something — relatable, aspirational, inspirational, or educational — not content that was technically polished.
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00:00 – 01:00
01 · Cold open + show intro
Opens with 'Everybody loves to blame the algorithm' — the premise and hook. Establishes credentials: 15 years professional camera work, 2,000+ videos, millions of audience reached from zero.
01:00 – 04:30
02 · Reason 1: Your hook isn't strong enough
TikTok data on 3-second attention window. Argues cinematic shots without meaning are not hooks. Shows before/after analytics screenshots of the same video reposted with a stronger hook — night and day retention difference.
04:30 – 05:00
03 · The 3-part hook framework
Breaks down his hook formula: (1) say exactly what the video is about immediately, (2) use on-screen text that complements — not duplicates — the spoken line, (3) match your visual to your topic.
05:00 – 08:18
04 · Reason 2: You're quitting too early
Only 12% of creators post consistently past year one. Gym analogy: expecting a shredded body after one week. Documents his own 365-video experiment in 2023 and what it taught him that analytics never could.
08:18 – 09:11
05 · Sponsor — Content College
Mid-roll for his online academy: planning, filming, editing, color grading presets, sound packs, templates.
09:11 – 12:00
06 · Reason 3: Your content doesn't make people feel anything
Emotional resonance is the actual signal the algorithm follows. Creators who focus only on delivery — not connection — lose. Four emotional triggers: relatable, aspirational, inspirational, educational. Hit one to resonate; hit two or more to go viral.
12:00 – 12:32
07 · Recap + closing
Ties back to the opening premise: the algorithm is a mirror, not a gatekeeper. Summarizes all three reasons.
12:32 – 15:22
08 · Rapid-fire Q&A
Four community questions: how to nurture creativity (go live life), shoot/edit/export format (Nikon ZR RAW, ProRes out), biggest hire unlock (a manager), and where he's from (San Francisco, Filipino).
Lines worth screenshotting.
- TikTok studied millions of videos and found top performers grab attention within the first three seconds — everything after that is a bonus.
- Only 12% of creators are still posting consistently after their first year; the ones who win are simply the ones who stayed.
- A cool cinematic shot is not a hook — it needs meaning and a reason to keep watching, not just visual production value.
- The algorithm doesn't have opinions; it follows viewers. If your content connects, the platform amplifies it.
- Posting once every two months to get something perfect doesn't build a routine, improve your craft, or build an audience.
- Creativity doesn't come from waiting for inspiration — it comes from working on the days you're not motivated.
- Content that makes people feel something gets shared; content that's merely good or cinematic doesn't.
- Your on-screen text hook should be slightly different from what you're saying out loud — two entry points into the same topic, not redundant captioning.
- People share content because they want someone else to feel what they felt, not because the algorithm told them to.
- Speaking passionately about what you know can make any topic compelling — a niche that's currently popular without genuine passion won't hold.
Three things between you and an audience that actually watches.
WHAT TO LEARN
Views are downstream of three decisions you make before you hit publish: whether you give people a reason to stay in the first three seconds, whether you show up long enough to get good, and whether your content moves them.
- Your hook has three jobs at once: the spoken line must state the topic directly, the on-screen text must offer a slightly different angle in, and the visual must match the subject matter — all three must align.
- A cool cinematic opening with no stated reason to keep watching is not a hook; it's a missed opportunity disguised as production value.
- Only 12% of creators are still posting consistently after year one, which means showing up past that point puts you in a category most people never reach.
- Improvement in content creation comes from repetition, not from waiting to post until something is perfect — the 80 videos you post while 'just showing up' will teach you more than analytics ever can.
- The algorithm follows viewer behavior; it doesn't create it. If your content connects with people, the platform amplifies it — the platform has no opinions of its own.
- Content that makes people feel something — relatable, aspirational, inspirational, or educational — gets shared because viewers want others to feel what they felt, not because it was technically well-made.
- Speaking about what you genuinely know and care about makes any topic compelling; chasing a popular niche without real passion is detectable immediately.
Terms worth knowing.
- Hook (the first 3 seconds)
- The opening moment of a video that gives a viewer a clear reason to keep watching. Effective hooks combine a direct spoken statement of what the video is about, supporting on-screen text, and visuals that match the topic.
- Drop-off
- The point in a video where viewers stop watching, visible in platform analytics as a steep decline in the retention curve. A high drop-off in the first few seconds signals a weak hook.
- Emotional resonance
- The quality of content that makes a viewer feel something — relatability, aspiration, inspiration, or education. Resonance is what drives shares and saves beyond completion rate.
Things they pointed at.
05:10linkLinktree Creator Report 2023
13:13productNikon ZR (camera)
Lines you could clip.
00:44
“The algorithm doesn't owe you anything.”
