Writing That Gets Read

On LinkedIn, only the first 1-2 lines are visible before 'see more.' If the hook fails, nobody reads the post. HOOK FORMULAS THAT WORK: • Specific number: 'I spent $40,000 on marketing last year. 97% of it was wasted.' • Contrarian claim: 'Most founders are doing strategy backwards.' • Story beginning: 'The client called me at 11pm. The deployment had failed.' • Bold question: 'How much is a bad hire costing you per month?' • Curiosity gap: 'Nobody talks about the real reason most SaaS products fail.' WHAT KILLS HOOKS: • Starting with 'I' (algorithm deprioritises self-referential openers) • Weak preamble: 'I've been thinking about...' / 'Today I want to share...' • Vague claims: 'Business is all about mindset.'

STRUCTURE FOR LINKEDIN: • Hook (1-2 lines) • Context/setup (2-3 lines) • Body — the meat (4-8 lines, broken into short paragraphs) • Lesson/insight (1-2 lines) • Optional: CTA ('What's your experience? Drop it in comments.') SHORT PARAGRAPHS: 1-2 sentences per paragraph. White space is your friend. Dense blocks of text kill engagement on mobile. VOICE: Write like you talk. Read every post aloud before publishing — if it sounds stiff or corporate, rewrite it. Your audience wants a person, not a brand. SPECIFICITY IS CREDIBILITY: 'Revenue grew significantly' is weak. 'Revenue grew 34% in Q1' is credible. Specific details signal you have real experience.