Easy Views vs Hard Views
When building out a TikTok/Reel account strategy, you may be thinking of how to get the most views possible on your product. What you may not have considered is that not all views cost the same price.
Some views are easy and cheap to get. In contrast, other views may be more expensive, but they can also lead to better conversions.
These are four core formats we are using recurrently with our clients:
- Long story hooks without an app mention
- Long story hooks with an app mention
- Short or mid-size hooks leading to an app demo
- Talking-head videos (direct or green-screen)
Let’s dive into how we are using these and what advantages each hook holds.
Long Story Hooks without App Mention
It’s relatively easy to generate views with longer story hooks that don’t mention the app.
Like these three, for instance:
They’re the most “organic” videos. And since they don’t promote the app directly, your chances of getting views are drastically increased.
Usually, the goal with these hooks is to push the app through the comments section. Either you or the creator replies to every comment with a variation of “I’m using [appName].”
Why do they matter?
They let you test value propositions, like dissing your competitors or tackling one of your users’ core problems with specific language. This allows you to iterate and expand the app’s mention surfaces.
Doing 1,000 long story hooks in your niche will instantly build reach.
In an ideal world, as a social growth engineer, I’d warm up 10 accounts at a time with these organic, non-promotional niche hooks before pushing the app.
There’s a middle ground between quick conversions and long-term account-building.
To make these strategies stand the test of time, you need to build “influencer” or “influential” accounts within your vertical.
We’re currently building a relationship account for one of our in-house consumer apps. Three out of four hooks are solely triggering ones. These are getting 500,000 views every 3 to 5 videos.
Mixed with harder-to-view formats, this account has become one of our most profitable.
Now we mix them with:
Long Story Hooks with App Mention
These are a layer above: 5 to 7-second videos that include the app name alongside the story.
They convert at a higher level, but they’re not obvious fits for every app.
In the Airbuds example, they work mostly because the brand is so well-known that it acts as a bait, triggering engagement and spiraling into virality.
Short & Mid-size Hooks with App Demo
Statistically, the best format for conversions.
But, it’s harder to get views and harder to get right since the short hooks need to be repeated enough times to trigger algorithmic breakouts.
These three apps, in different markets, are punching through with this format. If repeated enough times, even with a 2-4% breakout rate, it can still be profitable.
Master this format, control the world.
Talking Head Videos
These are hard, but they’re money-printing machines.
These are longer formats, around 1 minute. And as you know, the longer the video, the higher the conversion per view.
If you can build a “talking head” or step-by-step “demo” influencer, your conversion ratio will skyrocket.
This single video we made for a company generated tens of thousands in revenue:
t’s a killer.
They’re the hardest for a reason, though. Speaking with excitement and actually convincing viewers is way harder than dropping a 280-character text hook over a slowed-down 5-second face shot.
The Killer Mix
When starting new accounts from scratch—whether it’s yours or your creators’—my optimal mix looks like this:
Start with long, engagement-baiting hooks within your vertical. These are exceptional for:
- Warming up accounts
- Understanding what creates conversations
This could be the most important part of the entire newsletter: what sparks conversation and comments is what most often drives virality.
If you understand the repeated behaviors and patterns in your niche, you can engineer high engagement. Manipulation is the “pro” mode of TikTok/Reel marketing.
Working backward from there is key.
Here’s an example:
We started working with a BookTok app. While building the initial strategy, we went through hundreds of BookTok videos and noticed it’s one of those high-engagement verticals with fanatics.
So I isolated half a dozen influencer videos:
And started repeating those hooks one by one. On the very first video from this creator account—jackpot. 180K views, high engagement.
And started repeating those hooks one by one. On the very first video from this creator account—jackpot. 180K views, high engagement.
Next, I added longer hooks that mention the app. When positioned correctly, especially with a big enough app that a % of viewers already know, these perform wonders.
The goal here is to mix and match with engagement hooks or “list” hooks.
Then I jump straight into the harder-view formats.
Short hook to demo. Hit and repeat until you find the short hook that works and the most “organic”-looking app showcase/demo.
Over-the-shoulder or in-action:
[study tok & meeting note recorders]
And started repeating those hooks one by one. On the very first video from this creator account—jackpot. 180K views, high engagement.
Next, I added longer hooks that mention the app. When positioned correctly, especially with a big enough app that a % of viewers already know, these perform wonders.
The goal here is to mix and match with engagement hooks or “list” hooks.
Then I jump straight into the harder-view formats.
Short hook to demo. Hit and repeat until you find the short hook that works and the most “organic”-looking app showcase/demo.
Over-the-shoulder or in-action:
[study tok & meeting note recorders]
When to Mix and When Not to Mix
In some niches, there’s no point in mixing. You find that one format that works, after multiple iterations, and then hit and repeat forever.
Mixing formats is great at the start and also when you’re building “influencer” accounts within your vertical. This, we’ve found, leads to greater yields in the mid to long term.
—
If anyone tells you there’s ONE way to do this, they’re either wrong or trying to sell you something.
There isn’t one way. There are many, many ways.
And the greatest yields will come when you find YOUR way.
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