Creators Column

LinkedIn Video Hooks: How to Create Attention-Grabbing Intros That Stop the Scroll

Learn how to create attention-grabbing LinkedIn video intros to boost engagement and stop the scroll with these four expert tips from Microsoft's Head of Content, Social, & Integrated Marketing.

LinkedIn Hooks Swipe File: Real Examples of Impressive Hooks to Create Your Own

In one year, I grew my LinkedIn followers from 2,000 to 20,000 by posting videos about marketing and business. I created days in my life, parodies, and POVs that brought a corporate spin to trending topics. My most successful videos have earned over 4 million views, with hundreds of reactions and comments.

The secret to growing on the platform is finding ways to pull people in. Viewers need to stop scrolling and stick around. I’ve found that my first few seconds of a video are essential to enticing my audience. The keys to success lie in a perfect hook.

Below, I’ll lay out four fundamental tips that can help you craft LinkedIn video hooks, nab attention, and entice a watch. Let’s dive in.

Why Publish Videos on LinkedIn

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If you’ve never published a video on social before, it’s not too late. In fact, now is the perfect time to start. Short-form video is currently dominating. According to HubSpot’s 2025 Social Media Trends Report, 76% of marketers say that authentic, low-cost videos are outperforming highly produced content.

LinkedIn is a great place to try your hand, given that it still holds a top-three spot in marketing channel investments. In fact, a third of the B2B marketers surveyed say that they’ll be increasing their LinkedIn investment in 2025.

Putting a memorable video in front of your audience can help you stay top of mind. Here’s how you create those moments that stick.

Heike Young is the Head of Content, Social & Integrated Marketing at Microsoft Advertising (part of Microsoft AI), where she leads global teams shaping storytelling, social media, and integrated marketing strategies.
Who is Heike Young?

LinkedIn Video Hooks — Four Tips to Help You Create an Attention-Grabbing Intro

1. Make your first 100 characters catchy.

Right around 100 characters into your post, LinkedIn cuts off the text. LinkedIn users are only skimming the headlines as they scroll through their feed. They won’t watch every video, but they will peruse the text of your post before they hit play. Make sure this text is catchy and puts your best foot forward to get folks to want to watch.

Here’s an example from social strategist and content creator Jayde Powell, where she uses those first 100 characters impactfully. After reading the intro text, I want to know exactly what she’s talking about, and I can’t help but click.

Jayde Powell LinkedIn video hook-3

To adopt this for yourself, it’s important to pique curiosity. Start with something like, “I’ll show you how…” or “Let me tell you about a time I…” Personal stories work best, and so does a bold POV.

Pro tip: This isn’t a space to repeat your video’s title. The text and title are two separate hooks, so make sure each is unique.

Two

Keep your face front and (off-)center.

Tas Bober LinkedIn video hook-1

2. Keep your face front and (off-)center.

While there are carousels, photos, and images, all-text posts are still prominent on LinkedIn. Visuals still stand out. An interesting thumbnail can help encourage a click. So, a quick glance needs to showcase a lot of information. Your facial expression, locations, and prompts speak volumes.

Your first shot should be visually interesting, and faces are always a winner. Just don’t put your face directly in the center of the video, since LinkedIn UI puts a play button there for anyone with autoplay turned off (and you don’t want it covering your face).

For an example of this, check out this video featuring digital marketing leader and co-host of Notorious B2B Tas Bober. Her face is off to the side. The play button is centered, and she’s got an expression that makes me stop and ask, “What’s she going to say?”

For your own brand, try starting with a face that looks poised to give advice and then add in some intriguing props. You want your face close enough to be engaging, but not so close that it’s distracting.

Pro tip: Create a private LinkedIn group (with only you in it) so you can preview your thumbnail in a real feed, see how it looks, and adjust it accordingly before it goes live.

3. Craft succinct titles.

Being concise is key when it comes to titles. This might be the most important way to reel in your audience, and it’s where I spend a ton of my time.

The best titles sum up the video quickly, so you’ll want to iterate until you can keep it short, while still being impactful. Remember, LinkedIn doesn’t offer a space to title your videos, so it’s smart to superimpose the title on top.

An example comes from Devin Reed, content strategist and host of the Reed Between The Lines podcast. The title is short, superimposed, and stands out against the visual element. Plus, it sparks my curiosity about the content and makes me want to know more.

A shorter title is better so long as it’s clear. The point is to convey a quick taste of what the video is about.

Pro tip: Position the title text so that the LinkedIn play button won’t be on top. I also recommend testing this in your private group.

Devin Reed LinkedIn video hook
A shorter title is better so long as it’s clear. The point is to convey a quick taste of what the video is about.

Pro tip: Position the title text so that the LinkedIn play button won’t be on top. I also recommend testing this in your private group.

Four

Add captivating captions.

Heike Young LinkedIn video hook

Captions silently signal to viewers that your video can be watched anytime, even with the sound off. To use captions as a hook, I always drag them to the very beginning of my videos (0:00) to give people a preview before they even click play.

The first line of your script should be fascinating, so start with a story or interesting point that people can’t help but check out. Make it a cliffhanger to get potential viewers on the edge of their seats.

In this example, my caption reads, “So your boss wants you to make an editorial calendar.” It’s the start of an idea that compels you to click to know how that idea ends.

Start your script with the line that will be most captivating in the feed. That means you don’t want to begin by introducing yourself (everyone can view those details on your LinkedIn profile). It’s your first impression, so jump right in.

Pro tip: To make your captions easier to read, I recommend featuring no more than two lines of text at a time.

 

Stopping the Scroll

With attention-grabbing hooks, you can create irresistible LinkedIn videos to resonate with your audience and get your message across. Even if you’ve never called yourself a video creator before, following my framework, you’re ready to start planning, filming, and posting like a pro.

Heike

Heike Young's Ebook on Creating Scroll-Stopping Video Hooks on LinkedIn

For even more of my proven tips, illustrated examples, and actionable lists, check out my ebook. In it, I include a bonus checklist of what I personally use to film and edit videos, so you can create high-performing content on any budget.