Write ad hooks worth testing
Tolstoy writes eight ad hooks from your real product facts, pairs each with a shot you can make from your own media, and picks the two to test first.
What you need
- One product from your connected catalog
- The audience the ad is for, in one line
- Product photos or videos in your Tolstoy library, so each shot uses media you already have (optional)
What you get
- Eight short opening hooks for one product and one audience
- One concrete visual shot for each hook
- The two hooks to test first, with a short reason for each
How it runs
Tolstoy runs this playbook in 4 steps.
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Name product and audience
You select the product and say who the ad speaks to. If the audience is missing, the agent asks for it before it writes.
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Write eight hooks
The agent mixes a specific problem, a practical demonstration, a useful detail and a direct question, using only facts your catalog supports.
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Pair each with a shot
Every hook gets one concrete opening shot that your products and media can produce.
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Pick the top two
The agent recommends the two strongest hooks and says why, so you know which ones to test first.
Check the result
- The eight hooks differ from each other: a mix of problem, demonstration, detail and question, not eight versions of one line.
- You can make every shot today with the products and media you have.
- No hook claims a result, a review or a testimonial that your catalog does not support.
Know the limits
- Text only: hooks, shot ideas and two picks. Making the video or the ad is a separate step, for example with the UGC video ads playbook.
- One product and one audience per run. For a second audience, run it again.
When to use this playbook
Use it before you brief a video shoot or a UGC creator, or when your ads open with the same line every time. Each hook arrives with a shot, so the list also works as a shot list for the person who makes the video. For where the hook sits in a full ad, read how to structure UGC ads that stop the scroll.
Get better results
- Describe the audience by situation, not only demographics. “People who travel with a carry-on only” gives sharper hooks than “women 25–34”.
- Attach a product video or close-up photos if you have them. The demonstration and detail hooks depend on what your media can show.
- Ask for a second round on the winning hook type. If the question hook wins, ask for eight more questions about the same product.
The prompt
“Run this playbook” opens Tolstoy with this prompt as a draft. Pick your products, edit anything, then send it.
Write eight short opening hooks for the product I select and the audience I describe. Use only facts supported by my catalog and the material I attach. If an essential input, such as the audience, is missing, ask only for that input before writing. Mix a specific problem, a practical demonstration, a useful detail and a direct question where they fit. Avoid empty superlatives, fake testimonials and invented performance claims. Pair each hook with one concrete visual shot that can be made from my available products and media. Recommend the strongest two and explain the choice briefly. Keep the real product shape, proportions, construction, print, color, logos and readable labels intact. Do not invent product features, claims or reviews.
FAQ
What makes an ad hook worth testing?
It names something specific: a problem the shopper has, a thing the product does on camera, a detail they would miss, or a question they would answer. A line such as "the best you will ever own" gives a test nothing to learn from.
How many hooks should I test at once?
Start with the two the agent recommends. Keep the product, offer and body copy the same in both ads, so the hook is the only thing that changes. Keep the other six for the next round.
Can I use the hooks on TikTok and Reels, not only Meta?
Yes. The hooks are opening lines and shots, not platform settings. Name the platform in your message if you want the wording to match how people talk there.
Run it on your own catalog
Start free, connect your store, and Tolstoy opens this playbook for you. You review every result before anything goes live.