Storytelling Tactics Top Creators Use To Hook You

I've studied thousands of the biggest creators in the world, and it turns out they're all using the same storytelling tactics to keep people hooked. So, in this video, I'm going to break down all of them. These are the nine best psychology tactics that you can use to keep people watching.

And once you know them, your storytelling will dramatically improve. By the way, I'm Callaway. I've got a million followers.

I've done a billion views. And storytelling is all I do all day long. All right.

The first trick to keeping viewers hooked is called comprehension maxing. And this really is the golden goose of storytelling psychology. If you can do this, you will win as a storyteller.

Now, the best creators do everything they can to max out viewer comprehension. Comprehension is how well a viewer actually understands what you're saying in a video. So, when someone starts watching, their understanding is at 100%.

But every sentence, every graphic, every additional word you say, that comprehension has the potential to go down. This is why retention charts look the way they do. Every second more and more people lose the grasp of their understanding, get confused, and then they bounce.

When a viewer gets confused, this is called comprehension loss. They're literally losing an understanding of what you're saying. And when this happens enough time in the video, they just stop watching because nobody likes being confused.

Now, the easiest way to increase comprehension is with visual matching. This means pairing your words with the right visual so the viewer can complete the comprehension puzzle in their own head. The better the visuals match the words, the more comprehension will go up.

And to show you what I mean, I want you to watch the intro to this video from Mr Beast. Behind me are a 100 circles with a 100 people inside of them. I don't care if this takes weeks, months, or even a year.

The last one of you to leave your circle wins that $500,000. Now, Jimmy is one of the best in the world at this. He says, "Behind me are 100 circles with 100 people inside them.

" And then he literally shows you the 100 circles zooming out with 100 people in them. Then he says, "I don't care if this takes weeks, months, or even a year. " And then shows a sped up time-lapse from the outside with seasons changing and snow altering on the mountains.

These are examples of matching the best possible visual with the sentence he's saying. And if you think this is happening by accident, it isn't. His team spends hours meticulously matching the visual shot selection to go with his words.

And it seems simple, but doing this right increases comprehension dramatically. And when comprehension goes up, the viewer stays hooked. And so the tactical approach is for you to ask yourself for every sentence I'm saying, what is the best possible visual I could be using to increase understanding.

Sometimes no visual is best, but almost always there's something you can add to increase comprehension and decrease confusion. By the way, if you like the way I do my visuals in these videos, I have a link to my editors in the description. All right, the second tip for hooking viewers is to use hawkkeye narratives when you're structuring your story flow.

If you think about a hawk, it surveys the world from high in the sky and then when it sees food, it dives down to go get it. The best stories work in the same way, broad and then deep. This is why almost all movie scenes start out with establishing shots first before zooming into the character and starting the action.

It's easier for viewers to buy into the plot and relate to the stakes if they have the broader context first. If you watch the scene from Interstellar by Christopher Nolan, you'll get exactly what I mean. [Music] [Music] It's an Indian Air Force drone.

Solar cells can power an entire farm. Take the wheel. This scene is from when Matthew McConna is driving through the cornfields chasing that drone.

What makes the scene most compelling is the contrast between broad and narrow. You can see the vastness of the fields, the speed of the drone, the insignificance of the truck relative to the land, and then it zooms into the truck and you hear the dialogue. The establishing shots wide and then zooming back in narrow is what creates the intrigue.

Great stories that hook you always have this flow from wide to narrow. Now, tactically, how might this Hawkeye narrative framework apply to a more educational or expertise style of content like what I make? What you want to do is try to give broad context for why something matters and then explain it from high to low.

If you dive into the tactics too quickly without orientation, it leads to comprehension loss. But if you never dive into the tactics and always stay high level only in strategy, then it's not actually helpful for the viewer. See how I'm presenting each of these points in this video?

It's context, then theory, then examples with tactics, broad to narrow. This is a better way to order information, and it will hook viewers more. All right.

All right. Now, before we keep going, if you like the way I explain things and you want more breakdowns of other parts of content like this storytelling, but also editing and ideas and packaging, I host a free content community called Wavy World. And we have over 15,000 creators, entrepreneurs, all working together to try to improve their content.

