Write hooks that stop the scroll
The first line decides whether anyone reads the rest, so give a marketing specialist your topic and get hooks built to stop the scroll: a tension, a promise, or a small surprise in the first few words. Write several, test them, and keep the one that earns the second line.
You can write the best post in the world, but if the first line does not stop the thumb, nobody will ever know.
Step by step
- 1
Lead with tension or a promise
Open on the stakes, the surprise, or the payoff — not a throat-clearing intro.
- 2
Cut the warm-up words
Delete "In this post…" and get to the interesting bit in the first few words.
- 3
Write three or four
Draft several hooks for the same post — the first one is rarely the best.
- 4
Keep the one that lands
Test them and run the hook that actually earns the read.
Earn the second line
Every line of a post has one job: get the reader to the next line. The first line has the hardest version of that job, against a thumb that is already moving. Spend your effort there.
Key terms
- Hook.
- The opening line whose only job is to earn the second line.
- Curiosity gap.
- A hint of something the reader now needs to resolve — so they keep going.
FAQ
Should every post have a hook?
Yes — the scroll is merciless, and a weak opener wastes everything that follows.
Can a hook be too clickbaity?
If it over-promises and the post under-delivers, the let-down costs you trust. Keep the hook honest to what follows.