You spend 30 minutes writing a great post.
You hit “publish.”
And then… 3 likes.
Why?
Chances are, your content didn’t even get read because no one stopped scrolling long enough to click “see more.”
That’s where The Hook comes in.
In the world of LinkedIn content, your first 2 lines matter more than the next 20. If you don’t hook your audience immediately, your post is invisible. Period.
In this blog, we’ll break down:
- What a “hook” really is on LinkedIn
- The exact formulas top creators use to grab attention, with examples
- Why most people mess it up
- 22 more plug-and-play hooks examples you can use today
Let’s dive in.
Table of Contents
What is a Hook and Why It Matters on LinkedIn
On LinkedIn, your post preview cuts off after just 2 lines. Everything else is hidden behind “…see more.”
This means your audience decides in under 2 seconds whether they’ll:
- Keep reading
- Scroll past
- Or engage
The hook is your scroll-stopper.
It’s the digital equivalent of a movie trailer, a viral tweet, or the punchline that makes you lean in.
Great hooks = more people reading.
More people reading = more engagement.
More engagement = more reach.
More reach = more opportunities.
So let’s talk formulas.
The 5 Hook Formulas That Work on LinkedIn (Every Time)
After studying 8 million+ viral LinkedIn posts on SuperPen, we found that most successful LinkedIn hooks fall into one of these five buckets:
1. The Contrarian Hook
Say the opposite of what’s expected. Challenge the norm.
Examples:
- “LinkedIn Premium is a waste of money. Here’s what worked better.”
- “College didn’t teach me how to build a startup. McDonald’s did.”
- “You don’t need a co-founder. You need a therapist.”
💡 This triggers curiosity and creates conversation.
2. The Relatable Pain Hook
Call out a shared frustration or struggle.
Examples:
- “You spend 2 hours writing a LinkedIn post. It gets 3 likes.”
- “Every founder has this silent fear: What if I’m building the wrong thing?”
- “Ever open Slack and instantly regret being employed?”
💡 This makes people feel seen, and they’ll keep reading because it’s about them.
3. The Confession Hook
Share something personal, raw, or real.
Examples:
- “I got fired 2 months after getting married.”
- “I ghosted a $100k client because I was scared of saying no.”
- “Last year, I almost shut down my startup. Here’s what saved it.”
💡 This builds trust and authenticity fast.
4. The List / Teaser Hook
Tell people what to expect and make it irresistible.
Examples:
- “3 mistakes I made that cost me $80,000.”
- “5 things I’d do differently if I started my startup today.”
- “Here’s the exact message that got me a meeting with a YC partner.”
💡 People love bite-sized, promised value.
5. The Big Claim or Outcome Hook
Start with a result. Make them wonder how you got there.
Examples:
- “This post got me 4 investor intros in 48 hours.”
- “We scaled from $0 to $1M ARR without ads.”
- “I posted every day on LinkedIn for 30 days. Here’s what happened.”
💡 Leads with proof, triggers curiosity and creates urgency to read more.
22 Scroll-Stopping Hooks You Can Steal Today
Need inspiration? Copy-paste and adapt these:
❓ Question Hooks
Curiosity-driven questions that beg for a click.
Would you hire someone who failed twice?
Want to 5x your LinkedIn views? Don’t do what I did.
My biggest career regret isn’t what you think.
Use them as a base. Add your story. Hit publish.
😅 Humorous or Witty Hooks
Smart, slightly cheeky lines with personality.
Startup math: $0 + Burnout = Still 12 months of grind
I asked ChatGPT for help — now it’s my co-founder
Thought I’d write a thought leadership post. Ended up venting to strangers instead.
My client said: ‘You charge too little’
First post. Be kind
🪞Reflective Hooks
Honest, raw, human. These make people pause.
You’re not behind. You’re just overwhelmed
This isn’t about me. It’s about the mistake I almost made
I failed my co-founder. Here’s how
I’ve raised $1.5M and I still get impostor syndrome
Nobody talks about how lonely building is
I almost deleted this. Glad I didn’t
My post flopped. But the message matters
🧠 Insightful Hooks
Share lessons, unexpected truths, or deeper realizations.
This app replaced 3 employees
Most startup advice is useless. But this worked
You don’t need another course. You need to ship
This email got me my dream job
Here’s how I write a viral post in 7 minutes
Stop optimizing your resume. Start posting here
I wrote a viral post by accident. Here’s how you can on purpose
The Hooks You Should Avoid (That Kill Your Reach)
Just as important as what works—is what doesn’t.
❌ Generic Intros
- “Sharing some thoughts today…”
- “Just wanted to say something…”
- “Here’s something I’ve been thinking about…”
These don’t grab attention – they waste it.
❌ Starting With Context
- “Last year, I was working at a small company in Bangalore and one day I…”
Save the story for after the hook. Open with a punch.
❌ Being Overly Formal
LinkedIn isn’t a boardroom. It’s a scroll feed. Speak like a human, not like a brochure.
How SuperPen Helps You Write High-Impact Hooks in Seconds
If you’ve ever spent 20 minutes trying to perfect the first line of your post – you’re not alone.
But with SuperPen, you don’t have to start from scratch. Our platform helps you generate hooks that actually work.
Here’s how:
✅ Hook Generator Tool: Input your topic → Get 10+ hook options instantly
✅ 8M+ Viral Posts Library: See real-world hook examples filtered by topic or tone
✅ AI Rewrite Engine: Improve or rephrase your own hook with better formatting or tone
✅ Daily Trending Prompts: Stay relevant by writing around what people are already talking about
Whether you want your post to be insightful, funny, emotional, or controversial, SuperPen has the hook format for it.
Final Thoughts: Hooks Aren’t Optional. They’re Essential.
If you’re posting on LinkedIn and not getting reach, it’s likely not your content.
It’s your intro.
The hook is the doorway. No matter how good the room is, people won’t enter if the door is closed.
Here’s what to do:
- Learn the hook formats
- Write 3 – 5 variations per post
- Use SuperPen to generate, improve, and A/B test
- Always lead with what grabs, not what explains
Your story deserves attention.
Don’t lose it in the scroll.
TL;DR – The Hook Formula Recap
✅ Use one of the 5 proven formats: Contrarian, Pain, Confession, List, or Big Outcome
✅ Avoid generic openers or weak intros
✅ Use SuperPen to create hooks in seconds and never stare at a blank screen again
✅ Remember: You have 2 seconds. Make them count.
👉 Try SuperPen for free and get your next viral hook in 2 clicks.
Let’s stop the scroll. And start the story.
