ChatGPT · AI · Short-form video
ChatGPT prompts for TikTok and Reels: hooks, scripts and captions
Copy-and-paste ChatGPT prompts for short-form video: hooks, 30-second scripts, UGC briefs, captions and a month of video ideas.
· 3 min read
Ask ChatGPT for “a TikTok script about candles” and you'll get something that could be about any candle, for anyone, on any app. That isn't the AI being bad at video. It's the prompt giving it nothing to work with.
The prompts below fix that. Each one tells ChatGPT who it's writing for, what the platform needs and what shape the answer should take. Swap the parts in square brackets for your own, and paste.
What makes a good ChatGPT prompt for video
- A role: “You are a short-form video strategist who writes for TikTok.”
- Context: what you sell, who it's for and the problem it solves.
- Constraints: length, word counts, tone, what to avoid.
- A format for the answer: a numbered list, a table, “say” and “show” columns.
- A request for options. Ten hooks are more useful than one.
Prompts for hooks
“You are a short-form video strategist. I sell [product] to [audience]. Write 10 opening hooks under 12 words each. Use a mix of: a mistake, a result first, a list, a contrarian take, a direct call-out and an open loop. Speak to the viewer as ‘you’. After each hook, name the pattern in brackets.”
“Here's my hook: [hook]. Give me 5 versions that are more specific, using numbers, names or a concrete result. Keep each one under 2 seconds to say out loud.”
Prompts for scripts
“Write a 30-second [TikTok/Reels] script about [topic] for [audience]. Structure: hook (0–3s), two or three short points (3–25s), one call to action (25–30s). For every line, give what I SAY, what the camera SHOWS and the text to put on screen. Write how people talk, in short sentences.”
“Here is a blog post: [paste]. Turn its single most useful point into a 20-second video script with a strong first line. Don't try to cover the whole post.”
Prompts for UGC
“Write a one-page brief for a UGC creator filming a video about [product] for [audience]. Include: the one message the video must land, three hook options, a 5–7 shot list filmed vertically on a phone, do's and don'ts, deliverables and a reminder to disclose the paid partnership.”
“Write a casual, 20-second testimonial-style script for [product], as if a real customer is talking to their phone. Mention one specific moment they noticed it working. No marketing words like ‘game-changer’ or ‘revolutionary’.”
Prompts for captions and hashtags
“Write three captions for a video about [topic]: one under 100 characters, one medium and one mini story. Open each with a line that makes people want to watch and end with one easy question. Then suggest 5–8 hashtags, mixing broad and niche.”
Prompts for a month of ideas
“Give me 30 short-form video ideas for [business] aimed at [audience]. Mix how-tos, mistakes to avoid, behind the scenes, customer stories, myths and quick tips. Return a table with Day, Format, Working title and a one-line Hook. No idea that would work for any business.”
What to do with the answer
- Ask for changes in plain language: “shorter”, “more like number 4”, “less salesy”.
- Read the script out loud. Cut any line you wouldn't actually say.
- Check every fact and product claim yourself. AI tools can state things confidently that aren't true.
- Film it in your own words. The prompt gets you a structure; your voice is what makes people stay.
ChatGPT is a fast first draft, not a finished video. Use it to get past the blank page, then spend the time you saved on the parts only you can do: filming, editing and showing up.
Turn your next take into a video people finish.
Captions timed to every word, a pinned hook and a tighter edit, all from the footage you already have.
Start free