What Is a Hook Opening? 7 Ways to Start So People Keep Reading
Start with a question, a surprising stat, or a story
No matter how good the body is, if you lose readers at the first sentence, it's over. Online content has an average bounce rate of 55% within the first 10 seconds. A hook must spark curiosity to make readers want to read the next sentence.
Step-by-Step
1
Identify the biggest concern/curiosity of target readers
2
Choose from 7 Hook patterns (question/stat/quote/story/contrast/provocation/promise)
3
Write 3 Hook candidates and pick the strongest
4
Write a natural transition (Bridge) from Hook to body
Pros
- ✓ 30-50% improvement in completion rate
- ✓ Increased social media sharing
Cons
- ✗ Excessive hooks risk being seen as "clickbait"
Use Cases
Blog/newsletter introductions
First line of social media posts
Presentation openings