If you run digital marketing campaigns, specifically with video content, you may have heard of the term ‘Hook Rate’. But do you know what it means or how to track it in your Meta campaigns?
In this blog, we’re going to debunk the term Hook Rate, answering your burning questions:
- What is a Hook Rate?
- Why is tracking Hook Rates important?
- What is a good Hook Rate?
- How can I track Hook Rates on your Meta Campaigns?
- How can I improve Hook Rates?
So let’s get into it…
What is a Hook Rate?
A Hook Rate applies specifically to videos.
The term refers to the percentage of video viewers who watch the first crucial few seconds of your video.
Think about it like this – you’re scrolling on your Instagram feed, and a video catches your eye. You stop scrolling and watch at least 3 seconds of that video. The video has you hooked. This is why it’s called a ‘Hook Rate’.
Why is Tracking Hook Rates Important?
Why is tracking Hook Rates important in your Meta Campaigns? With the fact that detailed targeting on Meta is slowly being phased out, creative testing is becoming more and more important for Meta Campaigns. You have to rely on your creatives more than ever to capture the attention of the right audience.
When reporting on your video ads, keep an eye on Hook Rates so you can:
- Understand Audience Engagement: Hook Rates give you a clear picture of how well your video is capturing attention right from the start. If your Hook Rate is high, it means people are interested in what they see and are sticking around to watch more. If it’s low, you might need to rethink your opening seconds, which are critical for drawing viewers in.
- Optimise Ad Spend: By tracking Hook Rates, you can make smarter decisions about where to allocate your budget. Ads with higher Hook Rates are generally more effective, meaning you’re getting better value for your money. If an ad has a low Hook Rate, you might be wasting budget on content that isn’t resonating with your audience. This insight allows you to adjust or pull ineffective ads, saving you from unnecessary spending.
- Improve Content Strategy: Knowing which videos have the best Hook Rates can inform your overall content strategy. You can analyse what’s working—whether it’s the visuals, messaging, or even the length of the video—and apply those insights to future ads. This helps you create more engaging content that is more likely to convert viewers into customers.
- Boost Conversion Rates: The higher your Hook Rate, the more likely it is that viewers will watch your video to the end, increasing the chances of them taking the desired action (like clicking a link or making a purchase). Essentially, a good Hook Rate can lead to a stronger overall conversion rate, which is the ultimate goal of most ads.
- Test and Learn: Tracking Hook Rates allows you to A/B test different versions of your video to see which have a better Hook Rate, helping you refine your approach and continuously improve your ads’ performance.
What is a Good Hook Rate?
Ideally, you should be aiming for at least a 25% Hook Rate. That means 25% of users are viewing at least 3 seconds of your video. Top performing ads tend to see a Hook Rate of 30% and above.
How to Track Hook Rates in your Meta Campaigns
Hook Rate isn’t a standard metric you’ll find in Meta Ads Manager, so, you’ll need to set it up manually. Here’s how to do it in a few quick steps:
- Go to Ads Manager, and click on ‘Columns’ and then ‘Customise Columns’.
- Click on ‘Create custom metric’ at the top.
- Name the Metric (Hook Rate) and then change the format to be Percentage.
- In the box at the top, you’ll need to add in the formula for the Hook Rate. Which is essentially 3 second video views divided by the number of impressions. Start typing in 3 second video plays, select the divide sign and then start typing in impressions and choose this.
- You can choose to add a description to the metric.
- If you want other admins on the account to be able to access this metric you can do this here.
- Click create.
- You’ll now have this metric available to add to your reporting.
How can I Improve Hook Rates?
Improving Hook Rates will vary from business to business and requires testing of your creatives. Here are a few ideas to include in the first few seconds of your videos:
- Address the problem: If your product solves a specific problem, make sure you call that problem out straight away to capture the attention of the right audience. You may have heard of the PAS method – Problem, Agitation, Solution. Try this for your videos.
- Start with a strong visual: Use eye-catching visuals or an intriguing scene to immediately draw viewers in. Bright colours, dynamic motion, or a surprising image can make people stop scrolling and watch.
- Ask a question: Start your video with a question that your audience might have. This creates immediate interest as viewers will want to see how the video answers the question.
- Create a sense of urgency: Introduce an element of urgency or a hook that suggests something important is coming. Phrases like “Don’t miss this” or “Watch to see how…” can encourage viewers to stick around to find out more.
- Test different thumbnails: Although Meta automatically plays videos, the thumbnail (the image people see before the video plays) can still influence whether people stop and watch. Test different thumbnails to see which ones attract more viewers.
- Keep it short and sweet: Attention spans are short on social media, so make sure your video is concise and to the point. If viewers see that a video is long, they might skip it entirely.
- Use captions or text overlays: Many people watch videos on social media without sound, so adding captions or text overlays can help convey your message instantly. A powerful, well-timed caption can also pique curiosity and encourage viewers to keep watching.
Get Testing!
We hope you’ve found our blog on Hook Rates useful. The most important thing is to test your Meta Ads videos with different hooks to understand what resonates with your audience and what gets you the results you want.
Want to ensure your campaigns are set up for success? Check out our blog on how to audit Facebook Ads with a FREE checklist and template.
