How to write better LinkedIn hooks
If you’re “excited to announce,” you’re wasting space. I know it sounds harsh, but let me explain.
The first 2-3 lines of your LinkedIn post are prime real estate. Think of them like a newspaper headline, or the bold words a caffeine-addled copywriter spent hours crafting for an expensive billboard next to a busy highway.
Your opening lines need to break through the deluge of information streaming past the eyeballs of the 1 billion people who use LinkedIn, make them stop scrolling, and click on that prized …more tab to open your post.
“You only get one shot,” as the rapper Eminem would say.
Look, I get it. You’ve written a new paper, landed a dream job (really, any job in this economy), or posted a thought-provoking blog post.
You’re excited. I’m excited for you. But who else is excited enough to engage?
The opening lines of an article aren’t called the "hook" for nothing. As the name suggests, your hook should grab your reader’s attention and not let it go. Journalists have known this since long before social media and dedicate serious time to crafting powerful sentences that intrigue and impress.
Whether you’re sharing your latest research, announcing a professional update, or sharing thoughtful analysis, think like a journalist when writing your hook.
Instead of “excited to announce,” you can open with:
The core finding of your latest report - what it is and why it matters. Show people why they should care.
A provocative question that sparks curiosity and brings people into the conversation.
A story that shows the struggles you faced on that job search or when doing your research.
If you’re a researcher who wants to learn more about writing LinkedIn posts that go beyond “I’m excited to announce,” check out my upcoming LinkedIn for Researchers workshop (Cape Town, 3 September). Would love to have you there!
I need to make a confession. For the longest time, I’ve internally rallied against writing or reading posts that start with "You’re doing [choose your topic, from how you brush your teeth to how you, yes, post on LinkedIn] wrong."
I don’t like the idea that we’re all inherently flawed and in need of constant optimisation, from people whose advice we didn’t ask for in the first place.
Social media is full of that type of thing. And we’re all doing our best out here.
But, as a science communicator, I weep softly (and sometimes loudly) behind my desk when I see research organisations and researchers sell themselves, and their hard work, short by opening with “excited to announce.”
And, just so you know, I do get excited (even if I don’t always show it), especially when I read a magnetising hook that grabs whatever fragments of my dwindling attention are left after hours of scrolling.
Brendon Bosworth is a communications specialist and science communication trainer. He is the principal consultant at Human Element Communications.
Follow Brendon on LinkedIn for more tips on science communication.
