Mastering Engaging Opening Lines: 11 Creative Strategies to Hook Your Readers

The first words my wife said to me were…

“Hi Michael, nice to meet you”

…which was both funny and memorable since My name is DARREN, not Michael!

Have you ever wondered how some messages keep you engaged while others don’t grab your attention?

It’s all in the first game. The first words you speak or write can set the tone for any relationship or conversation…

Just like in real life, the first few lines of your blog post can make or break your reader’s engagement.

In my last article in this “How to Create a Blog Post” series, I identified your blog title/title as the most important words you will write in a blog post and said that the purpose of the title is to get people to read your opening line.

The Second Most Important Words in Your Blog Post are the ones that follow the title – your opening line. Their goal is to get people to read the next line – to draw people deep into your message. Here’s how to create compelling opening lines to captivate your readers from the start.

11 Effective Strategies for Blog Post Openers

So how do you create an opening line for a post that effectively engages readers and stimulates enough interest to entice them to read your blog post? Here are some tips that I have found helpful.

1. Identify a need

Start your message by identifying a reader’s problem or need.

Sound familiar? It should be – I talked about reader needs and problems in my article about choosing a topic and writing your article title.

If you haven’t figured it out already, you should start to see that I place a lot of emphasis on identifying a reader’s need and solving it, because that’s the key to writing blog posts successful. You don’t have to solve the need or problem in the opening line, but an effective way to get readers to read deep into your message where you solve it is to tell them you will do it in the opening line. opening line.

2. Ask a single-answer question

Engage readers immediately by asking a question that inspires them to say “yes.” This is a technique that editors have used for a long time and it works. I did so in the first line of this article: “Have you ever wondered how some articles keep you engaged while others don’t grab your attention?

Asking this type of question does several things. To begin, you communicate the subject of the message and the need it will fill in the reader; but second (and more importantly), you elicit a response from your reader and one that puts clearly in their mind the need that your message will solve. Anyone who reads and answers “yes” to my question above comes into this article simply saying that they want to discover how to write engaging opening lines – this “buy-in” helps in the communication process that follows.

Asking “yes” questions may actually be something you use more than once in a message. Have a series of these scattered throughout your message and you can really take your reader on a journey that leads them to your call to action.

3. Ask an intriguing question

Spark curiosity with a question that promises an interesting revelation and leaves readers eager to answer.

Questions like:

  • “What do Bill Gates and Martha Stewart have in common?” »
  • “How did I increase my subscriber numbers from 0 to 51,346? »
  • “Is the Nikon D700 the best DSLR camera ever invented?

All of these questions will appeal differently to different audiences – but all leave readers wondering what the answer will be and give them a reason to read further into an article.

4. Give a surprise

Use an unexpected fact or personal anecdote to grab attention. Sharing something unusual or personal, like I did with my wife’s confusing greeting, can make your message more relevant and engaging.

The opening story I include in this article attempts to do something a little “different” or “surprising” to grab readers’ attention by sharing something personal and at first glance “off topic” . I don’t talk about my family on ProBlogger often — so this opening line is designed to break the pattern and encourage readers to take a second look. I find that when I do this, it seems to “pull” readers away from the way they normally approach your blog and pay a little extra attention for a moment or two (which may be enough to entice them to read your blog). article).

Of course, the unexpected opening line should be related, to some extent, to the topic of your message.

5. Tell a story or share an analogy

Stories or analogies can turn a mundane subject into an intriguing narrative. Whether it’s a brief anecdote or a detailed narrative, stories often make your content more relevant and engaging.

I find that telling “stories” to open messages can be a way to get people out of the “ho hum”, “glazed eyes” state that many of us get when surfing the web. This is especially true on a blog that is more serious or formal in nature: sharing a story means you switch genres for a moment or two, which may be enough to grab your readers’ attention for at least a moment or two. Stories can be short (just one line like I did above) or longer (although you probably won’t want to go too long). These could be your own personal stories or someone else’s stories. They can be real or even fictitious.

I’ve often opened posts here on ProBlogger with “tangents” – analogies or stories from my life that are a little off-topic – but still illustrate a principle. I find that these types of openings often attract a new type of reader and spark more reader engagement with others. Maybe it’s just a refreshing change from the normal type of posts or maybe it shows a more personal side that appeals to some.

For example (titles and first lines):

6. Make a bold statement

Start with a strong affirmation or promise to solve an important problem. This approach raises high expectations, forcing readers to dig deeper into your article to learn more.

  • “Today I will teach you how to quit smoking”
  • “In this article you will discover the secrets to creating the perfect portrait”

These types of openings simply tell your reader what they will get if they continue reading. They are short, precise, precise and effective.

You can also make a claim regarding your own achievement. I still remember the impact this article had on establishing ProBlogger as an authority site. The opening line was:

“It hit me – like a truck – that I just became a six-figure blogger”

The only thing I would say is that you better be able to back up the claim or promise in the post itself, otherwise you might have some angry readers on your hands.

7. Spark controversy

There’s nothing like a hint of controversy to grab people’s attention and make them stop in their tracks and take notice of what’s going on.

Strongly express your opinion about a company, a product, or even another person and you’ll find that people will want to keep reading to see why you said it and let you know if they agree.

8. Paint a vivid picture

Encourage readers to visualize a scenario using their senses. This method is particularly effective for making abstract concepts tangible.

I have used this technique many times for public speaking and it can translate into writing effective blog posts. The key is to get your reader to use their imagination to imagine some sort of scenario.

This can be used in a positive or negative way:

  • Positive – Get them to imagine a scenario in which they succeed or overcome a problem.
  • Negative – or make them imagine the consequences of an unresolved problem or a failure that they might fear.

Engaging your reader’s imagination is a powerful thing that can spark emotions, help them get in touch with fear and feel needs, but also give them real motivation to make changes.

9. Highlight surprising statistics

Using a powerful statistic can effectively communicate a need and attract attention.

Example – 10 techniques to get more comments on your blog – Opening line – “Only 1 in 100 readers comment on your blog”

10. Start with a powerful quote

A well-chosen quote can lend authority to your message and resonate with your readers, setting a thoughtful tone from the start.

Examples with opening lines:

11. Lead with an impactful image

Sometimes a striking image can speak louder than words. Opening with a relevant and powerful image can attract readers to textual content, especially on visual mediums like blogs.

I’ve been using images combined with words on almost every post on my photography site for a while now and have noticed for a long time that when I open with an image it tends to attract more readers in a article and may lead to more comments. I’ve even had readers tell me that they only read an article because they saw the image in their RSS reader.

The key is to find an image that fits the topic, is striking, and that readers find compelling or intriguing.

Will you share your best opening lines with us?

The above 11 techniques for opening blog post lines only scratch the surface of how you can grab attention and draw readers to your blog posts. You’re unlikely to use more than two or three in any given article, and you probably won’t want to use the same one in every article you write (loyal readers may become numb if you do).

What other techniques do you use to open blog posts?

Read the full series

This article is part of a series on how to write blog posts. This will be even more powerful if taken in the context of the full series which examines 10 points in the publishing process to pause and put in extra effort. Start reading this series here.





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