Language tricks to catch attention

In this lesson, we'll explore eight effective language tricks to engage your readers and keep them interested in your content. These tricks are essential for creating compelling introductions and hooks.

Let's go!

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1. Start with the unexpected: so your readers are hooked from the start

• Surprise your readers, but stay on topic
• Use humor, memes, or unexpected elements related to your subject matter
• Spark curiosity and make readers eager to continue reading (cliffhangers are great!)

2. Make everything about your reader: remain reader-centric

• Show empathy by addressing your reader's specific problems and pain points
• Reference common ground to create a connection writer-reader connection
• Establish rapport by acknowledging shared experiences or challenges

3. Initiate flow: set your readers' reading pace from the first line

• Play with sentence structure, rhymes, and alliterations to build flow
• Help readers find their reading rhythm quickly by keeping your flow steady in the first paragraph

4. Spark emotion: the best way to connect with a reader is through emotions

• Evoke emotions in your readers that align with your brand mission
• Create a strong emotional connection with your audience
• Encourage readers to move from passive browsing/reading to active engagement: questions or strongly opinionated statements are great for this

5. Keep it rhetorical: stop readers from passively consuming content, get them thinking about it

• Use rhetorical questions to engage your readers
• Encourage mental participation and response
• Increase reader attentiveness and anticipation for more

6. Infuse yourself, or your brand: show readers there's another human on the other side

• Add a unique personality to your writing, depending on your role or brand
• Stand out from generic content
• Maintain consistency with your brand's identity and values

7. Use sound bites from influencers: for a unique angle that the brand can't communicate

• Incorporate sound bites from industry influencers
• Bring fresh ideas and perspectives: input that's not already live on the web
• Enhance your brand's credibility and association with respected industry leaders

8. TL;DRs (Too Long; Didn't Read): helping your readers to get the best bits up front and encourage them to read on

• Provide concise summaries of your article's key points
• Attract busy readers who want a quick overview
• Ensure that your TL;DR entices readers to explore the full article

These eight strategies are invaluable for capturing your reader's attention from the very beginning. Keep examples of these tricks in your toolkit to use when crafting introductions or hooks.

Remember, don't worry too much about the hook when initially writing; focus on your article's content first, and then revise the introduction to incorporate one of these attention-grabbing techniques when you have a firmer idea of where your article is going.

See you in the next lesson!

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