Writing a hook: how to master the most addictive copywriting technique
Image credit: Karolina Grabowska
You’ll never be a good writer without mastering the ‘hook’.* A good hook captivates your reader from the jump and lures them further into the article with the promise of closure. Readers are powerless to resist them and today, I’m gonna show you how to write them in less than 3 minutes. 👀
What’s a ‘hook’?
In writing, a ‘hook’ is the name given to a suuuuper catchy piece of copy, usually at the very beginning of the piece.
Hooks in writing use a variety of techniques to catch attention and ‘hook’ the reader in, which is why they’re such a prized writing technique. They work particularly well for social media posts, article openers, and blog posts. In fact, I used one at the start of this article.
I’ve pulled together some hook writing examples for ya, complete with prompts to help you get started. Once you’ve got the technique down, you’ll be away!
How to write a hook: 6 prompts to get you started
1) Make a polarising statement
Only a sith works in absolutes…said the jedi, as he stated an absolute.
In all seriousness, using polarising statements at the start of your writing can really get people engaged. Mostly because they’ve had a personal reaction to what you said or because the statement was so outlandish they need to know how you came to that conclusion.
It works even better if you pique curiosity by using a lead-in line. Like so…
1) All redheads are insane. And I’ve got proof…
2) Your company website is a massive turn-off for clients. Here’s why…
2) You should start the sentence with a variation of ‘you’
‘You’ is a very powerful word in the world of copywriting. It makes the reader feel seen, understood, and engaged. So let's toy with word variations to create a 'direct address' type of thing. Like so…
1) You asked for it, so we launched it.
2) You’re brilliant. Why do you spend so much time talking yourself down?
3) Why not pose a question?
Starting your writing with a question is a great way to engage the reader. You’re speaking to them, after all. There’s something about those why, how, what, when type questions that immediately kick our brains into gear.
1) When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
2) Why does everyone struggle to write for their business?
4) Use direct dialogue
Eddie Shleyner is the absolute master of this. I know I quote him in almost everything I write, but the guy talks serious sense.
As readers, we’re utterly drawn in by direct speech because it indicates an oncoming story. And there’s nothing people love more than a good story. It’s irresistible.
The more shocking the statement, the better. Like so…
1) “You’ll never get a job looking like that.”
2) “You’ll need to rewrite it. We can’t use any of it,” he said.
5) Say something rootin’-tootin’-ly unexpected
Batshit statements. They’re fun to write and BOY do they stand out in a crowded social media timeline. Here’s one I wrote for a Metal Hammer article…
Have you ever had a 'braingasm'? Well, today could be your lucky day.
6) Start in the middle of the story
This is my favourite when I’m writing online articles. People want to be plopped into a story or a mystery. They want the tea, so start by seeding the drama.
Here’s one I whipped up for Metal Hammer a few years ago…
The year is 1992 and Trent Reznor is refusing to put out new music. His band Nine Inch Nails is under contract with TVT Records, who are pushing for a follow up to his massively successful 1989 debut album, Pretty Hate Machine. The label wants “commercial, easily digestible” synthpop. Reznor wants a darker, more industrial metal sound. The result is deadlock.
I land you right in the middle of the action with an inflammatory statement and hook you in before going back to the start of the story. Gold, baby!
*Ya see what I did there? Only went and used a bloomin’ hook!
By now, you should feel well-equipped to get out there and hook the living daylights outta readers all over the globe. Become a ‘hooker’, if you will.
Does this sound like too much effort? Hire me to write your hooks. I’m, like, really good.