Let’s unveil the secret to creating social media content that hooks your audience right from the first few words.
Forget everything you learned about “setting up context”. Here’s why diving straight into the action might be exactly what your social media posts need.
Picture your last social media post.
You probably started with some context: “Over the past year, we’ve been observing…” or “I’d like to share with you today about…”
Now imagine instead starting with: “Last Wednesday at 1am, Sally from Marketing was in tears.”
Feel the difference?
Most people start with unnecessary details. They want to present the lesson first and then provide the story as an example.
However, it’s much more effective to start with the story itself.
Begin with the emotion.
Here’s how to hook scrollers from the first few words (and why it’s simpler than you think).
Start where the action Is
Remember how we were taught to start essays with background and context in school?
Well, here’s some advice: Write that first paragraph; then delete it ❌
Just start where the action happens. Don’t worry about the lead-up. Skip the ‘I’ve been pondering this for a while now…’.
Just begin.
Trust your audience’s patience
You don’t need to explain why you’re sharing a story immediately. People are patient. They’ll read even if they don’t know the reason right away.
If it’s a well-told story.
Curiosity can be powerful. When people think “Where is this going?”. It’s a sign they’re engaged.
Three ways to start strong:
Set the scene simply: “A thunderstorm is brewing…”
Sometimes that’s enough. Let people’s imaginations fill in the details, the environment, the atmosphere.
Jump into action: Skip the build-up.
Start where something happens. By starting the story where the action is, we invite our audience to join us right from the start.
Save the lesson: Don’t start by telling people what they should learn.
Start with the story that makes them want to learn it. When you provide the explanation later, you’re guiding them along, not lecturing.
A simple test for your opening
Next time you’re preparing a successful social media post, try this: Write your introduction as usual. Then, check your second paragraph. Could that be your opening instead?
There’s no single right way to start a story. But some ways are more engaging. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s connection.
Start where it gets interesting, and trust that your audience will stop scrolling and read your story.
Let’s see this in action
Here’s an example on how a lot of people might start a social media post about a new team collaboration tool:
“Let’s improve team’s efficiency!
Over the past six months, we’ve been analyzing workflow patterns at multiple companies and researching various solutions. Our studies show that teams spend approximately 23% of their time searching for information across multiple platforms, and…”
Cue the audience scrolling past 🥱
Now, here’s how you could start the same post:
“Last Wednesday at 1am, Sally from Marketing was in tears.
The biggest campaign of her career was launching in 8 hours, and she couldn’t find the updated brand guidelines anywhere. Not in Slack. Not in Drive. Not in any of the 34 email threads she’d searched.
Finally, she found them. Buried in an email from last June. She’d been looking for 3 hours. The campaign was due at 9am. Later, she discovered three team members had the file all along, each working from different versions.
Sally’s story isn’t unique.
It happened again yesterday to the sales team during their biggest pitch of the quarter, and it’ll happen tomorrow to someone else on your team unless we do something about it. Let me show you what that something could look like.”
Feel the difference? 🤩
The second version:
➡️ Raises emotional stakes (tears, biggest campaign)
➡️ Adds specific details (34 email threads, biggest pitch of the quarter)
➡️ Creates more urgency (8 hours, biggest campaign)
➡️ Makes the problem more personal (someone else on your team)
➡️ Maintains credibility (doesn’t go over-the-top)
➡️ Sets up solution more compellingly
The data, research, and context can come later.
First, give your audience a reason to care.
Visual content that hook scrollers
In social media, visuals as well play a pivotal role in capturing attention and driving engagement. Here’s why images, videos, and graphics are crucial, and how to leverage them effectively:
Catch the eye: Visuals are more likely to stop users from scrolling. Use high-quality images or captivating videos to draw attention.
Enhance the message: Complement your text with visuals that reinforce your message. Infographics, memes, and short videos can convey complex information quickly and engagingly.
Show, don’t tell: Use visuals to show what you’re talking about. Instead of describing a product feature, show it in action through a video or animation.
Brand consistency: Maintain a consistent visual style that aligns with your brand identity. Use similar color schemes, fonts, and imagery to create a cohesive look across all your social media posts.
Engagement boost: Encourage interaction by including calls-to-action in your visuals. Ask questions, add clickable elements, or use interactive content to engage your audience.
By incorporating these practices, you can create content that not only hooks scrollers from the first few words but also keeps them engaged and eager for more.
Good luck 💙
