TikTok hook generator

Type your topic and get first-slide hooks for a TikTok slideshow or an Instagram carousel, each shown on a slide. Below are 160 more hooks we wrote for 16 niches.

Free, no sign-up, no AI. Updated 29 October 2026.

Got a hook? Put it on a real slide with the free TikTok slideshow maker or the carousel maker.

The hook patterns

Each hook follows one of these patterns. Pick the one that fits what your slides really deliver.

Pattern	Example	Why it works
Listicle	3 your topic tips I wish I knew sooner	A number promises a short, finite read, so people know the swipe is worth it.
Mistake	your topic mistakes almost every beginner makes	Nobody wants to be the one making the mistake, so they swipe to check.
Myth vs fact	your topic myths you can stop believing	People swipe to find out whether they believe one of the myths.
Story	How I finally got your topic right	A personal turn sounds honest, and people want to see how it ends.
How-to	How to start with your topic in 5 steps	It names a clear result, and each slide becomes one step toward it.
Comparison	your topic: what works vs what wastes your time	Two options side by side invite people to pick a side, then check the answer.
Checklist	Your your topic checklist, save this	A checklist is useful later, so people save it, and saves tell the app the post is worth showing.
Opinion	Unpopular opinion about your topic	A clear opinion invites agreement or a reply, and both keep people on the post.
Question	Are you doing your topic the hard way?	A direct question makes people answer it in their head before they swipe.

A hook has to be true for the slides behind it. A number hook needs that many real points, and a mistake hook needs a fix on the next slides.

160 hooks by niche

Written for our slideshow ideas by niche, each with the pattern it uses. Every niche page also shows two example slideshows and a week of post ideas.

Beauty

Brush guide for beginners (Guide)
Skincare myths to drop (Myth vs fact)
My 5-minute morning routine (Routine)
Stop skipping this step before foundation (Mistake)
Drugstore vs high end: what I notice (Comparison)
What is in my makeup bag right now (Show and tell)
How to make lipstick last longer (How-to)
Products I used up this month (Proof)
One look, three ways (Variations)
Save this for your next shop (Save prompt)

BookTok

Autumn reads, by mood (Mood list)
Reading slump? Try this (Problem)
Books that feel like a rainy Sunday (Mood list)
If you liked this, read these next (Recommendation)
Short books for a long week (Listicle)
What I read this month, ranked (Ranking)
Unpopular book opinions (Opinion)
Tropes I will always read (Listicle)
How I read more without trying harder (How-to)
Save this for your next library trip (Save prompt)

Coaches

What I tell every new client (Story)
The 3-question weekly review (Plan)
Why your goals keep slipping (Problem)
Stop planning your whole year at once (Mistake)
The question I ask before every big decision (Routine)
Busy vs productive: the difference (Comparison)
5 questions to ask before you hire a coach (Checklist)
Coaching myths I hear every month (Myth vs fact)
What a client taught me about saying no (Story)
Save this for your next Sunday (Save prompt)

Ecommerce

What goes into our farm box (Behind the scenes)
Questions we get every week (FAQ)
How we pack your order (Process)
3 ways to use one jar of jam (Listicle)
Which size is right for you? (Guide)
Made by hand, start to finish (Process)
What our first batch looked like (Story)
Gift ideas for people who cook (Gift guide)
Why our boxes ship on Thursdays (Explainer)
Save this before you order (Save prompt)

Fashion

One white shirt, styled 3 ways (Listicle)
Style rules you can ignore (Myth vs fact)
What to wear to a wedding when you hate dresses (Problem)
My capsule wardrobe in 12 pieces (Proof)
Outfits for a week of rain (Plan)
Stop buying these basics (Mistake)
Thrift haul, styled (Story)
Colours that go with navy (How-to)
Office outfits, ranked by comfort (Ranking)
Save this before your next shop (Save prompt)

Finance tips

Money habits for your 20s (Listicle)
Split your pay into 3 pots (Plan)
What an emergency fund is for (Explainer)
Money words nobody explained to me (Glossary)
Fixed costs vs variable costs (Comparison)
Budgeting mistakes I made at first (Story)
Check this before you sign up for a subscription (Checklist)
How to read your payslip (How-to)
Money myths to stop believing (Myth vs fact)
Save this for payday (Save prompt)

Fitness

3 gym habits that beat motivation (Listicle)
Gym myths beginners still believe (Myth vs fact)
What I would do if I started lifting again (Story)
Stop doing this on leg day (Mistake)
My 20-minute workout for busy days (Plan)
How to train when you have zero energy (How-to)
Rest day vs lazy day: the difference (Comparison)
What one month of logging my lifts taught me (Proof)
Save this before your next gym session (Save prompt)
The warm-up I do before every session (Routine)

