First three seconds self-test
Ten questions on first-frame clarity, cold-viewer context, momentum, caption timing, and payoff readiness. Runs entirely in your browser.
Run the self-testResources
Diagnose the cut. Keep the creator’s judgment.
Tools, checklists, and sample reports for reviewing hooks, weak seconds, pacing, captions, and payoff timing before publishing. Start with the free self-test if you have a cut open right now.
Free tools
No upload, no account.
Video Hook Analyzer
Review first-frame clarity, opening context, caption timing, and the promise in the first three seconds.
Review the hookVideo Retention Analyzer
Inspect weak seconds, pacing drag, confusing transitions, captions, and delayed payoff across the cut.
Review pacing and payoffStart here
The three articles that carry most of the method.
How to check your hook before posting
A first-three-seconds QA pass for Shorts, Reels, and TikToks.
Run the hook checklistThe weak second
Find the earliest moment where context, pace, or repetition gives a viewer a reason to leave.
Find the weak secondBefore you post: the short-form checklist
A structural scorecard covering first frame, captions, pacing drag, payoff distance, and platform fit.
Use the checklistBy problem
Start from the symptom you can see.
Zero views on YouTube Shorts
Separate eligibility and visibility from the opening before you recut anything.
Diagnose zero viewsZero views on TikTok
Eligibility, account status, originality, and what a creator can actually influence.
Diagnose TikTokZero views on Instagram Reels
Account and recommendation checks before a first-frame or caption diagnosis.
Diagnose ReelsStuck near 200 views
Why a plateau is a prompt to inspect the cut, not a verdict on the channel.
Read the diagnosisShorts stopped getting views
Format fatigue, packaging drift, and what sits outside the edit entirely.
Work through a stallWhat a view plateau can and cannot tell you
Separating observable facts from structural hypotheses worth testing.
Read the worksheetBy craft
The four things a structural review looks at.
Hooks by platform
What changes between a Shorts, TikTok, and Reels opening — and what does not.
Compare hook patternsCaption timing
Check whether captions arrive before confusion and stay clear of the action lane.
Check caption timingWhy Reels lose viewers early
Polished openings that still ask the viewer to wait for the reason to watch.
Read the diagnosisProduct demos that do not convert
When the interface appears before the problem it solves.
Read the diagnosisFor editors and agencies
Turning reactions into timestamped decisions.
The agency QA pass
A structured review pass for editors, agencies, and client delivery.
Use the revision checklistGiving an editor usable feedback
Replacing “make it more engaging” with a timestamp and a decision.
Write better notesWhat a Shorts editor costs
Compare quotes by scope rather than runtime, and know when hiring is the wrong first move.
Compare by scopeReference
How the review works, and where its limits are.
Methodology
How structural signals, uncertainty, and practical revision notes are framed.
Read the methodologySample structural reports
Twelve reports across creator content, fan edits, product demos, and agency workflows.
Browse sample reportsHow pre-upload tools compare
A source-checked comparison of pre-upload review, editing, clipping, and analytics products.
Compare the categoryPricing and availability
The current public review model and whether private analysis is open.
View pricing status