I've got a free invite link in the description for you if you want to join. All right. Now, another tactic the best creators use to maximize retention is explaining complex concepts using visual examples and metaphors.

This is such a hack if you can get your brain to think in this way. Visual examples work because they give a viewer a second chance to understand the concept in a real world setting. You say something once and then you show it a second time in a different way.

And yep, when you do this, it significantly increases the comprehension of what you're saying. A good example of this is the way I've presented this video so far. I share a tip, but then I reexlain that tip using a complimentary visual, something that makes it easier to see the learning in action.

Now, tactically, if you want to get better at thinking in metaphors, it can be super helpful to look at the world around you and try to relate things to one another. For example, if I was trying to explain the flow of storytelling, I might think about a wave in the ocean. The tide comes in and out.

Tension builds and release just like the flow of a story. And the reason this works is because more people have a pre-baked understanding of the ocean than of storytelling. And so, when I describe something they know with something they don't know, inherently it makes comprehension go up.

Effectively, to get good at this, you have to train your brain to start thinking in comparisons. You're comparing one thing that's hard to understand with another that's easier. I found Steve Jobs was incredible at this.

Watch this clip of him from the original iPhone keynote. Why do we need a revolutionary user interface? I mean, here's four smartphones, right?

Motorola Q, the Blackberry, Palm Tree, Noki E62, the usual suspects. And what's wrong with their user interfaces? Well, the problem with them is really sort of in the bottom 40 there.

It's it's this stuff right here. They all have these keyboards that are there whether you need them or not to be there. And they all have these control buttons that are fixed in plastic and are the same for every application.

Well, every application wants a slightly different user interface, a slightly optimized set of buttons just for it. And what happens if you think of a great idea 6 months from now? You can't run around and add a button to these things.

They're already shipped. So, what do you do? Hm.

It turns out we have solved it. We solved it in computers 20 years ago. We solved it with a bit mapap screen that could display anything we want.

Put any user interface up and a pointing device. We solved it with the mouse. So, how are we going to take this to a mobile device?

But what we're going to do is get rid of all these buttons and just make a giant screen. A giant screen. Now, how are we going to communicate this?

We don't want to carry around a mouse, right? So, what are we going to do? Oh, a stylus, right?

We're going to use a stylus. No. Now, who wants a stylus?

You have to get them and put them away and you lose them. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus.

So, let's not use a stylus. We're going to use the best pointing device in the world. We're going to use a pointing device that we're all born with.

We're born with 10 of them. We're going to use our fingers. Now, in this clip, Steve is explaining why they built touch controls into the original iPhone.

And he could have just explained that core functionality in words. He could have even showed it in a live demo. But instead, the most compelling visual option was to show the mechanical keyboards from the previous versions.

This again helps increase comprehension because the iPhone was better. It gives it something to compare it against. Tactically, if you want to use more visual examples and metaphors in your own videos, you need to ask yourself, what common thing in the world is a strong representation of the uncommon thing I'm trying to explain.

All right. Now, the fourth tactic for hooking viewers is to establish common ground as quickly as you can. The best creators are super good at this.

They want you to see yourself in them. And to do this, they use relatable characters, scenes, references to people, little things that make you relate. One of the best ways to get people to understand you is to show that you understand them.

For example, I try to speak to you, not just from the perspectives of me or I. And that helps build common ground between us. And the reason building common ground works so well is buried deep in our subconscious psychology.

The human brain is trained to search for relatability. This is because as children, we were trained to locate our parents in a crowd full of strangers for safety. So when you see or hear something that you already understand, it subconsciously relaxes the brain.

It helps you relate. It builds that common ground. Now, two great examples of this are Casey Neistat and Ali Abdal.

And they build common ground in completely different ways. For Casey, he uses the visual consistency of his vibe, location, his studio, his office, his sunglasses to create a visual consistency from video to video. After you've been exposed to it once, you know what to expect.

And you get that common relatability feeling from every video after. And this is a more subtle way of building common ground. It's less of him relating to you directly and more of you getting more of the authentic version of him over and over and over.

