TikTok split test: how to test AI avatar ad hooks

To test hooks on TikTok, create a split test, choose one variable (Creative Assets, which TikTok says covers the initial "hooks", the opening 2-3 seconds), and give each ad group a video that differs only in that opening. On Sume, each hook is its own POST /v1/avatar-1.0/talking-video job whose first scene changes while the avatar, background, quality and aspect ratio stay fixed. Set the schedule to at least 7 days.

TikTok's side is from Split Testing Variables and How to create a split test, both read 2026-10-03. Sume's side is from Generate avatar video.

What the split test fixes for you

The test design is TikTok's job; the clips are yours. Two rules shape how you render.

Render the variants so only the hook differs

Use one ready avatar_handle and video_inputs, with the same aspect_ratio (the default is 9:16), quality (the default is plus) and scene background in both requests. Only the voice.script of the first scene changes. Sume's docs say the planned duration must land in the 4-60 second window, so keep both hook lines the same length when you can.

Send a different Idempotency-Key per variant, and reuse a key only to retry the exact same payload. Sume's jobs docs say to reuse a key only for the same operation and payload.

{
  "avatar_handle": "sume_clawra",
  "aspect_ratio": "9:16",
  "quality": "plus",
  "video_inputs": [
    {
      "id": "hook",
      "voice": { "type": "text", "script": "Wait, this turned one selfie into a whole video?", "duration": 3 },
      "background": { "type": "prompt", "prompt": "Casual bedroom framing, native UGC lighting" }
    },
    {
      "id": "body",
      "voice": { "type": "text", "input_text": "You pick a template, drop in your photo, and it builds the clip around you.", "duration": 5 },
      "background": { "type": "prompt", "prompt": "Casual bedroom framing, native UGC lighting" }
    }
  ]
}

Each variant is a full job

Sume's docs describe every avatar video as its own job billed per second; they do not describe reusing a finished body in a second render. Plan the test as N full renders, not one body plus N openers. If you want to approve framing first, use an avatar video preview, which shows first-frame stills before the full render.

Burn captions with the captions field so the on-screen text matches the spoken hook in every variant.