The Viral Reels
Playbook

The Hook (First 1-3 Seconds)

Your hook is your rent. If it doesn't stop the scroll, nothing else matters.

Hook types that work

Pick the Right Idea (TAM)

TAM = Total Addressable Market. The #1 predictor of virality is how many people your idea applies to.

• Max TAM ideas: money, relationships, life advice, health, confidence, friendship — things every human cares about
• The formula: Take a universal topic + deliver a non-obvious take on it
• A 5-year-old and a 95-year-old should both understand the core idea
• “You got a dopamine hit because you can relate, but you've never heard it said that way” — this is the sweet spot

Retention: The Loop Chain

The reason people watch to the end is curiosity loops — open one, close it, immediately open another.

Open Loop 1  →  Build tension  →  Close Loop 1
                    ↓
              Open Loop 2  →  Build  →  Close Loop 2
                                          ↓
                                        Open Loop 3 ...

Techniques

• “But...” — The word “but” after a closed loop instantly opens a new one
• “Here's why...” — Promise an explanation, delay the payoff so they stay
• “And I'll tell you 3 reasons why” — Now they need all 3 before leaving
• Problem first, then solution — Make them aware of the pain before the cure
• Hypotheticals — “If all your books were erased and you had 60 seconds...” — imagination = engagement

Visual Pacing (The Editing Game)

Retention lives and dies in the edit.

• B-roll every 0.5 to 1 second — the #1 retention hack, mentioned across almost every breakdown
• Match B-roll to words — say “watches,” show watches. Audio + visual confirmation
• Quick zoom for emphasis — slight push-in on the key line
• Split screen for demos — shows it's real, increases comprehension
• Movement keeps you engaged — camera tracking, walking, hand gestures. Never static
• Trim ALL dead space — zero gap between sentences. If there's a breath, cut it
• Sound effects create tension — whooshes, hits, subtle audio cues between points
• Captions always on — increases comprehension, especially on mute
• Not speaking = global reach — pure visual content crosses language barriers

Credibility (Why They Trust You)

People don't listen to strangers. You need to earn trust in seconds.

• Leverage authorities: “Socrates said...”, “Research shows...”, “A new study found...”
• Personal credentials: “I used to work in a research lab” — one line, massive trust boost
• Name-drop strategically: Mentioning a known person or brand adds borrowed authority
• Show don't tell: Crowd, stage, setting, casual confidence all signal credibility
• Numbers for context: “$6 billion”, “20 years”, “3,000%” — specifics feel real, vague feels fake
• Demonstrate, don't just explain: Screen recordings, live demos, split-screen proof

The Dopamine Hit (Why They Share)

Views come from watch time. But millions of views come from shares. Shares happen when the viewer gets a dopamine hit.

What triggers it

1. 1Non-obvious take on a relatable topic — “I can relate but I've never heard it said that way”
2. 2Tactical advice you can use TODAY — the viewer feels smarter immediately
3. 3Contrarian beliefs — attracts your people, repels everyone else, fuels comments and shares
4. 4Comparisons that show scale — “This Pikachu card is worth more than all these watches and cars”
5. 5Grounded reminders amid brain rot — calm, real, human truth cuts through the noise
6. 6Predictable failure or surprise — the brain craves seeing expected patterns break

Structure Templates That Work

Pick one of these proven structures and fill in your idea.

Pre-Post Checklist

Run through this before every single post.