02:44
“People don't skip boring content — they skip content that doesn't clearly tell them why they should care right away.”
07:56
“All of that clarity comes from doing and not waiting.”
09:55
“Your content shouldn't feel like a billboard for yourself. It should feel like a mirror.”
Word for word.
Read-along
Don't just watch it. Burn it in.
See every word as it's spoken — crank it to 2× and still catch all of it. The same dual-channel trick behind Amazon's Kindle + Audible.
metaphoranalogy
00:00Everybody loves to blame the algorithm. But honestly, it's not the reason why your videos aren't getting any views. I've broken it down into the three most common reasons I see over and over again.
00:12And I've learned this firsthand after spending over fifteen years behind the camera as a professional, as well as making over 2,000 videos as a content creator myself. And for context here, I started from zero and built an audience that's reached millions across platforms all within a couple of years.
00:31And that's not because I cracked some algorithmic code. In fact, I tested a lot of different formats of content that goes completely against what the algorithm is supposed to like, and it still worked.
00:43I stopped blaming the algorithm, and I started being honest with myself about the content that I create. This is The Creator's Desk, a show about the process, strategy, and day to day reality of building a career as a creator. I've lived it, and now I'm sharing everything I've learned.
01:01So why aren't people watching your videos? Number one, your hook isn't strong enough. And look, that doesn't mean your content is bad.
01:08Most of the times, that's not the reason why it's falling flat, but if you don't literally hook somebody in within the first three seconds, they're gone. You haven't earned their time, and that's just the unfortunate game that we're playing. TikTok actually studied millions of videos and found that the top performers grab attention within the first three seconds, and Instagram is the same exact story.
01:30Think about how we all scroll. Right? We're half paying attention.
01:33We're bored with a TV show that we're watching, or we're in bed. It's usually kind of mindless.
01:40So if you don't give people a reason to stop, they won't. It's not personal. It's not the algorithm.
01:46It's attention. And here is where most creators slip up. They open up with a nice cinematic looking shot, but no reason to stay.
01:53Cool cinematics, I'm sorry. This doesn't give enough context.
01:57A cool visual isn't a hook on its own. It needs meaning. It needs to spark curiosity to the audience.
02:04And lastly, just like the title of this video, they assume the algorithm owes them attention. Because whether you've built a following already or not or follow some of the nonsense that some of these algorithm hacking gurus out there tell you, the platform doesn't owe you anything.
02:21The algorithm changes all the time, but you know what doesn't? People's attention.
02:27So if you capture that, you capture viewership, and that starts with immediate clarity in the content you're going to present. And even you as a consumer of content, you know this.
02:38If it doesn't catch your attention immediately, you scroll. What makes you think strangers owe you more attention than you give to other creators?
02:47They don't. And I've tested this a lot. Here's a screenshot of a post that was a hit.
02:52Over 70% of the people stayed past the first three seconds, and the result, they got shared, saved, and pushed out to followers and non followers. And now, here's another one. Same platform, same day, same time, but a different week.
03:05The first few seconds weren't strong. The drop off is clear. My hook wasn't strong enough to keep people viewing.
03:11But now, this is where it gets exciting. Here is that same video with the same context, pretty much the same exact content, just with a different hook and repost it.
03:21It is a night and day difference. This is actually how I structure my hooks now and why they work. I've broken it down into three main elements.
03:29I say exactly what the video is about right away. There's no time to build up, no time to be mysterious, or overly cinematic.
03:38You need to be direct. For example, like this. Today, we're gonna talk about how I frame my vertical videos.
03:45Your viewer needs to know if this is relevant to them fast. Two, use a text hook, but make it slightly different than what you're saying. So for example, if I'm saying to the camera, this is why your content isn't getting viewed, my on screen text might say, three mistakes that are killing your views.
04:03These are two different ways into the same topic. It gives your audience clarity, and surprisingly enough, a lot of folks watch content on mute.
04:12So this will help that audience as well. Three, match your visual hook to your topic. This one is huge.
04:18If you're talking about cameras, maybe hold a camera. If it's a workout video, don't film it sitting on your couch. The visual needs to support the message.
04:28We need proper context. Visual dissonance won't help gain trust with the audience. And sure, this sounds obvious.
04:35Right? But I actually see this happen more often than not. When all three hook elements line up, direct voice, supporting text, matching visuals, you don't just grab attention, you've now earned it.
04:45Because people don't skip boring content or content that might interest them, they skip content that doesn't clearly tell them why they should care right away. Number two, you're quitting too early. And honestly, most people do, and not because they're not talented.
05:01It's because they don't stick around long enough to actually get good. Everybody sucks when they start. Let's address the elephant in the room.
05:08If you would have seen my first videos, you would laugh the entire way through. Everybody is comparing themselves, you know.