It's that consistency that soos the brain. Now, this other example of Ali Abdal is even better at this. Broadly, two different options.

Option number one is you've just got to suffer. It's called work for a reason. Work is not supposed to be enjoyable.

It's just capitalism. It's just government. It's a system.

There's nothing you can do about it. You might as well just sort of grin and bear it. And then option number two that is often pedled by online influencer type people including me in fairness is that hey if you don't like your job it's an option.

In this video Ali is talking about hating your job and trying to get out of it as a point of commonality between him and the viewer. He then shows visual examples from the Incredibles Fight Club and even him in his office looking miserable. And this subconsciously builds common ground between him and you and then both of you in relation to those pop culture references.

He does this super early on in the video to make sure that common ground is immediately established. And by doing this, you want to listen to what he says because it feels like he gets you. So tactically in your own videos, what you want to do is try to build common ground, either through lived experience, the things you show on camera, or the words you use to explain your concepts.

If you can build that common ground and connection quicker, the sooner someone will opt in to wanting to hear what you say. All right. Another super helpful tactic for hooking the viewer is by using simpler words and simpler ideas.

And I know this seems counterintuitive. You'd think the more complex and unique your ideas, the more differentiated you would seem and the more your content would cut through. But this is the wrong way to think about it.

Complex ideas are only interesting if someone understands them. And the more complex the words, the harder it is to keep that comprehension high. So a trick is to just use simpler words.

Say less things more concisely in a simpler framing because the truth is the core reason for the idea is why people say the simplicity in your delivery will actually just increase hookability. Now good examples of this are of course Mr Beast and even Ryan Treyan with his penny to $1,000 series. This is a penny and my fingernail fell off.

I turned a penny into $1,000 in high school. However, I used things like the internet, my car, and my low self-esteem and it took me 40 days. Well, today I only have 24 hours and this bike and my phone and still still the low self-esteem as well.

It all starts right now. Now, start the clock. Start the These are super simple ideas and if you watch them explain them in the intro, they use super short sentences, simple words, and basic phrasing.

Again, there's a reason why these ideas do so well. The secret is in the clarity. Now, if you make more expertise or educational style content, how can you translate this learning for your stuff?

The process is to be constantly remixing down to the atomic unit of the words. You need to think simpler, simpler, simpler, so that a smart 8-year-old would fully understand what you're saying. And again, to build on previous concepts, using visuals is a great way to bridge this gap.

The honest truth is, people don't like feeling dumb. If you were to click on an organic chemistry lesson from Harvard, how long would you keep watching? Not very long.

It's because most people wouldn't understand what they're saying. The complexity of the topics create confusion and nobody likes that. The simpler and clearer the better.

Trust me. All right. The sixth tip for hooking viewers is by using a visual stun gun.

And this is a super powerful concept if you can understand it. I view visuals in two ways. One way is to increase comprehension and the other is to use a visual stun gun to hold attention just long enough to make your point.

The best creators use visual matching for the comprehension and then visual switching for the stun gun. Visual switching is just the speed with which visuals change on the screen. And there's a sweet spot of visual pacing that keeps the viewer subconscious brain busy without being overwhelmed.

And I think of this like a stun gun. I don't want to overwhelm you. I just want to stun you long enough to hold your attention.

Now, someone that does this really well on the slower end is MKBHD. He has a super relaxed, not over-the-top editing style. And when you study the pacing of his switches on the timeline, you can tell it's designed to be just fast enough to hold your attention.

Someone who does this on the fast end is Mr Who's the Boss. And I wouldn't go any faster or crazier than he does because really the editing trend is to slow down. But the range between MKBHD and Mr Who's the Boss is where you should be on your visual switching pacing.

You could actually put one of each video on the timeline and then mark every time a visual changes. That'll give you a sense for exactly where the range is. And remember, jump cuts also count for visual switching.

So, it doesn't have to just be B-rolls or graphics, but you want to change something on the screen every certain amount of seconds. All right. Now, another easy way to hook the viewer is to just give them what they want, but do it sooner.