Food

How to make a salad that keeps you full (How-to)
Meal prep in 4 steps (Plan)
5 pantry staples I always keep (Listicle)
Stop rinsing your pasta (Mistake)
Dinner in 15 minutes with one pan (Plan)
What I eat for lunch in a work week (Routine)
Fresh pasta vs dried: when to use which (Comparison)
Batch cooking mistakes I made at first (Story)
3 sauces that change a plain bowl (Listicle)
Save this for your next shop (Save prompt)

German deals

So erkennst du einen echten Deal (Checklist)
Deal-Check in 30 Sekunden (Checklist)
Die besten Deals der Woche (Roundup)
Lohnt sich das wirklich? (Question)
Diese Fehler kosten dich beim Online-Shopping Geld (Mistake)
Grundpreis in 3 Slides erklärt (Explainer)
Marke vs. Eigenmarke: Was steckt drin? (Comparison)
Darauf achte ich am Black Friday (Routine)
Rabatt-Mythen, die dich Geld kosten (Myth vs fact)
Speichern für den nächsten Einkauf (Save prompt)

Interior design

Small room, bigger feel (Listicle)
Before you buy a sofa (Checklist)
Rental-friendly changes for a plain flat (Listicle)
Before and after: one corner, one weekend (Before/After)
The lighting mistake in most living rooms (Mistake)
How big should your rug be? (Guide)
Warm white vs cool white bulbs (Comparison)
What I would change if I moved in again (Story)
3 colours that work in a dark hallway (Listicle)
Save this for your next move (Save prompt)

Pets

3 tricks for better pet photos (Listicle)
Things my dog does that make no sense (Story)
A day in the life of a very lazy cat (Story)
What I pack for a day out with my dog (Checklist)
Our dog's first year, one photo a month (Before/After)
Rate my cat's sleeping spots (Ranking)
Things nobody tells you about a rescue dog (Story)
Dog-friendly cafés in our town (Recommendation)
Our evening routine, from the dog's side (Routine)
Save this before your next vet visit (Save prompt)

Photography

3 composition rules for better photos (Listicle)
Edit a photo in 4 steps (Step-by-step)
Same place, 3 times of day (Comparison)
Before and after my edit (Before/After)
Photography myths beginners believe (Myth vs fact)
The story behind this shot (Story)
My camera settings for golden hour (How-to)
Shots I almost deleted (Story)
Rate my last 5 photos (Ranking)
Save this for your next photo walk (Save prompt)

Real estate

3 things buyers notice first (Listicle)
Your viewing checklist (Checklist)
Questions to ask before you sign a lease (Checklist)
First-time buyer mistakes to avoid (Mistake)
Inside this two-bedroom flat (Tour)
Renting vs buying: questions to ask yourself (Comparison)
Before and after: one weekend of staging (Before/After)
A street guide to our neighbourhood (Local guide)
What to fix before you sell (How-to)
Save this for your next viewing (Save prompt)

Restaurants and cafés

Before the doors open (Story)
How we make our house bread (How-to)
This week's specials, in 5 photos (Listicle)
What our team orders on a day off (Recommendation)
Questions guests ask us every day (FAQ)
Our menu, ranked by the kitchen (Ranking)
Where our vegetables come from (Proof)
A Saturday in our kitchen, hour by hour (Routine)
One dish, start to plate (Step-by-step)
Save this for your next night out (Save prompt)

SaaS and apps

3 signs your onboarding is too long (Listicle)
Explain your feature in 3 slides (Template)
What we changed after reading support tickets (Story)
The setting most people never find (Hidden feature)
How to export a report in 3 clicks (How-to)
Spreadsheet vs a tool: when to switch (Comparison)
What we shipped this month (Changelog)
Mistakes we made on our first launch (Story)
The question every new user asks (FAQ)
Save this before your next launch (Save prompt)

Travel

Rules for a slower trip (Listicle)
Carry-on checklist (Checklist)
3 days in one city, without rushing (Itinerary)
Things I stopped packing (Mistake)
What I wish I knew before my first night train (Story)
Hostel vs guesthouse: which suits you (Comparison)
How I plan a trip in one evening (How-to)
Places that are better out of season (Opinion)
What to do on a rainy day in the city (Guide)
Send this to your travel buddy (Share prompt)

Questions

What is a hook on a TikTok slideshow?

It is the text on the first slide. People decide in a moment whether to swipe, so the first slide has to promise something worth the next slides: a number, a mistake to avoid, a myth, or a result.

Does this hook generator use AI?

No. It puts your topic into 9 hand-written hook patterns in your browser, and it lists 160 hooks we wrote for 16 niches. Wavegrain's app is the AI part: it drafts the whole slideshow, hook included, from your topic.

How long should a slideshow hook be?

Short enough to read in a second or two on a phone: about 4 to 10 words. Keep it in the safe text area, away from the buttons on the right and the caption at the bottom.

Is my topic saved or sent anywhere?

No. The hooks are filled in on this page, in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to Wavegrain.