<b>The First-Frame Stop Test</b>

<b>The First-Frame Stop Test</b>
In-feed, you don't get a post — you get a single thumbnail frame and 0.4 seconds. The whole game is whether frame one stops the thumb. Engineer it deliberately.

The checklist:
□ Frame one shows a face mid-expression, not a logo or title card.
□ There's a visible 'question' on screen — something unresolved the eye wants to close.
□ High contrast subject against background (squint test: still readable?).
□ Zero dead space in the top third — that's where the feed crops.
□ No more than 6 words visible; they're a hook, not a summary.

Fail a box, your reach dies at impression. Re-cut frame one.

When to run it: before exporting any video or carousel.
Run it weekly.