6 Simple Tips for Writing Addictive Introductions
How would the world be different if no one heard ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ or Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have A Dream’ speech’?
If these legendary pieces of art were a blog post with a bad introduction, that would be the case.
Without an incredible introduction, no one will read your blog post. End of story.
You want to write introductions that grab readers by the unmentionables and pull them deep into the heart of your posts.
Without it, you’re done. After all, on the internet, you’re only ever two clicks away from a cat video.
Below you’ll learn the secret to writing introductions that hook readers for the whole hog.
1. Solve a reader’s problems
Your readers want to know that their needs and concerns will be met within the warm confines of your hallowed blog post. Let them know this is the case as soon as possible.
Let’s say you’re writing a post about the best universities to study electrical engineering. You might write:
Are you a student who wants to study electrical engineering but doesn’t know which college is best?
If you were writing a post that explained how tourists can find the best pizzas in Manhattan, you might write:
On the hunt for a delicious pizza parlour in Manhattan? Don’t worry, this post has got your taste buds covered.
2. Be your reader’s best friend
Readers gravitate to writers in a similar situation to them. Write about something you and your readers have in common to create a connection. If your audience were young mothers, you might write:
We’ve all been there. It’s 2am. You’re trying to sleep. You have to be up at 6am. The husband has his arm around your neck, snoring away like a chainsaw in your ear and the baby’s next door screaming blue bloody murder!
3. Create mystery
What’s the secret behind the popularity of Game of Thrones? Or how about Power? Assuming you’re one of the 99% of people who have seen it, you’ll know that part of the reason why is the deep mystery these shows manage to create.
You don’t need to be an Emmy award-winning writer to add mystery to your introductions. Simply, channel your inner storyteller and have fun with it.
I woke up with a chill, stirred to consciousness by a sickening snap akin to that of dry twigs. The echoing cries of agony that penetrated my skull.
4. Let people know why you’re writing
If people understand why you’re writing the post, they’ll be hooked for the entirety of it.
Let’s say you decided to learn to properly manage your finances. You might write an introduction like this.:
I was sick and tired of running out of money. Each month, it seemed I was forced to survive on pasta slightly earlier. Something needed to change. I couldn’t keep living that way.
Painting a picture like this can make you more relatable and create a strong bond with the reader.
5. Ask the right questions
Asking the right questions at the start of your blog posts will entice your readers to find out more. A great introductory question will be intriguing, yet impossible for the reader to answer without reading on for further information.
Here is an example:
Could it be true that everything you thought you knew about women, dating and relationships was a complete lie?
6. Shock your reader with surprising facts
Surprising facts make your post seem valuable and credible. Be as specific as you can and use numbers where possible.
Here is an example for a blog about how to publish e-books on Amazon.
In 1995, around $10 million worth of e-books were sold on Amazon. In 2013, the figure grew to $1.6 billion.
Have fun with your introductions
Writing an amazing blog post introduction doesn’t have to be as daunting as it seems.
All of these tips are easy to implement with a little practice. Why not try writing six introductions for each post and seeing which one is likely to strike a chord with your readers?
Take time, have fun and experiment with your introductions until you find one that jumps off the page.
Elvis Michael
08/02/2018 @ 18:37 PM
Hiya Joe 🙂
Sorry for the delay in publishing this; the blog was on hiatus for a few months.
I’ll be the first to admit my lack of taste for intros. Whenever i’m reading something, my first thought is usually, “Get to the point!!!!!! I already know why i’m here reading this!” So, sometimes i skip it and jump straight to the body.
That said, i absolutely LOVE introductions that tell a good story, build mystery or ask a curious question. Take a look at Jon Morrow’s blog, for example (SmartBlogger.com)….
These people know how to hook even the biggest intro hater (me). That says a lot, so you brought up a very good point in ‘creating mystery’ and ‘asking the right questions’…..
Thanks for the awesome post, man. I will go check out a cat video now, but i totally read everything beforehand – and enjoyed the crap out of it :p
Elvis
Priya Singh
08/08/2018 @ 14:02 PM
Use a headline that will solve a reader’s problems is one of the reasons most people click. Anyway, this is an amazing post. Glad you published it.
Emmanuel Chidiebube
11/05/2018 @ 18:01 PM
You’ve got a great piece here, Joe.
Introduction, after title is the next most important part any article. If you are not persuasive in your introduction, no one will care to read further.
Thank you for this great insight.
Emmanuel
Jamie Smartkins
02/05/2019 @ 15:26 PM
Hi Joe,
Thanks for the amazing article. All points are spot on. Basically Introduction decides the fate of the story. That’s the reason first four or five sentences are very crucial. I feel starting with dialogues in introduction itself creates great suspense to your story and can hook the readers. My thoughts only.
Thank you,
Jamie
Steve
02/06/2019 @ 04:02 AM
Thanks for this — clean, simple advice about a critical aspect of engaging readers. It’s especially useful for those who have a tendency to overwrite and overcomplicate things.
That would be me… 😉 Going to take your advice to heart.
Steve
Brandon Lazovic
03/22/2019 @ 00:45 AM
Nice piece Joe! My writing style still conforms to the inverted pyramid style imprinted in me from my days of journalism, imparting the most important information at the top and funneling down to the least important at the bottom of the page. Obviously I try to draw the reader’s attention with the lead, or first paragraph, but writing in this way has really helped retain readers for at least the first half of my site content. Having said that, I need to get better at answering a reader’s problems and even adopting a more personal tone to build that rapport/connection with them. Definitely a few good takeaways that I plan on implementing for my current writing style.