LinkedIn is the sort of platform where you think if you throw a couple of inspirational words together, you’ll go viral overnight…

You craft an incredible piece about your journey from busboy to CEO and it barely gets 100 impressions.  

There’s no doubt that you’ve got quality content to share, you just can’t get anyone to read it. Why? 

 

It’s not your content, it’s your hook. 

 

We’ve got 10 different ways of writing a hook that’s guaranteed to capture your audience. 

 

Storytelling

People love stories and this is a great opportunity to use a little theatre in your writing. Share real-life experiences, case studies, or success stories that relate to your content.

‘How my clients make huge returns on their marketing in SECONDS (without spending huge amounts on retargeting).’

 

Statistics

Numbers do not lie and they’re a great way of making a huge point quickly. 

Just make sure the data is accurate and you have a reference to hand. 

‘Meta has 3 BILLION users per day. Here’s how I know Facebook isn’t dead 👇’. 

 

Statements

Use a bold statement to intrigue your audience. You want to create a conversation and potentially a debate in the comments. You can even make the body of the text the exact opposite of your opening line.

‘Hot take: LinkedIn marketing is a waste of time.’ 

 

Controversy 

Controversy doesn’t mean using your platform for hate, targeting groups or debating political issues. It does mean using controversial topics in your industry to start a meaningful conversation. 

‘Facebook marketing is dead. Here’s why:’. 

 

Questions

Use your first line to ask a thought-provoking question. This should encourage your audience to get involved with the discussion. As more people share their answers, this will increase your engagement. 

‘Is it fair for employers to force us back into the office?’. 

 

Quotes

Using quotes and tagging other top voices is a little cheeky but works a treat.

Make sure you use industry influencers and thought leaders that align with your content – there’s nothing worse than tagging someone and then talking about something completely unrelated. 

Your audience is likely to engage if they recognise the person you’re quoting, and it exposes the post to a broader audience if the influencer engages with your content. 

‘Yesterday @ Steven Bartlett said X’. 

 

Curiosity

Leave your audience wanting more! Use curiosity, teasers and FOMO to make them keep reading. You can do this by posing a question or presenting an intriguing idea, but make sure you don’t give away the entire answer in your post.

‘Unlocking the secrets of healthy living: Are you missing this vital ingredient?’.

 

Humour

Humour is the way to everyone’s heart. If you can make your audience laugh, you’ll likely have them in the palm of your hand. Whether it’s a joke, meme or gif, tailor it to your content and your audience’s needs. 

Anecdotes

Use personal anecdotes to make your content more authentic, relatable and real. This adds a much-needed human touch and helps you connect with your audience.

Plus, personal posts trump professional posts on LinkedIn any day. 

‘A 12-hour delay, a missed bus, 3 stress-related coffees and a lost suitcase but I finally made it to Milan’.  

 

Visual

Visual hooks are eye-catching and quickly tell the audience what the content is about. This can be anything from an image to an infographic. Videos are still finding their way on LinkedIn, but PDF sliders have been successful for quite some time. 

 

Here’s why hooks matter 👇

First Impressions 

When you meet someone, you only get one shot at a first impression. That is no different for your content. 

A compelling hook is the reason your audience will choose to keep reading. 

 

Visibility 

LinkedIn’s algorithm rewards engagement. Posts that receive more likes, comments and shares will appear on other people’s feeds and continue to get bumped to the top. 

 

Brand Differentiation 

Your hook will set your content apart from EVERYONE else. This allows you to showcase your brand, tov and personality to make your content memorable. 

Your content is there to be experimented with, analysed and reworked. Play around with different hooks and see which feel the most comfortable and which resonate best with your audience.  

 

If your hook ain’t right, your audience won’t bite. 

For LinkedIn marketing that slaps, drop us an email. We’ll handle the hooks for you