YouTube Hook Analyzer: Is My Intro Good?
Find out if your first 30 seconds keep viewers watching. Get a hook score, line-by-line feedback, and a stronger rewritten opening for your video.
How It Works
Submit Your Video
Paste the link to any video on your channel
Opening Evaluated
AI grades your first 30 seconds across five retention factors
Improve & Refilm
Use the rewritten hook and detailed scores to strengthen your intro
Perfect For
Pre-Publish Testing
Grade your intro before hitting publish to catch weak openings early
Retention Troubleshooting
Find out why viewers drop off in the first 30 seconds of your video
Script Refinement
Compare different hook drafts to see which one scores highest
Niche Benchmarking
Grade top performers in your niche and reverse-engineer their openings
FAQ
Which factors does the grading system evaluate?
Five core areas: attention grab (how strong the first five seconds are), curiosity loop (the reason viewers keep watching), value promise (what the audience will gain), pacing (whether the delivery feels too fast, too slow, or just right), and title match (whether the hook actually delivers on the title). Each factor is scored from 0 to 10.
Does my video need captions for this to work?
Yes. The tool reads the video transcript to extract the opening 30 seconds. YouTube auto-generates captions for most videos, so the majority of uploads will work. If your video has no captions at all, you will see an error message.
How should I use the rewritten hook suggestion?
Treat it as creative inspiration, not a word-for-word replacement. The AI keeps your topic and voice but restructures the opening for maximum engagement. Many creators use it as a template when scripting their next upload or as an A/B test against their original intro.
What score range should I aim for?
Anything above 70 is solid. Scores of 80 and up are exceptional. Most YouTube videos land between 40 and 50, so even small improvements can set your content apart. Focus on raising your weakest factor first for the biggest retention gains.
How many hooks can I grade each day?
Up to 5 grades per day on the free tier, no signup needed. That is usually enough to test your latest uploads. ChannelGrade's paid plans remove the daily cap and include automatic grading for every new video you publish.