This is called value compression. Bring the part they actually want up earlier in the video so that if they bounce after a few minutes, at least they're leaving with something valuable. Most people are afraid to give the good stuff early because they think people won't stay until the end.

I think this is nonsense. I'd rather give you something valuable than nothing if you're going to leave after 4 minutes. And if you just elevate all of your stuff, then you've got good stuff at the beginning and the end.

Now, a great example of this is Hormosi in this video. I've been in business for 13 years, and since 2020, three of the companies I started have reached $100 million plus valuation. Here's no BS advice to help you crush 2025.

My first piece of advice is set fewer goals and do less long-term plan. He got to the first valuable tip like 12 seconds in. immediate compression and immediately hooked.

The tactical adjustment here is to write your intro. Then reread it and cut every single sentence that doesn't need to be there. Anything that's fluff, cut it.

No need for a windup. Just pitch the ball immediately. And this is so important that after my videos are edited, before I post, I'll go one more time through and I'll cut every sentence that I don't think is needed, even if the graphics look great.

Value compression is something that you can focus on right away and immediately level up your videos. All right. Now, the easiest way to hook viewers for longer, especially if you make educational or expertise style content, is to come with proof.

This is a really easy way to psychologically hook someone. Just prove you've done the thing you say you've done subliminally and lock in that trust from the beginning. And this can, can of course be done in the cringy way, like the sleas balls wearing Rolexes to try to sell you their course, or also in a super positive way, literally showing screenshots and receipts and proof.

Either way, the faster you can get to proof, the easier it will be to hook someone that wants to achieve a similar outcome. And the reason for this is because of your subconscious BS detector. When people watch educational content, they're always mapping what they're hearing against what they believe to be true or BS.

And authentic proof is the easiest way to assuage these concerns because you immediately trust someone more if what they're saying has been proven to work before. Now, the best example of this in the business niche is Hormosi. Again, watch this intro with him.

If we were to just triple and get to a million this year, would you be okay with that? We're gonna make you so much money. This is Ashley.

She runs a personal styling business. And my name is Alex Moszie and I own acquisition. com, which is a portfolio of companies that makes more money than I will ever need for the rest of my life.

And so today, Ashley will be explaining to me her biggest business challenges. And I'm going to try to help her scale her business to a million dollars in revenue and beyond. He almost always qualifies his advice with proof of his background so you can trust what he's saying immediately.

And this is just enough to disarm your BS detector. The truth is, tactically, if you want to get better at this, the best way to come with proof is to actually have proof. And so, if you don't have any proof, go get some proof in a small way.

Work for free for one client so you have something to share. I'm telling you, having proof makes a massive, massive difference, especially with educational and expertise style content. All right.

Now, tip number nine. I saved the best for last. This really is the secret weapon behind all the world's greatest storytellers.

They set up contrast. Now, contrast is just the difference between expectations and reality. I believe this thing, you told me that thing.

That difference is contrast. They get you leaning one way and then they reveal some new information, some twist, some other scenario, and snap you back to the other way. The root of all great hooking is contrast.

And funny enough, people do this all the time in regular everyday conversation if you know how to look for it. They'll start out saying, you know, that was cool, but this this is really really cool. That's contrast.

They just don't know they're doing it. Now, I've talked a lot about contrast before on this channel because it's so so important to getting your stories to actually stick. The truth is, it's as simple as this.

The bigger the contrast, the more hooked you'll be. Now, tactically, if you want to start creating better contrast in your videos, you need to figure out what the base expectation actually is. What's the common belief that most people would hold and then how can you contradict against it?

And this applies to both educational and entertainment content. All content has contrast and the best contrast creates the best hook. Think about this.

Is Prince Charming fighting a dragon interesting? Well, kind of. But what's more interesting is Prince Charming on a horse walking calmly through the forest and then a dragon appearing.

It's the change in state that creates intrigue, not just the state. All right, guys. That's all I've got for this video.

As always, please let me know what you thought of this one in the comments so that I can keep getting better for next time. And remember, there is so much free stuff in the description. If you're trying to get better with content, check all that stuff out.

I promise it will help you. And with that, we will see you guys on the next one. Peace.