How to Use AI to Craft Irresistible Openers That Stop the Scroll
In the age of short attention spans and endless scrolling, a powerful hook is the difference between being ignored and going viral. Whether you’re writing an ad, social media caption, email subject line, or YouTube title, the first line determines whether people stay or swipe away.
But here’s the problem — most people use ChatGPT incorrectly when asking it to “write a good hook.” They get vague, robotic results that sound like marketing clichés.
Matt Schnuck’s framework, “3 ChatGPT Prompts That Actually Work for Generating Hooks,” changes that. It provides specific, structured prompts that anchor AI outputs in audience insight, emotional psychology, and proven formats.
This article breaks down those three prompts, explains why they work, and shows you how to use them effectively to generate hooks that actually convert.
What Makes a Good Hook?
Before jumping into prompts, it’s crucial to understand what separates great hooks from average ones.
A hook is not just a catchy phrase — it’s a psychological trigger that grabs attention and builds curiosity. A great hook:
- Speaks to a specific audience – It mirrors their pain points, desires, or goals.
- Invokes emotion – It makes the reader feel something (curiosity, surprise, empathy, or aspiration).
- Hints at transformation – It promises change, a solution, or a revelation.
- Invites action – It naturally leads the audience to keep reading or clicking.
The secret? Don’t rely on vague requests like “generate hooks.” Give ChatGPT context, audience details, tone, and intent. That’s where these three prompts come in.
Prompt 1: The Hook Generator
This is your base prompt — ideal for coming up with fresh ideas from scratch. It tells ChatGPT who you’re targeting, what you’re promoting, and what kind of emotional or curiosity-based format you want.
Prompt Template:
“I am targeting [insert persona — e.g., women aged 30–45 with sensitive skin].
My goal is to create hooks for a [insert product — e.g., hydrating serum that highlights redness relief and long-lasting hydration].
Based on proven formats like [insert hook formats — e.g., curiosity and emotional appeal], generate 5 engaging hooks that align with these goals and resonate with this audience.”
Example Outputs:
- “Redness gone in 3 days? Here’s what happened.”
- “I finally feel good in my skin.”
- “Sensitive skin? You’re not alone.”
Why It Works:
- It forces clarity on who the hook is for (audience targeting).
- It aligns strategy and storytelling — balancing emotional appeal with data-backed structure.
- It ensures variety: curiosity-driven, emotional, or transformation-oriented lines that can be A/B tested later.
Use Case:
Perfect for marketers, content creators, and copywriters starting a new campaign or brand story.
Prompt 2: “More of the Same” – Hook Variations
Once you have a winning hook, the next step is to reframe and repackage it. This second prompt helps you create multiple variations of a proven hook without losing its essence — perfect for A/B testing across different platforms.
Prompt Template:
“Here is a successful hook: [insert hook — e.g., ‘I finally feel good in my skin.’]
Please create 5 alternative versions of this hook while keeping the core idea of [insert idea — e.g., rediscovering skin confidence].
Ensure each variation explores different tones or phrasing for A/B testing.”
Example Outputs:
- “I stopped hiding behind foundation.”
- “This glow-up was years in the making.”
- “Never thought I’d post a no-makeup selfie.”
Why It Works:
- Keeps the core emotion intact but experiments with syntax and tone.
- Enables testing of different audience reactions — from inspirational to relatable.
- Fast-tracks creative variation for ad teams or social content schedulers.
Pro Tip:
Use this when you already have a high-performing post or ad and want to scale it across new channels or formats.
Prompt 3: Fine-Tuning Sentiment
Sometimes a hook idea is solid, but the tone feels off — maybe too harsh, vague, or dull. Prompt 3 helps you keep the message intact while refining emotional delivery and linguistic nuance.
Prompt Template:
“Here is a draft hook: [insert hook — e.g., ‘Sensitive skin sucks.’]
I like the overall sentiment of [insert part — e.g., offering a transformative solution], but the phrasing feels off.
Can you brainstorm 5 alternative ways to convey this message while keeping the [insert preferred format — e.g., emotional appeal] intact?”
Example Outputs:
- “Tired of reacting to everything? Same.”
- “Sensitive skin is exhausting… until now.”
- “When your skin flares up over everything, this helps.”
Why It Works:
- Lets you refine emotion and tone without losing message clarity.
- Generates variants that fit different platforms (e.g., conversational tone for TikTok, empathetic tone for blogs).
- Encourages experimentation across humor, empathy, and curiosity.
Best Use:
When you already have a decent hook, but want to adjust tone, pacing, or energy to match audience sentiment.
Why These Prompts Outperform Generic Ones
Matt Schnuck’s method doesn’t just “ask AI to write hooks.” It guides AI thinking through structured constraints and human psychology.
Here’s what makes these prompts stand out:
Audience anchoring: Each prompt defines a target persona, ensuring every hook feels personal and relevant.
Strategy meets story: You’re not generating random copy — you’re directing why and how the message should resonate.
Testing versatility: You get multiple tones (emotional, curiosity-based, transformational) ready for testing.
Scalable creativity: Once you master the structure, you can apply it to ads, videos, emails, or blog intros.
How to Use These Prompts in Practice
You can integrate these prompts into your workflow using the following process:
| Step | Goal | Action Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Define the target audience | “Men aged 25–40 who struggle to stay consistent at the gym.” |
| 2 | Choose your emotional tone | Curiosity, empathy, or aspiration |
| 3 | Plug the prompt into ChatGPT | Use Prompt 1 for ideation |
| 4 | Generate multiple outputs | Save top 10 variations |
| 5 | Use Prompt 2 for testing | Create alternate phrasing for your top 3 hooks |
| 6 | Fine-tune with Prompt 3 | Adjust tone before posting or running ads |
Result: Within minutes, you’ll have a bank of tested, emotionally resonant hooks tailored to your audience.
Examples from Different Industries
| Industry | Sample Hook | Emotional Trigger |
|---|---|---|
| Fitness | “I stopped quitting on day 3.” | Transformation |
| Finance | “What if your savings doubled without changing your lifestyle?” | Curiosity |
| Education | “I failed every exam — until I learned this.” | Relatability |
| Skincare | “I finally feel good in my skin.” | Empathy |
| Tech | “The AI tool that saves me 10 hours a week.” | Efficiency |
Tip: Match emotional tone with your buyer journey stage. Awareness-level hooks favor curiosity; decision-level hooks favor transformation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1. Why should I use ChatGPT for hook creation?
Because AI can rapidly generate multiple hook variants, saving time and uncovering new creative directions you might not think of manually.
Q2. How many hooks should I test per campaign?
Ideally, test 5–10 per audience segment using different emotional frameworks (curiosity, empathy, transformation).
Q3. What’s the biggest mistake in AI-generated hooks?
Lack of context. Always define the persona, goal, and emotion before asking ChatGPT to write.
Q4. Can these prompts work for video scripts and emails?
Absolutely. Hooks are universal — they’re just adapted in tone. For example, YouTube hooks lean curiosity; emails lean personal or emotional.
Q5. How do I know if a hook is good?
If it stops the scroll, evokes emotion, and connects to a deeper promise or story — it’s working.
