10 Tried and True Ways to Hook People With the First Line of Your Content (For Social Media, Emails AND Blogs!)

You do not have a lot of time to make a strong first impression and draw in your audience. In fact, according to Forbes, you only have seven seconds to draw someone in. And if you are putting out content that is engaging right off the bat, advisors are busy, so they don’t have time to continue reading content that isn’t relevant. So, how can you hook people right off the bat? We’ve got 10 tips to create engaging content for your social media posts, blogs and emails.

10 Ways to Draw In Your Audience

1. Tell a Story

The art of storytelling is a content marketing strategy that can be difficult to perfect, but once it has been done, it’s a great way to hook your readers. Any brand or company can really benefit from mastering the storytelling technique. If you can evoke emotions by telling a story then this will not only entice them to continue reading but will make your content more memorable.

2. Make a Contrarian Statement

You can start things off by rocking the boat a little and making a statement against the “norm” or ordinary. If someone is used to hearing certain things or scenarios then they will be compelled to keep reading to find out why you oppose something.

Twenty Over Ten client, WealthKeel, LLC posts their “WealthKeel Weekly” where he discusses different topics to help his audience. The first point, “No, Millennials Aren’t Poorer Than Previous Generations” goes against what many people have thought, so this will entice someone to click to find out more.

3. Ask A Question

Asking an engaging question is a great way to pique the interest of your readers. Make sure it’s one that really makes them think. It can be slightly controversial, as well, if this is what will make your reader pause then continue reading to find out more about the question that you are presenting.

If you focus on retirement planning for a certain niche, then ask a question that will get them thinking about how they should be saving or how they should be planning for the future.

Twenty Over Ten client, Overman Capital Management asks the question on their social feed, “What does it actually cost to raise a child? You might be surprised.” This type of question prompts those saving for the future with children to click on the link where they are taken to an easy-to-read infographic

4. Share a Shocking Statistic

Do you have a shocking or surprising statistic that you can use and get your readers to take notice of? If so, why not using it in your content. Your readers will get value from your article, newsletter, etc. that they might not get some similar articles from your competition.

In the above Twitter post from Twenty Over Ten, we start out telling the audience that 55% of visitors spend less than 15 seconds on a website. That’s not a lot time and many people may be shocked to find this out, therefore prompting them to watch the video to find out how they can keep more people on their website for longer.

5. Make It Relatable

Make something relatable and your reader will perk up. Are they going through some struggles with their business? Maybe it has been more difficult for them to communicate with clients during the COVID-19 pandemic, whatever it may be, if you share something relatable, they will be more likely to read your content and find out how you handled it.

Additionally, think about your audience and cater to your niche, as this will make your readers want to find out more. Twenty Over Ten client, C.L. Shedon & Company provides fee-only financial planning for active and retired military and that is evident in many of their blog posts.

6. Tell Readers Their Benefit

What are the readers going to get out of your content? You have to phrase your wording in a way that answers the question, “What’s in it for me?” Like we mentioned above, advisors are busy so if they are going to take the time to read your blogs, social posts or emails then there needs to be something in it for them.

When it comes to creating content for your audience, we always recommend speaking in ways that your readers can easily understand. And don’t just describe what your content can provide for them, but actually provide them with the context as to how it will help them in the long run and solve their pain points. Your prospects need to see how continuing to read to find out more about what they have to say can help improve their lives and how they can benefit from what you have to offer.

Twenty Over Ten client, Dorsey Wealth Management has a robust blog section but one blog that really stands out is “Your 2021 Tax-Preparation Checklist.” Checklists are going to be a simple read and everyone has to pay taxes, so providing straightforward information to make your readers’ lives easier is always a great way to get them to keep reading!

7. Showcase a Metaphor or a Simile

Are you writing about a topic that has been covered before? That’s okay, you can still reframe it in a unique and interesting way

If you open with a metaphor or a simile, then this can capture the attention of readers and makes them rethink a topic that they have already heard before.

What is something that you have done that you can restructure and ring true with your readers?

Twenty Over Ten client, Ascension College Planning has provided a blog entitled “5 Entertaining Classic Movies that Can Teach You a Thing or Two About Money.” It’s a different spin on how to manage your money and for those that enjoy classic films, they might love this comparison.

8. Use Visuals To Create an Interesting picture

A picture is worth a thousand words, which rings especially true for content creation. Using images on your website and in your content effectively illustrates and strengthens your brand and what it stands for.

When you use strong imagery in your work, it can really tell a story about your firm and how you operate. When you use images such as or a graphic, infographic or something else that adds relevance to your post, then this will make your readers stop scrolling to find out more. In fact, Buzzsumo found that posts with images receive 2.3 times more engagement than those without.

Twenty Over Ten client, Ascension College Planning is providing a webinar to provide a new approach to paying for college plus you get a free college money report. By providing an image on their social feed, it allows for the post to stand out more, therefore catching the eye of the reader and prompting them to click to register.

Need help creating images to go with your posts? Canva is an awesome and free tool that can help you create engaging visuals that can be placed in your content.

9. Empathize With Your Audience

If you are using content marketing, then you should decrease the amount of selling that is in your content and increase the amount of time that you listen to your audience and try to relate to them and figure out their pain points.

10. Provide Reassurance

Reassuring your audience is key, especially as we have all been through 2020. At the heart of the business, integrity is key and making sure your audience feels comfortable and assured is so important. After all, as a financial advisor, you are helping them make financial decisions that can affect your clients and their families for years to come, so you want them to feel like they can trust you.

Key Takeaways

Do you feel like your content can captivate your audience from the start? If not, now is the time to start adjusting what you do so that you can get the most out of what you post. Creating show-stopping content that makes your audience stop mid-scroll to find out more. Whether it be a captivating visual or a witty headline, there are great ways to do this, and we hope that this guide has given you tips and examples you can start implementing.