How to write a LinkedIn hook
30 June 2026 · by Ryan Melling
A LinkedIn hook works by opening a gap your reader needs to close, in the first one or two lines, before the “see more” cut-off at roughly 210 characters. It’s not about being clever or click-baity. It’s about leading with the single most interesting thing in your post instead of warming up to it. If the opening creates curiosity, tension, or a promise, people tap to read on. If it doesn’t, the rest never gets seen.
Most weak posts are actually decent posts with the hook buried in paragraph three. The fix is usually to delete the first two lines and start there.
Why the hook is everything
The feed only shows your opening before truncating with “see more.” So the hook isn’t the introduction. It is the audition for the whole post. You can check exactly where your hook lands against the fold with the free LinkedIn character counter.
Hook patterns that work (with examples)
The contrarian take. State something most of your audience quietly disagrees with.
“Posting every day on LinkedIn is a waste of time for most people. Here’s what to do instead.”
The specific result. Lead with a number or outcome.
“We went from 200 to 11,000 LinkedIn impressions a week without posting more. One change did it.”
The mistake. Admit something. Vulnerability earns attention.
“I spent two years writing LinkedIn posts no one read. The problem wasn’t my writing.”
The story mid-scene. Drop the reader into a moment.
“A client told me my LinkedIn page made them less likely to hire us. He was right.”
The useful promise. Be concrete about the payoff.
“Five LinkedIn hooks you can steal today, and the reason each one works.”
The pointed question. Ask the thing your reader is actually wondering.
“Why do some people’s LinkedIn posts always get comments while yours get ignored?”
What to avoid
- Throat-clearing: “I’ve been thinking a lot lately…”, “I’m excited to announce…”. Delete it.
- Vague abstractions: “Consistency is key.” Says nothing, hooks no one.
- Burying the lede: if the interesting line is in the middle, move it to the top.
- A first line that could open any post: if it’s not specific to this post, it’s not a hook.
How to find your hook fast
Write the post first, then look for the most surprising or specific sentence in it. That’s almost always your real hook. Move it to the top and cut everything before it. Nine times out of ten the post gets stronger.
Once the hook’s right, the rest is structure. See how to write a LinkedIn post that gets engagement for the full format. And if you’d rather have hooks drafted for you from ideas in your industry, that’s part of what WordPush does.
Frequently asked questions
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How long should a LinkedIn hook be?
One to two lines. Only about the first 210 characters show before the "see more" cut-off, so the hook has to do its job inside that window. -
What makes a good LinkedIn hook?
It opens a curiosity gap (a tension, a surprising claim, a specific result, or a story mid-scene) that the reader has to keep reading to resolve. Specificity beats cleverness. -
What should I avoid in a hook?
Throat-clearing openers like "I'm excited to share," vague abstractions, and burying the interesting bit in line three. If the first line could open any post, it's not a hook. -
Do I need a hook on every post?
Yes. The first line is the only part guaranteed to be seen in the feed, so every post lives or dies on it, even short ones.