Glossary / Release

Internet speak

Hook

A hook is the part of a song, or the first seconds of a video, built to grab attention and make people stay.

Also called: the hook, video hook

By Aulto · Last reviewed

Song hook or video hook?

Both. In a song, the hook is the line or melody people remember. In a reel or Short, it's the opening one to three seconds that decide whether someone keeps watching.

Why does it matter for releases?

Short-form video lifts the hook out of the song. The clip people share is usually the hook, so it's the part to put in snippets, teasers and ads.

Example

A reel opens on the song's chorus with a caption that asks a question, rather than a slow intro, and holds viewers past the first second.

  • Snippet

    A snippet is a short clip of an unreleased song shared to build interest before release, usually 10 to 30 seconds of the catchiest part.

  • Drop

    A drop is a release that goes out at a set moment, like a new song, a merch line or a product, announced ahead so people show up at once.

  • Call to action

    A call to action (CTA) is the one specific thing you ask people to do next, like "Pre-save now" or "Comment RECIPE".

  • Cover art

    Cover art is the square image that represents a release on every streaming service, store and smart link page.

  • Master recording

    The master recording is the final, released version of a recorded song, and whoever owns it owns the rights to that specific recording.

  • Metadata

    Metadata is the information attached to a release: title, artist names, credits, language, genre, release date and codes like the ISRC and UPC.

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