You wrote a great post.

You spent an hour on it. You revised it three times. You hit publish.

And then... 12 views. 2 likes. No comments.

The problem wasn't your content. It was your first line.

Your hook is a filter, not a door. If the first sentence doesn't grab attention in under 2 seconds, the rest doesn't matter. The scroll continues.

Here's how to fix it.

The Anatomy of a High-Performing Hook

A good hook does three things:

  1. Stops the scroll - Creates pattern interruption (curiosity, surprise, disagreement)
  2. Signals relevance - Makes it clear who this is for and what problem it solves
  3. Promises a payoff - Hints at value without giving everything away

Most hooks fail because they're too generic ("Social media is important") or too clever ("Once upon a scroll..."). The best hooks are specific, direct, and trigger an emotional response.

8 Hook Formulas That Work

1. The Controversial Take

Format: "[Widely accepted belief] is wrong."

Example:

  • "Daily posting is killing your reach."
  • "LinkedIn carousels are a waste of time in 2026."
  • "You don't need a content calendar."

Why it works: Disagreement creates cognitive tension. People stop to defend their beliefs or see if you have a point.

When to use: When you have data or experience that contradicts conventional wisdom.

2. The Mistake Call-Out

Format: "You're doing [X] wrong. Here's why."

Example:

  • "You're scheduling your posts at the wrong time. Here's why."
  • "Your LinkedIn headline is costing you clients."
  • "You're repurposing content incorrectly."

Why it works: Fear of doing something wrong triggers immediate curiosity. It's specific and implies a solution.

When to use: When teaching a skill or correcting a common error.

3. The Number + Curiosity Gap

Format: "[Number] [thing] that [surprising result]"

Example:

  • "3 posts that got me 10,000 followers (none were viral)."
  • "5 LinkedIn mistakes that killed my engagement for 6 months."
  • "The 1 metric I track that tripled my reach."

Why it works: Numbers create structure. Curiosity gaps ("none were viral") add intrigue.

When to use: For listicles, case studies, or tactical advice posts.

4. The "I Used to Believe" Shift

Format: "I used to believe [X]. Then I learned [Y]."

Example:

  • "I used to think consistency meant posting daily. Then I tried this."
  • "I thought LinkedIn favored long posts. I was wrong."
  • "I used to copy viral posts. It destroyed my credibility."

Why it works: Personal transformation stories are relatable. Readers want to know what changed your mind.

When to use: When sharing a lesson learned or mindset shift.

5. The Specific Question

Format: Ask a question so specific it feels personally targeted.

Example:

  • "Do you have 37 draft posts and zero published this month?"
  • "Still using Canva templates from 2022?"
  • "Spending 3 hours writing one LinkedIn post?"

Why it works: Hyper-specific questions make readers feel seen. If they say "yes," they keep reading.

When to use: When addressing a common pain point in your niche.

6. The Counter-Intuitive Stat

Format: "[Unexpected data point] explains [common problem]."

Example:

  • "Posts with typos get 23% more engagement. Here's why."
  • "I deleted 80% of my content and my reach increased."
  • "The posts I spent 10 minutes on outperformed the ones I spent 2 hours on."

Why it works: Data that contradicts expectations creates dissonance. People stop to reconcile it.

When to use: When you have real data or personal experience with surprising results.

7. The Problem + Timeline

Format: "If you're still [doing X], [outcome] by [timeframe]."

Example:

  • "If you're still posting without a scheduler, you'll burn out by March."
  • "If you're ignoring analytics, you're wasting 60% of your time."
  • "If you're writing for everyone, you'll reach no one."

Why it works: Urgency + consequence creates pressure to act.

When to use: For warning posts or behavior-change content.

8. The Blunt Confession

Format: Be uncomfortably honest about something most people won't say.

Example:

  • "I spent $4,000 on a content coach. It was a waste."
  • "I ghosted my LinkedIn audience for 6 months. Here's what happened."
  • "I copied my competitor's strategy and it backfired."

Why it works: Vulnerability cuts through the noise. Honesty signals authenticity.

When to use: When sharing failures, lessons, or behind-the-scenes realities.

How to Test Your Hook

Before you publish, run this checklist:

  1. Would I stop scrolling for this? Be honest. If you wouldn't stop, your audience won't either.
  2. Is it specific? Generic hooks ("Social media is hard") fail. Specific hooks ("I wasted 10 hours on a post that got 3 likes") work.
  3. Does it trigger an emotion? Curiosity, disagreement, recognition, fear, surprise - pick one.
  4. Can someone skim it in 2 seconds? If your hook is longer than 15 words, cut it.

Common Hook Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

Mistake: "In today's digital landscape..." Fix: Delete it. Start with the point.

Mistake: "Let's dive into..." Fix: Just dive. Don't announce it.

Mistake: "Here are 5 tips for social media success." Fix: Be specific. "Here are 5 post formats that got me 50,000 impressions last month."

Mistake: "Have you ever wondered..." Fix: Ask a concrete question. "Do you write posts that get zero traction?"

The Reality Check

Great hooks get people to read the second sentence. That's it.

If the rest of your post is weak, the hook won't save you. But if you've got solid content and no one's reading it, your hook is the problem.

Use these templates. Adapt them to your niche. Test them. Track what works.

And if you need a tool to schedule posts with better hooks and batch your content so you're not scrambling every day, Broadr can help.

Now go rewrite that first line.