How-To & Educational vs Experiment & Hack Hooks: Complete Comparison
You're trying to teach people something. You can give them a step-by-step guide. Or you can show them a weird experiment that worked. Both get clicks—but for different reasons. This guide breaks down when to use how-to & educational hooks vs experiment & hack hooks—not theory, actual methods used by hooks that got clicks.
The TL;DR
How-to & educational hooks teach people step-by-step processes. Experiment & hack hooks show weird experiments that worked. Use how-to when you want to position yourself as a teacher and create value through education. Use experiment when you want to position yourself as an innovator and create curiosity through discovery. How-to is about teaching. Experiment is about discovering.
What are How-To & Educational Hooks?
How-to & educational hooks teach people step-by-step processes. "How to [do something] in 5 steps." "The complete guide to [topic]." "Here's how to [achieve result] without [common mistake]." They engage through education. People see the hook and think: "I want to learn that. They're going to teach me." It's knowledge wrapped in structure.
The upside: they create value through education. When you teach people something useful, they click because they want to learn. They work well for content that solves problems or teaches skills. The downside: they can feel boring if overused. They might not work if the "how-to" isn't actually useful. But if you teach something people actually want to learn, they work.
how-to-educational Hooks
Hooks that share uncomfortable reality that makes people feel something.
"Let me break down exactly how this works"
"The 3-step framework for [achieving goal]"
"Here's how it's done in the industry..."
"Here's how to do this productivity hack..."
What are Experiment & Hack Hooks?
Experiment & hack hooks show weird experiments that worked. "I tried [weird thing] for 30 days. Here's what happened." "The hack that [surprising result]." "I experimented with [unusual approach] and it [unexpected outcome]." They engage through discovery. People see the hook and think: "That's weird. Did it actually work?" It's curiosity wrapped in experimentation.
The upside: they create curiosity through discovery. When you show an experiment, people want to know if it worked. They click because experiments feel like insider knowledge. They work well for content that reveals unexpected results. The downside: they can feel gimmicky if overused. They might not work if the experiment isn't actually interesting. But if you show a genuinely surprising experiment, they work.
experiment-hack Hooks
Hooks that make strong, attention-grabbing assertions about results.
"Here's what really happens behind closed doors"
"I challenged myself to [difficult goal] in 24 hours"
"I tried [method] for 30 days – here's what happened"
"This one hack will save you hours every week"
Key Differences
How-To & Educational Hooks
- •Teaching: Step-by-step processes and structured learning
- •Value: Create value through education and knowledge
- •Teacher: Position you as someone who teaches
- •Practical: Work well for content that solves problems
Experiment & Hack Hooks
- •Discovery: Weird experiments and unexpected results
- •Curiosity: Create curiosity through experimentation
- •Innovator: Position you as someone who experiments
- •Surprising: Work well for content that reveals discoveries
When to Use How-To & Educational Hooks
How-to & educational hooks work when you want to position yourself as a teacher and create value through education. Here's when they make sense.
Teaching Step-by-Step Processes
If you're teaching step-by-step processes, how-to hooks create value. "How to [do something] in 5 steps" makes people want to learn. Education creates clicks. If you want people to learn something useful, how-to works.
Positioning as Teacher
If you want to position yourself as a teacher, how-to hooks create that perception. "The complete guide to [topic]" makes you look knowledgeable. Teaching creates authority. If you want people to see you as an expert, how-to works.
Solving Problems
If you're solving problems, how-to hooks work well. "Here's how to [achieve result] without [common mistake]" teaches while solving. Problems create learning opportunities. If you want people to learn while getting value, how-to works.
Educational Content
If you're creating educational content, how-to hooks work well. "The complete guide to [topic]" teaches while engaging. Education creates value. If you want people to learn while being engaged, how-to works.
When to Use Experiment & Hack Hooks
Experiment & hack hooks work when you want to position yourself as an innovator and create curiosity through discovery. Here's when they make sense.
Showing Surprising Results
If you're showing surprising results, experiment hooks create curiosity. "I tried [weird thing] for 30 days. Here's what happened" makes people wonder if it worked. Surprises create clicks. If you want people to discover something unexpected, experiment works.
Positioning as Innovator
If you want to position yourself as an innovator, experiment hooks create that perception. "The hack that [surprising result]" makes you look creative. Experimentation creates innovation. If you want people to see you as creative, experiment works.
Revealing Discoveries
If you're revealing discoveries, experiment hooks work well. "I experimented with [unusual approach] and it [unexpected outcome]" shows you found something new. Discoveries create curiosity. If you want people to discover something new, experiment works.
Creating Insider Knowledge
If you want to create insider knowledge, experiment hooks work well. "The hack that [surprising result]" makes people feel like they're getting secrets. Secrets create clicks. If you want people to feel like insiders, experiment works.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Aspect | how-to-educational Hooks | experiment-hack Hooks |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement Type | Value through education | Curiosity through discovery |
| Focus | Teaching step-by-step processes | Showing experiments and discoveries |
| Best For | Teaching skills and solving problems | Revealing surprising results and discoveries |
| Emotional Trigger | Learning and value | Curiosity and discovery |
| Credibility Risk | Low—teaching feels valuable | Medium—can feel gimmicky if overused |
| Positioning | Teacher and expert | Innovator and experimenter |
Decision Framework: Which Should You Choose?
Use this framework to decide which approach fits your content.
Choose How-To & Educational Hooks If:
- ✓You're teaching step-by-step processes or skills
- ✓You want to position yourself as a teacher
- ✓Education matters more than discovery
- ✓You're creating educational or problem-solving content
- ✓You want to create value through knowledge
Choose Experiment & Hack Hooks If:
- ✓You're showing surprising experiments or results
- ✓You want to position yourself as an innovator
- ✓Discovery matters more than education
- ✓You're creating content that reveals discoveries
- ✓You want to create curiosity through experimentation
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between how-to & educational hooks and experiment & hack hooks?
How-to & educational hooks teach people step-by-step processes. Experiment & hack hooks show weird experiments that worked. How-to creates value through education. Experiment creates curiosity through discovery. Both work, but how-to is about teaching, while experiment is about discovering.
When should you use how-to & educational hooks?
Use how-to & educational hooks when you want to position yourself as a teacher. They work well for content that teaches skills, solves problems, or works for audiences who want to learn. How-to hooks create clicks through value. If you want people to learn something useful, how-to works better.
When should you use experiment & hack hooks?
Use experiment & hack hooks when you want to position yourself as an innovator. They work well for content that reveals discoveries, shows surprising results, or works for audiences who value experimentation. Experiment hooks create clicks through curiosity. If you want people to discover something unexpected, experiment works better.
Can you combine how-to & educational hooks and experiment & hack hooks?
Yes, but carefully. You can teach a process through an experiment. For example: "I tried [weird approach] for 30 days. Here's the step-by-step process that worked." This is both how-to and experiment. But don't overcomplicate it. Pick one primary approach. If you try to do both, you might confuse people. One clear hook beats two muddled ones.
Which hook type gets more engagement?
It depends on your audience and content. How-to hooks work better for audiences who value education and learning. Experiment hooks work better for audiences who value discovery and innovation. Test both. See what your audience responds to. The best hook is the one that works for YOUR audience, not the one that works in theory.
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