Every short-form video lives or dies in the first three seconds.
You know this. Your team knows this. And yet, when it's time to write the hook for a new video, what happens? Someone opens TikTok and starts scrolling for "inspiration." An hour later, they've watched 47 videos, saved 3 to a swipe file they'll never open again, and still aren't sure what to write.
There's a better way.
What is the ScriptHooks API?
The ScriptHooks API gives you programmatic access to a growing database of 3,400+ proven video hooks — pulled from content with 100K to 8B+ views. Every hook is tagged with metadata: niche, emotional trigger, archetype, platform, and performance data.
Instead of scrolling for inspiration, you search for it.
Ten proven hooks for finance content using curiosity gaps. In milliseconds.
The database updates daily, so you're always working with what's performing now — not what worked six months ago.
Who Is This For?
The API is built for teams that create content at scale and need hooks to be a system, not a guessing game.
Content Agencies
Producing videos for multiple clients across different niches. Instead of starting from scratch for each brief, your team searches the database and adapts proven patterns.
UGC Platforms & Creator Networks
Need to arm creators with better hooks. Integrate the API into your brief builder or creator portal so every script starts with data-backed options.
AI Writing Tools & Content Platforms
Looking to differentiate. Your AI-generated scripts are only as good as the hooks they open with. Plug into real performance data instead of training on generic patterns.
Performance Marketing Teams
Testing hook variations at scale. The API lets you programmatically generate hook options for A/B testing without manual research.
What's In the Database?
Every hook includes:
- Hook text — the exact wording from the source video
- View count — performance from the original content (100K to 8B+ views)
- Platform — TikTok, YouTube Shorts, Instagram Reels
- Niche — finance, fitness, tech, beauty, lifestyle, and more
- Archetype — curiosity gap, bold claim, pattern interrupt, controversy, story setup, direct benefit, social proof
- Emotional trigger — fear, aspiration, curiosity, FOMO, surprise, outrage
The Seven Endpoints
GET /hooks
List and filter hooks by niche, archetype, emotion, platform, and minimum view count.
GET /hooks/search
Full-text search across hook content. Find hooks containing specific phrases or words.
GET /hooks/random
Get random hooks, optionally filtered by niche or archetype.
GET /hooks/{id}
Retrieve a single hook by ID with full metadata.
GET /archetypes
List all hook archetypes with descriptions and counts.
GET /stats
Database statistics: total hooks, breakdown by platform and niche.
GET /trends
Trending hook patterns based on recent performance.
Real Use Cases
An agency builds a brief template that auto-populates hook suggestions based on the client's niche. The creative team starts with five proven options instead of a blank page.
A UGC platform integrates the API so creators see relevant hooks when they accept a job. Better hooks mean better content mean happier clients.
A content tool uses the API to seed their AI writer with real hooks before generating scripts. The output feels less generic because it's grounded in what actually performs.
A performance team pulls 20 hooks matching their campaign criteria, generates variations, and runs them as ad creative. Data-informed testing from the start.
The Time Savings Are Real
Hook research is one of those tasks that feels quick but isn't. "I'll just scroll for 10 minutes and find something" turns into 45 minutes of watching videos, and you still end up second-guessing your choice.
With the API, your team can:
- Go from brief to hook options in under 60 seconds
- Skip the "scrolling for inspiration" trap entirely
- Justify creative decisions with performance data
- Build hooks into your workflow as a system, not a bottleneck
Pricing
| Plan | Monthly Calls | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | 1,000 | $29/mo |
| Growth | 10,000 | $99/mo |
| Scale | 100,000 | $299/mo |
| Enterprise | 1,000,000+ | Custom |
Getting Started
- Get your API key — Contact wes@scripthooks.ai with your use case
- Read the docs — Full documentation at scripthooks.ai/api-docs
- Test with the sandbox — Use
hk_test_developmentto explore - Integrate — Python, JavaScript, cURL examples in the docs
The Bottom Line
Hooks shouldn't be a guessing game. They shouldn't eat up hours of your team's time. And they definitely shouldn't be the reason good content underperforms.
The ScriptHooks API turns hook ideation from an art into a system. You still bring the creativity — the API just makes sure you're starting with patterns that already work.