Viral Hook Creator
Generate scroll-stopping opening lines for posts, threads, and short-form video using 19 psychology-backed hook templates.
Overview
Viral Hook Creator is an agent skill most often used in Launch (also Grow) that supplies 19 viral hook patterns with templates and examples for social-first distribution copy.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/ognjengt/founder-skills --skill viral-hook-creatorWhat is this skill?
- 19 proven hook patterns across categories from proxy learning to myth-busting
- Per-pattern psychology notes, fill-in templates, and worked examples
- Coverage for educational lists, contrarian takes, data hooks, and authority-by-association
- Reference doc you paste into an agent when drafting threads, carousels, or video scripts
- 19 proven hook patterns with templates and examples
Adoption & trust: 947 installs on skills.sh; 190 GitHub stars; 3/3 security scanners passed (skills.sh audits).
What problem does it solve?
You know what you want to say on social but your first line reads flat and nobody stops scrolling.
Who is it for?
Solo founders drafting launch threads, build-in-public updates, or carousel hooks who want structured patterns instead of blank-page brainstorming.
Skip if: Teams needing full campaign strategy, paid ad creative compliance, or SEO long-form article outlines without a social hook angle.
When should I use this skill?
When drafting social posts, threads, or short video scripts and you need hook options from a named pattern category.
What do I get? / Deliverables
You leave with pattern-matched hook variants grounded in proven psychology, ready to paste into posts, threads, or scripts.
- Several hook variants mapped to chosen patterns
- Optional pattern name + psychology note per variant
Recommended Skills
Journey fit
Spans multiple journey phases - primary shelf plus alternate fits below.
Hooks are the first artifact founders write when distributing a product on social—canonical shelf is Launch distribution even though patterns also support Grow content pipelines. Distribution subphase covers organic reach tactics (X, LinkedIn, TikTok) where a strong hook decides whether anyone clicks through.
Where it fits
Draft three hook variants for a Product Hunt or launch-day thread using the Authority Credibility pattern.
Rotate Myth-Busting and Data-Driven patterns across a week of build-in-public posts.
Pair a You're Losing hook with a landing page headline test before committing to ad spend.
How it compares
Use as a hook pattern reference pack, not as a full content calendar or analytics skill.
Common Questions / FAQ
Who is viral-hook-creator for?
Indie builders and founders who write their own distribution copy on X, LinkedIn, TikTok, or newsletters and want proven opening-line formulas.
When should I use viral-hook-creator?
Use it in Launch when writing launch or waitlist threads, in Grow when batching weekly content, and anytime you need a stronger first line before publishing.
Is viral-hook-creator safe to install?
It is documentation-only reference material with no shell or network requirements; review the Security Audits panel on this Prism page before installing any skill from the repo.
SKILL.md
READMESKILL.md - Viral Hook Creator
# Viral Hook Patterns Reference This document contains 19 proven hook patterns with templates and examples. Use these as inspiration when generating hooks. --- ## Pattern Categories 1. Proxy Learning (Study/Collect) 2. Popular Name 3. Authority Credibility 4. Tools/Resources List 5. Cautionary Tale 6. Analysis-Based Insights 7. Achievement with Constraint 8. Steal My Process 9. Proxy Learning (Action-Based) 10. Myth-Busting 11. Reset Expectations 12. Opposite/Contrarian 13. Data-Driven Insights 14. The Unexpected 15. You're Losing 16. Tiny Change, Big Impact 17. Everything Wrong 18. Less Beats More 19. Behind-the-Scenes Testing --- ## 1. Proxy Learning (Study/Collect) **Psychology:** People want shortcuts. "I did the research so you don't have to." **Template:** - "I study [topic] so you can copy them" - "I collect [topic] like [unexpected comparison]" - "I've analyzed [number] [items] so you don't have to" **Examples:** - "I study strategies that make SaaS startups grow so you can copy them." - "I collect SaaS growth strategies like billionaires collect cars." - "I've analyzed over 100+ growth strategies SaaS companies use to go viral." **Best for:** Educational content, frameworks, templates, curated lists --- ## 2. Popular Name **Psychology:** Authority by association. Leveraging well-known names/brands creates instant credibility and curiosity. **Template:** - "[Famous person] uses this [thing] and has over [percentage] [outcome]. Today I'm sharing it for free" - "[Famous brand] used this [industry] strategy to secretly [action] their users" - "I cracked the [industry] code [prestigious group] are gatekeeping" **Examples:** - "Alex Hormozi uses this template and has over 80% close rate. Today I'm sharing it for free." - "Coca Cola used this marketing strategy to secretly dopamine spike their users." - "I cracked the marketing code Fortune 500 companies are gatekeeping." **Best for:** Authority borrowing, attention-grabbing openings, credibility building, curiosity hooks --- ## 3. Authority Credibility **Psychology:** Social proof + expertise = trust. Numbers validate authority. **Template:** - "I run a [number]-person [business]. Here are [number] things I would never do again" - "After [timeframe] in [industry], here's what nobody tells you" - "Built [achievement] with [constraint]. Here's the blueprint" **Examples:** - "I run a 23-person software development agency. Here are 5 things I would never do again." - "After 10 years in SaaS, here's what nobody tells you about scaling." - "Built a 7-figure business with no employees. Here's the blueprint." **Best for:** LinkedIn, thought leadership, strategic content, experience-based advice --- ## 4. Tools/Resources List **Psychology:** Practical value. People love tools that save time. **Template:** - "Here are [number] tools that will save you [time/money]" - "[Number] [resources] every [role] should bookmark" - "Things are moving fast. Here are [number] tools that will save you [time]" **Examples:** - "Startup Founders, things are moving fast. Here are 15 tools that will save you 100+ hours." - "Here are 12 AI tools that will save you 20 hours a week." - "5 Chrome extensions every marketer should bookmark." **Best for:** Quick-win content, listicles, resource roundups, practical value --- ## 5. Cautionary Tale **Psychology:** People learn from others' mistakes. Stories create emotional connection. **Template:** - "I [action] and [negative outcome]. Here's what I learned" - "My friend [did action] in [timeframe]. After [timeframe], [consequence]" - "The [time] I [action] and [unexpected result]" **Examples:** - "My friend vibe coded an app in 2 weeks. After 5 months, he's still trying to fix bugs he couldn't understand." - "I hired too fast and burned $200K. Here's what I learned." - "The time I ignored customer feedback and lost 40% of my users." **Best for:** Personal stories, lessons learned, vulnerability marketing, relatability --- ##