Question 1

How long should an X video hook be?

Accepted Answer

Aim for a single line you can read in under two seconds. The on-screen hook works best at six to ten words, while the post caption should front-load its point before X cuts it with Show more.

Question 2

Does the post text or the video matter more for the hook?

Accepted Answer

The post text, in most cases. It displays in full above the player before anyone taps play, and because X autoplays video muted, that caption is often the only thing a scroller actually reads first.

Question 3

What's the character limit for an X post caption?

Accepted Answer

280 characters for standard accounts, counted including spaces and links. Premium subscribers can post much longer, but the timeline still shows a truncated preview, so your hook must land inside the first visible line.

Question 4

What makes a hook actually stop the scroll?

Accepted Answer

Specificity and tension. A scroll-stopping opener promises a concrete payoff ('the 3-word edit that doubled my reply rate') or opens a loop the reader needs closed — not a vague 'let's talk about engagement'. Front-load it: on most feeds only the first line shows before a cut-off, so the hook has to do its work there. Test several angles for the same post; the winner is rarely the one you'd have guessed.

Question 5

How long should a caption be on each platform?

Accepted Answer

Match the length to the job, then check it against the limit. Instagram captions can run long for storytelling but the hook must land in the first ~125 characters before 'more'; X/Twitter rewards tight, standalone lines; LinkedIn truncates around two lines. TikTok and Reels captions are short by nature. The reliable move is to draft freely, then trim against a live counter so nothing important gets cut.

Question 6

How many hashtags should I actually use?

Accepted Answer

Fewer, and more relevant, than the old advice. The era of 30 generic tags is over — most platforms now reward a small set (roughly 3–8) that genuinely describe the post, mixing one or two broad tags with several specific, lower-competition ones. Stuffing tags reads as spammy and can suppress reach. Put them where they don't interrupt the read: end of the caption or first comment.

Question 7

How do I write a bio that converts visitors into followers?

Accepted Answer

Treat the bio as a one-line pitch, not a résumé. Open with who you help and the outcome they get, add a single proof point, and close with a reason to follow or a clear next step. Keep it skimmable, lead with the words people would search, and reserve any styled text for one emphasised phrase. Links and @mentions stay plain so they stay clickable.

Twitter / X Video Hook Generator