Writing Blog Openers That Create Curiosity

I’ll admit it—I’m as guilty as anyone of forgetting to use a hook, let alone perfecting it! But if there’s one thing my own research has shown, it’s that without those strong hooks, even the best posts can fall flat. On social media, if you don’t capture attention within the first few words, your message might be lost. That’s where a powerful hook comes in. Here’s how to craft hooks that make people stop, think, and engage: 1. Ask a Bold Question Start with a question that taps into your audience’s challenges or curiosity. “Are you tired of creating content no one reads?” “Ever wonder why some brands make you feel something?” 💡 Why It Works: Questions create instant engagement by inviting readers to pause and reflect. They want to know if you have the answer. 2. Share a Surprising Stat or Fact Lead with a jaw-dropping fact to grab attention: “90% of people never get past the first sentence of a post. Let’s change that.” “Only 2% of companies leverage storytelling in their marketing—are you one of them?” 💡 Why It Works: A surprising stat makes readers curious, creating a “wait, really?” moment that compels them to keep reading. 3. Create Curiosity with a Cliffhanger Leave a gap that urges them to read more: “I made this one mistake in my career, and it cost me… a LOT.” “Want to know the one thing I wish I’d known before launching my business?” 💡 Why It Works: Cliffhangers activate our need for closure, keeping readers glued to your post. 4. Use “If You’re…” Statements to Target Your Audience Directly call out your audience with phrases like: “If you’re an entrepreneur struggling to scale, read this.” “If you’re tired of networking that leads nowhere…” 💡 Why It Works: This immediately speaks to those who relate, drawing in the right readers for your message. 5. Add a Twist on Common Advice Challenge the typical approach to spark curiosity: “Forget everything you know about personal branding. Here’s what works.” “Stop doing this one thing if you want to boost engagement.” 💡 Why It Works: Contrarian advice stands out, making readers stop to see why your perspective is different. 6. Use Relatable Statements Start with something that makes people say, “That’s me!” “Working late again? You’re not alone.” “Ever feel like you’re talking to a wall when you post?” 💡 Why It Works: It creates instant connection by validating shared experiences. I’m keeping these in mind because, as I’ve learned, a strong hook is your best chance at grabbing attention and inviting readers into your world. What’s your go-to hook strategy? Share it below! 👇 #SocialMediaStrategy #LinkedInTips #ContentCreation #MarketingEssentials #StopTheScroll #SmallBusiness #MarketingTips #Entrepreneur

While editing and writing a considerable number of health and medical articles I have come across a lot of mundane and yawn-inducing introductions during my research. And I swear I never make it past the first few lines of a blog post that fails to grab my attention. With attention spans shrinking by the second, keeping readers engaged is a hard nut to crack. If your site’s bounce rate is through the roof, chances are your opening lines drive readers away instead of pulling them in. Here’s what you might be doing wrong. 1. Vague Opening Sentences 🚫 “Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.” 👉 Fix: Create an instant emotional connection by painting a vivid picture or telling a realistic scenario that makes the reader feel the topic's urgency. ✅ “Imagine laughing with your family at dinner, feeling perfectly fine and suddenly, your chest tightens, and the world blurs. A heart attack doesn’t come with a warning, and for millions, it’s their last moment.” 2. Overused Clichés 🚫 “We all know that getting enough sleep is important for our health.” 👉 Fix: Skip generic statements and use unique, thought-provoking hooks instead. ✅ “If sleep were a pill, it would be the most powerful drug on the market for boosting memory, preventing disease, and even extending your lifespan. Yet, most of us willingly deprive ourselves of it every night.” 3. Overloading with Jargon 🚫 “The pathophysiological mechanisms of hypertension involve complex hemodynamic alterations.” 👉 Fix:  Write in a way that anyone can understand, even if they don’t have a medical degree. ✅ “High blood pressure silently damages your heart and arteries often without a single warning sign.” 4. Not Addressing the Reader Directly 🚫 “This article discusses weight loss strategies.” 👉 Fix: Speak directly to the reader to make the content feel personal and relevant. ✅ “Struggling to lose weight despite trying every diet in the book? Here’s what might be holding you back.” 5. No Emotional Hook 🚫 “Chronic pain is a widespread issue.” 👉 Fix: Tap into emotions—fear, curiosity, or even humor—to make your intro stick. ✅ “If you’ve ever struggled to get out of bed because of aching joints, you know how frustrating chronic pain can be.” Your opening lines make or break your content. If they don’t hook your reader instantly, they’ll hit the back button faster than you think. What’s the worst blog intro you’ve ever come across? Drop it in the comments👇

Free yourself from "In today's fast-paced world." These three openers work wonders: 🧊 The cold open: Plop us in mid-scene. Spark curiosity with a few juicy details that give readers a reason to keep going. "Joan asked for the forecast but her smart speaker didn't respond. She stood by her bed, torn between boots and flats, undone by a preventable internet outage." 📗 The story: Establish stakes STET. We all love a good story and we'll keep reading to find out what happens. "When Felicity joined as head of HR, turnover in the call center was sky-high, onboarding costs were out of control, and internal recruitment was dead. Turn things around in six months, the CEO told her, and she could expect a tidy bonus." 🪝 The hook: Tap into FOMO or ego, create surprise, share something new. Grab your audience's attention, then deliver on what you promise. "Most people are writing intros wrong. Try one of these three tactics, and you'll avoid the dreaded cringe share." (These are all B2B examples, by the way. Human-level stories connect with the human audiences buying business products. TL;DR: I ❤️ HUMANS!)

The most successful storytelling posts I’ve studied all have one thing in common. Which also happens to be the biggest struggle I see people face when creating content. Creating hooks that connect and capture attention. Now, writing on LinkedIn comes with a new set of rules, but it doesn’t mean we can’t rely on traditional techniques to get there. The technique in question? 👉 Start in the middle of your story. Here’s what I mean: Instead of easing readers in, drop them into the action. It’s a technique called in medias res—starting right in the middle of things. Your favorite novels do this all the time, and it works for hooks, too. Why? Your readers are busy and distracted. If you don’t hook them in seconds, they’ll scroll away. Here’s how you can do it: 1. Start with conflict or tension.  2. Use the reader’s pain points to make it feel real. 3. Skip the setup and jump right into the core of the issue. Why does this work? ✅ You grab attention fast. ✅ You build curiosity with a strong opening. ✅ You make the problem real from the start. Next time you write, don’t start at the beginning. Start in the middle and watch your reader stick around. 

Hooks can either make or break your post. There are two paths… Relevancy and Curiosity. Here’s the difference. ⸻ Relevancy hooks: - These hit home immediately. - They speak to a pain someone is actively feeling. Example: “You posted for 6 months straight… and still haven’t cracked 1,000 views.” If you’re in that boat… ….you have to click. - It’s relevant. - It’s real. - It’s you. You want to know what you’re doing wrong. You want to know how to fix it. It pulls you in because it’s your current reality. ⸻ Curiosity hooks: These trigger a question in your mind. And questions demand answers. Example: “How this one investor got 14 warm leads from a single LinkedIn post…” If you’re a VC scrolling, you’re asking: - Who’s the investor? - What did the post say? - How did the strategy work? You don’t relate yet… …But you need to know. ⸻ Great hooks do one thing well: They stop the scroll. You can either: - Be deeply relevant - Spark a curiosity Both work. Just don’t try to write a boring hook and hope it gets read. Which type do you use more? Relevancy or Curiosity?