05:15They all want good results or followers or views from their first five to 10 posts or even their first year or two. That's not long enough. In 2023, a creator report from Linktree actually found that only 12% of creators are still posting consistently after their first year.
05:33That's that is so small. Everybody else either burns out or disappears.
05:38So if you're frustrated after 20 uploads, that's not failure. Creator That's completely normal.
05:44This is all part of the process. I've made thousands of videos, and not all of them are great still.
05:49The people who win are just the folks who stay around long enough because let's be for real. Imagine walking to the gym for a week and you're upset that you're not shredded. That's how a lot of people treat content.
06:01You can't compare yourself to these creators that you look up to because they have been grinding for a long time. What makes you think you're immune to it? And here's where most creators fall off.
06:11They post inconsistently. Posting something perfect once every two months or twice or it doesn't matter. Or going ghost to make something amazing then bring it out to the world.
06:21Yeah. That doesn't build routine. That doesn't build improvement.
06:25You need to start building this as a habit, whether it's every two weeks or every three weeks or even better or once a week. And then eventually, you'll build yourself up to multiple times a week. Rhythm helps so much, and the consistency doesn't just help an audience find you, it helps you find your own voice through the repetition of it all.
06:45And lastly, they wait for inspiration to strike again. Creativity doesn't come from waiting. It comes from working on the days you're not motivated.
06:52When you're posting consistently, you stay warmed up. You don't get cold.
06:56You stay in rhythm. Your ideas start to flow more. You know how to handle it.
07:01You know how to note take. You know how to throw ideas on the board and experiment. Whereas the other way, you're stacking ideas up and waiting for the perfect time to execute.
07:10Yeah. That's backwards. Because when I started posting consistently, I wasn't trying to go viral.
07:15You know, I set out to post 365 videos straight in 2023 knowing most of it was going to be complete garbage.
07:24Right? I simply just committed to showing up, but those 80 of videos I learned so much from.
07:32More than the analytics to ever tell me, because I actually really got to figure out what I like, how to make my edit tighter, how to revise my process so that I can actually convey my story as concisely and as effectively as possible. And that growth didn't come from waiting for the perfect idea, or the perfect time, or inspiration.
07:53It came from staying in the game long enough to figure this all out. And by that time, I'd already had a camera in my hand for thirteen years as a professional. Yet, I was still figuring it out, and I still am currently to this day.
08:07You need to understand that you are the one who's in control because all of that clarity comes from doing and not waiting. Now, before we get to number three, here is a word from our sponsor. If you are enjoying this so far and you want to go even deeper and build the foundational systems that make this all possible, I built an online academy called Content College.
08:28Inside, you'll learn how to plan, write, film, edit, and post with a creative system designed to help you grow without burning out. And it's more than just courses. You'll also be getting my color grading preset, my sound effects pack, my templates, worksheets, and how I film and edit my videos from start to finish.
08:45And it just starts there because there is so much more inside. And I'm not just showing you how I make my videos, we'll be working on your videos together every step of the process. The skills you need that won't be affected by an algorithm.
08:58If you're serious about taking your content to the next level, check out content college. The link is in the description below. Now, let's get back to number three.
09:07So we've talked about attention, and we've also talked about consistency. But here is a part that most people overlook. Even if you hook somebody or even if you post regularly, none of this matters if your content doesn't make people feel something.
09:22That's what the algorithm is really looking for. It's a social connection platform. It's not just looking for completion rates or saves, but resonance with people.
09:33Because when people feel something, they stay, and that's when your content starts to spread, which brings us to the third reason. You need to make people feel something. We rarely share content because it's good or it's perfect or cinematic.
09:48We share something because it moved us. We're humans. We're emotionally driven, and that's not because the algorithm told people to, but because somebody else wanted to feel what we felt or what they felt when watching the content.
10:01And this is where this falls apart with most creators. They only focus on delivery, not connection.
10:07They could say the right things, but if it doesn't land because maybe it feels like they're reading a script or they have used AI to write it, don't do that. You need to speak from the soul. People can see that right away when they feel like it's a robot speaking to them, which leads us to this.
10:24They forget the audience is human. .
10:33People want to see themselves in what you make. And lastly, they chase trends instead of emotion. You can follow the viral format, use the trending music, all of it, whatever.
10:43But if there's no feeling behind it, and if this isn't authentically you, people will feel that immediately. Like I said earlier, you should only be speaking about what you truly have knowledge about or what you're passionate about, and it's not just a topic or a niche that's currently popular.
11:00You can make anything interesting when you speak passionately about something, and some of the best performing videos of mine weren't the fanciest. They weren't technically perfect, but they hit emotionally.
11:12And most viral content will tap into one of these. Relatability, it makes people feel like, yo, that is so me.
11:18Aspirational, it makes people feel like, I wanna be like that. Inspirational, this makes me want to try that.
