17 hook types that stop the scroll

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LinkedIn shows 2-3 lines before cutting off with "...see more."

That's it. That's all you get to convince someone to keep reading.

If your opening line doesn't stop thumbs mid-scroll, it doesn't matter how brilliant the rest of your post is. No one will see it.

Top creators obsess over this line. Some spend more time on their hook than the entire rest of the post.

This guide breaks down 17 distinct hook types, when to use each, and exact formulas you can adapt.

The 4 hook triggers

Before we dive into specific types, understand what makes any hook work. Every effective hook hits at least one of these psychological triggers:

Shock

Jolts the reader out of autopilot

"I got fired on my birthday."

Curiosity

Creates an information gap they need to close

"What happened next changed everything."

Relevance

Signals 'this is about you'

"If you're a founder, read this."

Emotion

Activates feeling before thinking

"My dad never told me he was proud."

The strongest hooks combine 2+ triggers. For example: Number + Shock ("I made $0 for 14 months straight") or Question + Direct Address ("Founders: what would you do with an extra 10 hours/week?")

The 17 hook types

Each hook type has a specific pattern, use case, and risk level. Choose based on your audience relationship and content goals.

The Shock Statement

Medium

Pattern: Open with something unexpected or jarring

Examples:

"I got fired on my birthday."

"My business partner stole $400,000."

"I made $0 for 18 months."

When to use:

When you have a genuine surprising story. Don't manufacture shock.

The Curiosity Gap

Low

Pattern: Hint at valuable information without revealing it

Examples:

"What happened next changed my entire career."

"There's one thing that separates top performers."

"The answer surprised even me."

When to use:

When your post reveals a non-obvious insight.

The Open Loop

Low

Pattern: Start a story mid-action, before resolution

Examples:

"Three years ago, I made a decision that cost me everything."

"The email landed at 2am."

"I was sitting in my car, crying."

When to use:

Story-driven posts with a clear arc.

The Number Hook

Low

Pattern: Lead with specific, credible numbers

Examples:

"127 rejections. 1 yes. That's all it took."

"22 years. 14 companies. 3 bankruptcies."

"$0 to $1M in 18 months. No funding."

When to use:

When you have real data or milestones.

The Contrarian Hook

High

Pattern: Challenge accepted wisdom immediately

Examples:

"Hustle culture is destroying careers."

"Your morning routine doesn't matter."

"Stop setting goals. Here's why."

When to use:

When you have a genuine alternative perspective.

The Question Hook

Low

Pattern: Pose a question that triggers internal response

Examples:

"What would you do if money didn't matter?"

"When was the last time you did something that scared you?"

"How would you spend your last day?"

When to use:

Reflective, philosophical, or values-driven posts.

The Confession Hook

Medium

Pattern: Admit something vulnerable or uncomfortable

Examples:

"I've been lying to myself for years."

"I almost quit last month."

"I don't have it figured out."

When to use:

Personal development, authenticity-driven content.

The Announcement Hook

Low

Pattern: Declare news or a major change

Examples:

"I just quit my 6-figure job."

"After 10 years, I'm changing everything."

"I'm shutting down my company."

When to use:

When you have genuine news to share.

The 'Most People' Hook

Medium

Pattern: Create an in-group/out-group dynamic

Examples:

"Most people will never understand this."

"99% of founders make this mistake."

"The majority don't know this exists."

When to use:

Posts revealing non-obvious insights.

The Direct Address Hook

Low

Pattern: Speak directly to a specific audience

Examples:

"Founders: stop doing this."

"If you're in sales, read this."

"This is for the people who feel stuck."

When to use:

Niche-specific content.

The Lesson Learned Hook

Low

Pattern: Signal a hard-won insight is coming

Examples:

"10 years in tech taught me one thing."

"After losing everything, I realized..."

"The best advice I ever got was..."

When to use:

Wisdom-sharing, mentor-style posts.

The Time Marker Hook

Low

Pattern: Anchor to a specific moment in time

Examples:

"5 years ago today, I made a promise."

"It was 3am on a Tuesday."

"January 2020. The world was about to change."

When to use:

Journey stories, anniversaries, reflections.

The Quote Hook

Low

Pattern: Open with a powerful quote (yours or others')

Examples:

"'You're not good enough.' I heard that for 10 years."

"'The answer is no.' That's what they told me 50 times."

"My mentor said something that stuck: '...'"

When to use:

When a quote encapsulates your message perfectly.

The Unpopular Opinion Hook

High

Pattern: Explicitly signal a controversial take

Examples:

"Unpopular opinion: remote work isn't for everyone."

"Hot take: LinkedIn pods are a waste of time."

"I'll probably get hate for this, but..."

When to use:

Opinion-driven, provocative content.

The 'I Was Wrong' Hook

Low

Pattern: Admit past incorrect belief

Examples:

"I used to think hustle was everything. I was wrong."

"For years, I believed this. Then I learned the truth."

"I spent 5 years chasing the wrong metric."

When to use:

Transformation stories, paradigm shifts.

The Pattern Interrupt Hook

High

Pattern: Do something visually or structurally unexpected

Examples:

"🚨 STOP. Don't scroll past this."

"READ THIS TWICE:"

"⬇️ The one post you need today ⬇️"

When to use:

When you need to break through noise. Use sparingly.

The Mini-Story Hook

Low

Pattern: Complete micro-narrative in the hook itself

Examples:

"Applied. Rejected. Applied again. Hired."

"Broke. Bet on myself. Now profitable."

"Said yes. Regretted it. Learned everything."

When to use:

When the journey IS the hook.

Hook intensity scale

Hooks exist on a spectrum from safe to risky:

SAFE ────────────────────────────────────────────── RISKY

Question    Number    Open Loop    Contrarian    Shock
   │          │           │            │           │
Broad       Credible    Engaging    Polarizing   High-risk
appeal      + safe      + safe      + divisive   + high-reward

General rule: Match hook intensity to your audience relationship.

New audience? → Stay in the safe zone
Established following? → Can push toward polarizing
Strong community? → Shock/contrarian can work

Common hook mistakes

Avoid these pitfalls that kill engagement before it starts:

Mistake 1: Generic Openings

These waste precious first-line real estate.

❌ I've been thinking about something lately...

❌ Here's an interesting thought...

❌ I wanted to share something with you...

Mistake 2: Burying the Hook

Get to the point. Fast.

❌ So, yesterday I was at the coffee shop and I ran into an old colleague and we started talking about careers and she said something that really stuck with me...

Mistake 3: Clickbait Without Delivery

Your hook is a promise. Your post must deliver.

❌ This one trick will change your life. (then delivers generic advice)

Mistake 4: Hook-Topic Mismatch

Match hook energy to content energy.

❌ Shock hook → Boring tactical post

❌ Emotional hook → Dry listicle