Vertical video
Vertical video is watched with a thumb ready to swipe to the next one. You have a second and a half to make people stay. It's not just a change of format: it's a different way of writing, shooting and editing.
The hook: the first 1.5 seconds
The first image and the first line decide whether the video gets watched. Types of hook that work:
- The result first: show the ending ("this is how the kitchen turned out") and then how you got there.
- The question or the problem: "Why do your phone videos look so flat?"
- The surprising claim: something that contradicts what the viewer believes.
- Movement: start in the middle of the action, never with a "hi, how's it going?"
Weak hook
A three-second animated logo and "Hi everyone, today I want to talk to you about…"
Hook
Close-up of a hand dropping a drop of dye into water and, at the same time, the text "This is what happens if…"
Retention: keep them watching
- Change something every 2–3 seconds: shot, size, text, angle. It doesn't have to be a cut; a light digital zoom counts too.
- Cut out all the dead air: breaths, pauses, "um…". Use jump cuts without fear.
- Open loops: announce something that's coming ("the third trick is the one people use most") so viewers stay until the end.
- An ending that links back to the start: if the last line connects with the first, the video replays itself.
Shooting vertically
- Shoot directly in 9:16 if the video is only for social media; if it will also be horizontal, shoot horizontal 4K with the subject centered and crop.
- Tighter shots than in horizontal: the tight medium shot and the close-up rule.
- Look into the camera at eye level, with the lens at the height of your eye line.
- Eyes in the top third, but never covered by the app's interface.
Safe zones
Apps place the account name, the caption and the buttons on top of the video. Although they vary by app and version, as a general rule keep these areas clear:
- Roughly the bottom 20% (post text and bar).
- A strip down the right-hand side (like, comment and share buttons).
- A small margin at the top.
Put titles and captions in the central area, a little above the lower half.
Captions that keep people watching
- A few words at a time (2–5), and big.
- Highlight the key word in color.
- A bold typeface with an outline or shadow so it can be read over any background.
- Always check the automatic transcription.
Sound and music
Lots of people watch with the sound off, but those who turn it on expect a good voice. Use music from the platform's own library, which is licensed for use there, or royalty-free music (see music and copyright). Trending sounds can help your reach, but they don't replace content.
Measure and improve
Each video's analytics show the second at which people leave. If the drop is in the first 2 seconds, the problem is the hook; if it's in the middle, the pacing; if it's just before the end, the ending was predictable. Change only one thing in each video so you know what works.
- A hook in the first second and a half.
- A visual change every 2–3 seconds and no dead air.
- Tight shots and clear safe zones.
- Captions that are big, short and checked.
- Look at where people drop off and fix that.
Your turn: three hooks for the same video
Shoot a 30-second reel about something you know how to do.
- Edit three versions that differ only in the first two seconds.
- Post them on different days (or show them to several people).
- Compare retention at the start.