So you’ve got a spicy opinion on something. You’ve written about it. Added a stack of valuable insights. But it’s getting ZERO traction.
Why?!
Because your first line didn’t hook them in.
Whether you’re writing LinkedIn posts, blog intros, emails or ads, the job of your first sentence is not to explain everything — it’s to make people want to read the second one.
That’s the power of a great hook.
Why hooks matter more than ever
We live in the attention economy. Your audience is overloaded and overstimulated. If your content doesn’t hook someone in the first line or two, they won’t read the rest. It doesn’t matter how good your message is if no one gets far enough to read it.
A good hook stops the scroll.
A great hook opens a loop and makes people want to close it by reading on.
What makes a killer hook?
There’s no one-size-fits-all, but strong hooks usually include at least one of these:
- Intrigue – it hints at something unexpected
- Bold opinion – takes a stance, draws a line in the sand
- Controversy – breaks a norm, flips a script, challenges a belief
- Relevancy – it hits a timely pain point or desire
- Clarity – it’s specific, not fluffy
So what makes a ‘bad’ hook?
They’re vague or vanilla. They’re far too wordy. And they’re usually brown cardigan safe.
Anything that begins with “In today’s digital landscape…” should probably go straight to trash.
How I write hooks that actually work
This is the process I come back to:
- Write the content first. What’s the one idea I’m trying to land?
- Identify the tension. What pain, gap, belief or shift is driving this?
- Pick an angle. Do I want to challenge, surprise, validate, or provoke?
- Write 3–4 different hooks. Never settle on your first try.
- Say it out loud. If it doesn’t make you pause or smirk, it’s not ready.
- Make it about them, not you. If your hook starts with “I want to share…” or “I’ve been thinking about…” rework it. Your audience should feel seen, not sold to.
Some real-life examples of boring to brilliant
Here are a few before-and-afters that show what a small tweak can do:
BORING:
“Let’s talk about brand consistency.”
BETTER:
“Your brand is boring because it’s too consistent.”
BORING:
“Here are 5 tips for content writing.”
BETTER:
“Stop writing content like it’s 2016. Here’s what actually works now.”
BORING:
“AI is changing the way we do marketing.”
BETTER:
“AI didn’t kill your creativity, but it definitely put it on autopilot.”
BORING:
“Here’s why positioning matters for your business.”
BETTER:
“Your offer isn’t the problem. Your positioning is.”
BORING:
“Let’s talk about my services.”
BETTER:
“Here’s what it’s like to work with someone who gives a sh*t.”
Your hook doesn’t need to be perfect. But it needs to do one job:
Make them want to read the next line.
If you can do that, line after line, you’re already ahead of 90% of content out there.
Want help writing hooks that actually work? That’s my jam.