11:25Educational, wow. That helped me a lot.
11:28When your content hits even one of those, it will resonate with people. If you hit two or or more, you gotta hit on your hands.
11:36So at the end of the day, people remember your content by how you made them feel, not how perfect your lighting was or how cinematic your shots were. So if you want your videos to get saves, shares, views, whatever it is, You want to make sure you have people feel something through your content.
11:55Let's bring it back to where we all started. Everybody loves to blame the algorithm, but as we broke down, most of the time, it's not that.
12:03It's your hook didn't catch your attention, your consistency didn't give your content a chance, and your content may not make people feel anything.
12:12The algorithm doesn't have opinions. It follows the viewers. You know, and TikTok and Instagram say the same thing.
12:19Your video gets shown to small batches of people first, and if they watch and if they share that whatever it may be, it scales. So the algorithm isn't your enemy. It's a mirror.
12:31It reflects whether or not your content connects with people. Alright. That is everything on today's topic, and now it is your turn.
12:38Every episode, I answer a handful of questions submitted by y'all for a rapid fire q and a. And all of this was sorted and picked through by my team, so I'm seeing them for the first time right now. There's times where I lack creativity.
12:52What are some ways you nurture your creativity? I go live life. You can't make things without living life or having experienced life.
13:01And whether that is going down to the corner store or taking a walk somewhere or hanging out with your dog, life is the biggest inspiration for me.
13:12And that's honestly where a lot of my best ideas come from when I'm completely disconnected. What's your shoot, edit, and export format? Yeah.
13:19I guess it just depends on the camera. Right now, I'm shooting with a Nikon ZR and I'm shooting r three d. If I'm shooting with a Sony, I'm shooting 10 bit.
13:27If I shoot with the Osmo, I'm shooting in the D LOG. And what do I export in? It depends on what the camera is.
13:34If I'm using a higher quality camera, I'll export in ProRes. And if I'm using DJI or phone footage, more than likely I'm exporting HDot264.
13:44What hire was the biggest unlock for you? Wow. That's a great one.
13:49Having representation, having a manager, that has actually helped me just stay a creative because the more you create, the more opportunities and looks that'll come your way.
13:59And dealing with the administrative, uh, just thinking about it right now, like emailing back and forth on opportunities and what kind of product you might get or what you might get paid or all of those things just kinda they kinda just ick me out.
14:14I'm not gonna lie. Like, so finding a manager has helped me immensely to just be the creative.
14:21Last one. A couple of people ask me where I'm from. I'm born and raised in San Francisco.
14:26Like, actual San Francisco, not Greater Bay Area. I actually have it tatted on me right here. 14th And Guerrero is where I grew up at.
14:34And then I moved to a few different places in the Bay. I love the entire Bay Area. But if you're asking me where I'm from ethnicity wise, I'm Filipino, full Filipino, both my mom and my dad.
14:46And here I am representing for the people as you could see it on my tattoos as well. Yeah. Well, about wraps up the q and a.
14:54And if you've made it this far, let's think of an inside joke comment. Comment boba down below so I know you made it this far and who I I know who the real ones are. And also before you go, make sure you subscribe to the free APCC newsletter for digestible content creating tips sent to you weekly, as well as highlighting some of our community's creators.
15:14And be sure to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell, and come back here in two weeks, same time, same place.
The Hook
The bait, then the rug-pull.
The easiest excuse for a creator is the algorithm — and Adrian Per opens his show by naming that excuse in one sentence, then spending 15 minutes dismantling it. What follows is a framework-first breakdown of three things you can actually fix: the hook, the habit, and the feeling.
Named ideas worth stealing.
03:24list
The 3-Part Hook Formula
- Say exactly what the video is about right away — no build-up, no mystery
- Use a text hook that is slightly different from what you're saying out loud
- Match your visual hook to your topic — the camera setup should support the message
A three-element framework for opening any video so viewers immediately know if it's relevant to them.
Steal forAny tutorial, talking-head, or educational short — the spoken + text + visual trio applies directly
11:10list
Four Emotional Triggers
- Relatable — 'that is so me'
- Aspirational — 'I want to be like that'
- Inspirational — 'I want to try that'
- Educational — 'that helped me a lot'
The four emotional responses that drive content to be shared. Hit one to resonate; hit two or more and you likely have a hit.
Steal forPre-flight checklist before publishing any video — ask which of the four this content is designed to trigger
How they asked for the click.
VERBAL ASK
08:18product
“If you are enjoying this so far and you want to go even deeper and build the foundational systems that make this all possible, I built an online academy called Content College.”
Clean mid-roll placement at the natural pause between Reason 2 and Reason 3. Personal sell with specific deliverables listed (presets, templates, worksheets). Not overly long.
MENTIONED ON CAMERA
Visual structure at a glance.
