Twitter Threads are fuel for your Twitter growth.
The problem? It’s difficult to get people to read them.
If you don't have a good hook, that is.
The most successful Twitter writers use proven hook formulas to make their threads more likely to succeed.
This explains why you see very similar threads at certain times. It's part of how Twitter is played right now, whether you like it or not.
We already wrote an article about 10 Fill-In-The-Blank Thread Hook templates a while back.
But we know that’s not enough, so here are 9 more!
#1 - Steal my playbook
I turned a half-baked idea into $6,000 in 30 minutes.
— Jay Clouse (@jayclouse) November 23, 2022
You can steal my playbook (for free):
🧵
What makes this hook so effective is that it generates curiosity (how did he do it in such a short amount of time?).
But to make the promise even sweeter, you can tell people they can "steal" your playbook for free.
Who wouldn’t take it?
✍️ The template:
I (did this amazing thing) in (short time frame)
#2 - Dirty secrets
The dirty inside secret most first-time entrepreneurs don't know.
— Joe Speiser ⚡️ (@jspeiser) November 3, 2022
14 tools I use to steal from competitors, and build million-dollar businesses.
There is nothing better than insider knowledge. Things that feel like "secrets.”
It generates curiosity and a need to know.
You're likely to have a hit thread if you reveal these secrets. You just need to make sure you live up to the hype.
✍️ The template:
✍️ The dirty secret most (your target audience) don't know.
✍️ (X tools/frameworks/ideas) I use to (benefit)
#3 - Counterintuitive
How to get rich (by copying other people):
— JK Molina (@OneJKMolina) December 15, 2021
The hooks need to stop the scrolling. It's important to catch people by surprise.
That's what this Hook does well. In the hook, JK introduces the audience's desire (to get rich), followed by a counterintuitive aspect (to copy others).
This makes people go, “wait a minute…” because copying is not how you get rich or, at least, not how you would think you get rich.
✍️ The template:
✍️ How to (audience desire) by (doing something counterintuitive)
#4 - Loss aversion
6 exercises you MUST avoid if you don't want to look like a Greek God. pic.twitter.com/VOt6U05bn5
— Rob - Health Transformation for High Level Dads (@Rob_FitLegacy) November 2, 2022
This hook turns a conventional structure on its head by making it negative.
Despite what you might think, this is a very smart move.
The human brain is wired to avoid loss. "Negative hooks" generate that sense of "loss" in the audience and make it irresistible.
✍️ The template:
✍️ 6 (things) you MUST avoid if you don't want to (ideal outcome)
#5 - Shortcuts
More than 1 Billion of you use Microsoft Excel.
— Clint Murphy (@IAmClintMurphy) July 21, 2022
But, most of you can't navigate it without your mouse.
Here are 50 Excel Shortcuts that'll save you hundreds of hours of your life:
People want one of two things: save money or save time
Shortcuts save time. As in the example, if you are able to link this hook to a tedious task like Excel, even better.
✍️ The template:
✍️ Here are (number) (topic) shortcuts that'll save you (number) of hours of your life
#6 - The basics
If you run a business, you MUST understand pricing terms
— Brian O'Connor | Fractional CMO (@BrianFOConnor) August 4, 2022
Here are 8 concepts you need to know:
This hook is particularly interesting if you are writing for a newbie audience.
'MUST' is the key word here. It makes people click because they need to find out if they are making a basic mistake or not.
✍️ The template:
✍️ If you (standard action in your niche), you MUST understand (basic concept)
#7 - Tips and tricks
If you own an iPhone, you need to know these 104 tips and tricks:
— Marius Hauken (@mhauken) November 19, 2022
Is there anyone who doesn't like to know tricks and tips about their devices?
This is even better if you include a HUGE number of tips like Marius.
It generates what’s called the Labor Illusion, which gives people the impression that you have done a lot of work for them (which you did, but it may not seem that way at the time, unless you make it clear)
✍️ The template:
✍️ If you own a (device), you need to know these (number) tips and tricks:
#8 - Back it up
I'm a Head of Finance at Google.
— Antonio Reza (@theantonioreza) November 18, 2022
I've interviewed 100s of candidates in my career and I know my decision within the first 7 minutes.
Do these 5 things to prepare for the interview and I guarantee you'll impress recruiters and hiring managers at your dream company:
There are “pains” that everyone has.
If you have explicit knowledge of how to solve something a big part of the population suffers, there’s a good chance that your tweet or thread does well.
Besides that, Antonio does one very smart thing with his thread: he leverages his job position to give the thread authority.
The same advice from a random user wouldn’t hit the same.
✍️ The template:
✍️ I'm a (position that generates credibility)
#9 - Give me 2 minutes
Give me 2 minutes, and I’ll teach you 6 rules to be charismatic:
— Ben Meer (@SystemSunday) November 2, 2022
Timeframes are another effective way to make your audience more likely to read your thread.
The "Give Me 2 minutes" line gives the impression that the thread won't take long, plus if you complement it with something your audience wants to accomplish, even better.
Basically, you promise your audience something they desperately want in just 2 minutes.
✍️ The template:
✍️ Give me 2 minutes and I’ll teach you (audience desire)
The importance of Hooks
Twitter thread hooks are critical because they help to grab the attention of readers and encourage them to keep reading the rest of the content.
A punchy hook can make a thread more engaging and interesting and will lure people in.
Most threads don't fail because of the content or idea. They do it because of the hook.
Minimize those chances by using one of these templates!