What winning app ads tell us about hooks

Every ad in Adlist is broken down beat by beat: the hook, when it ends, the on-screen text, the format and the structure. Looked at side by side, patterns start to show. Here are the clearest ones.

Most hooks are written on screen

In 71% of the ads, the hook is on-screen text. Another 23% open with a voiceover line, and just 6% rely on the post caption. Text works with the sound off, and it tells someone what the video is about before they decide to keep watching.

The hook is over in three seconds

The typical hook ends at the 3-second mark, and 73% of the ads finish their hook by then. That’s the window to say who the video is for and why they should care. Everything after it is about keeping that promise.

Short wins, but not by a mile

The median ad runs 20 seconds, and 68% run 30 seconds or less. Longer videos still show up, mostly as tutorials, storytimes and gameplay, where the length is the point.

UGC is the default format

Half of the ads (51%) are UGC: someone filming themselves using the app in everyday life. Talking-head videos make up 15%, screen recordings 12% and photo carousels 11%. Carousels are easy to overlook, but they’re cheap to make and easy to test.

Tutorials lead the hook types

The most common hook type is the tutorial (“how to put affirmations on your lock screen”), followed by showcases, relatable moments and recommendations. Each one gives the viewer something before asking for anything: a trick, a laugh or a tip.

What to take from this

• Put your hook on screen as text, even if you also say it.
• Land it in the first three seconds.
• Start with UGC, then test a carousel version of the same idea.
• Lead with something useful, like a how-to, before you show the app.

Browse the library to see these patterns in context, and filter by hook type or format to find ads like the one you’re planning.