Hook Classification Rules (Instagram)
Feature extraction and scoring heuristics ig-hook-extractor uses to map a post
to one of the 10 formulas in ../../../references/hook-formulas.md.
Step 1: detect the surface
| Signal | Surface |
|---|---|
| One photo + a caption | single image (look at IG1-IG4) |
| 2-10 stacked images, swipe dots | carousel (look at IG5-IG8) |
| Video, vertical, audio | Reel (look at IG9-IG10) |
The URL helps: /reel/ is a Reel; /p/ is a single image or a carousel (the
caret/dots in the app distinguish them, so ask the user).
Step 2: extract hook features
Caption hooks (first ~125 chars)
| Feature in the first line | Formula |
|---|---|
| An odd-precision number + a "steal this / here is how" promise | IG1 Number-First Result |
| A flat claim that contradicts common advice | IG2 Contrarian Truth |
| A specific shared moment, no setup, no number | IG3 Relatable Cold-Open |
| A first-person time marker + an admitted cost or surprise | IG4 Mini-Story Confession |
Carousel hooks (slide 1 + structure)
| Feature | Formula |
|---|---|
| Slide 1 promises N numbered items; body is one item per slide | IG5 Listicle |
| Slide 1 shows an "after"; slide 2 the "before"; body is steps | IG6 Before/After |
| Body slides pair "Myth:" with "Truth:" | IG7 Myth-Buster |
| Slide 1 names a framework; last slide summarizes it on one slide | IG8 Steal-This Framework |
Reel hooks (first 1-3 seconds)
| Feature | Formula |
|---|---|
| A pattern interrupt / open-loop on-screen text, no slow intro | IG9 Pattern-Interrupt |
| "How I {result} in {timeframe}" + labeled steps | IG10 How-I Teardown |
Step 3: score confidence
- High (0.8+): the hook matches one formula's skeleton cleanly and the body follows its structure.
- Medium (0.5-0.8): the hook fits but the body is loose, or two formulas overlap (common: IG1 and IG10 both use a result + steps). Return the top 2.
- Low (under 0.5): no clean match. Describe the structure literally and suggest the closest formula as a starting point.
When two fit, the tiebreaker is the primary goal (below) and the surface: a caption-only result is IG1, the same result as a Reel with steps is IG10.
Step 4: name the primary goal
Infer what the original optimized for from its structure and close:
| Close / structure | Likely goal |
|---|---|
| "save this", a list, a framework, a how-to | saves |
| "send this to..", a contrarian or myth payoff | shares |
| a relatable moment, a question, a confession | comments |
| proof of transformation, "follow for.." | follows |
Step 5: build the blank template
Copy the matched formula's skeleton from ../../../references/hook-formulas.md, keep its slot
structure, and relabel the slots to the user's topic. Strip any AI tells the
original had (do not propagate an AI-vocab cluster or a 30-hashtag block into
the template; a single em dash in the original is fine).
Step 6: audit the source
Flag, so the user does not copy them:
- em dashes above about one per 100 words; en dashes between clauses
- an AI vocabulary cluster (3+ markers in one paragraph: leverage, fundamentally, significant, elevate)
- 20-30 hashtags crammed at the top
- engagement bait ("comment YES", "tag 3 friends")
- a hook that only makes sense after the "more" fold
