The Lab · open notebook
We run little experiments on hooks, thumbnails, captions and timing, on real client posts, then publish what happened. Including the ones where we were wrong.
results may vary. ours did.
Showing 9 experiments
Hypothesis
Opening on the finished result will keep more people watching than opening on the first step.
What we learned
Show the payoff early. Patience comes after proof.
Hypothesis
A human face in the first frame beats a product close-up for food content.
What we learned
For food, the food is the face. Keep both and test again.
Hypothesis
Thumbnails with three words or fewer will earn more clicks than longer titles on the image.
What we learned
The thumbnail is a sign, not a paragraph.
Hypothesis
A warm background on thumbnails will stand out more than a cool one in a busy feed.
What we learned
Contrast with the feed matters more than our favourite colour. Annoying.
Hypothesis
Ending a caption with a question people can answer in five words will double the replies.
What we learned
Make replying easy and people will. Make it homework and they will not.
Hypothesis
A first line written the way people search will bring more views from search than a clever line.
What we learned
Write line one for the search bar. Save the joke for line two.
Hypothesis
Posting when competitors are silent beats posting at the busiest time for the audience.
What we learned
A smaller crowd that is paying attention beats a big one that is not.
Hypothesis
Very short videos paired with longer, thoughtful captions will start more conversations.
What we learned
The video stops the thumb. The caption gives people something to say.
Hypothesis
Carousels with ten slides will earn more saves than carousels with five.
What we learned
Length is not the lever. A good slide two is.
Method
Step 01
One sentence, written down before we start, so nobody can pretend they knew all along.
Step 02
Same video, same day, same budget. Only the hook, the thumbnail or the caption moves.
Step 03
No peeking on day one. Early numbers lie, and they lie with great confidence.
Step 04
Wins, losses and the awkward middle. If it busts our favourite theory, it goes up anyway.
On the bench
Subtitles in yellow or white
3 days leftExp. L-038 · 64% through
Founder voice-over versus music only
5 days leftExp. L-039 · 38% through
Posting the same reel twice, a week apart
9 days leftExp. L-040 · 12% through
Lab notes, by email
Get the result the day a test closes.
Lab results go out first in the Tuesday Signal, before they land on this page.
Incoming, 4 new notifications
Bring us the idea your team keeps arguing about. We will design a fair test, run it on your posts and tell you who was right.
9:41
Tuesday, the day it took off
now
Your reel passed 100K views
And it is still climbing. Someone call your mum.
TikTok
2m
@ninawearsthings commented
who made this?? i need it in my life
Messages
6m
312 people sent your post
That is the good kind of word of mouth.
Updraft
11m
Next week’s forecast is ready
Three trends worth jumping on, one to skip.
