30 LinkedIn Hook Templates (Copy and Paste)
Reach for a story or mistake hook when the post is about something that happened to you, a list or question hook for practical advice, and a stat or contrarian hook only when you can back it up. Copy one, swap the parts in curly braces for your own details, and you have a first line short enough to sit above "see more".
30 of 30 hook templates shown
- Story · Founders, Sales · Professional
I lost {a client or deal} last {month or year}. Here is what it taught me about {topic}:
Why it works: Opens with a real loss, which creates tension and promises a lesson.
EXAMPLEI lost our biggest customer last year. Here is what it taught me about onboarding:89 characters - Story · Job Seekers, Students · Friendly
{number} applications. {number} rejections. One offer. What finally worked:
Why it works: The numbers tell a whole story in one line and make readers want the ending.
EXAMPLE62 applications. 61 rejections. One offer. What finally worked:76 characters - Story · Tech · Professional
On my first day as {role}, my manager told me one thing I still use.
Why it works: A small, specific moment is easier to believe than a big claim.
EXAMPLEOn my first day as a backend engineer, my manager told me one thing I still use.68 characters - Story · Coaches, Freelancers · Friendly
A client asked me a question last week I could not answer. So I spent the weekend finding out.
Why it works: Admitting you did not know something builds trust and curiosity.
EXAMPLEA client asked me a question last week I could not answer. So I spent the weekend finding out.95 characters - Story · Recruiters · Professional
The best candidate I ever placed almost did not apply.
Why it works: Hints at a hidden reason that the post will reveal.
EXAMPLEThe best candidate I ever placed almost did not apply.54 characters - Contrarian · Sales · Bold
Cold outreach is not dead. Lazy outreach is.
Why it works: Agrees with half of a popular complaint, then reframes it.
EXAMPLECold outreach is not dead. Lazy outreach is.45 characters - Contrarian · Marketers · Bold
You do not need more {thing everyone says you need}. You need {the real fix}.
Why it works: Challenges a common belief and promises a better answer.
EXAMPLEYou do not need more content. You need a point of view.78 characters - Contrarian · Founders · Bold
Unpopular opinion: {common advice} is hurting {audience}.
Why it works: Signals a strong view that readers will want to test against their own.
EXAMPLEUnpopular opinion: "move fast" is hurting early-stage SaaS teams.57 characters - Contrarian · Job Seekers · Professional
Stop sending more applications. Send better ones.
Why it works: Short, direct and a little uncomfortable, which makes people read on.
EXAMPLEStop sending more applications. Send better ones.50 characters - Contrarian · Tech · Bold
The best code I wrote this year was the code I deleted.
Why it works: A paradox that experienced readers recognize and new ones want explained.
EXAMPLEThe best code I wrote this year was the code I deleted.55 characters - Stat · Sales · Professional
We cut our sales cycle from {before} to {after}. No new tools. Three changes:
Why it works: A before-and-after number plus a constraint makes the result credible and curious.
EXAMPLEWe cut our sales cycle from 90 days to 54. No new tools. Three changes:78 characters - Stat · Marketers · Professional
{number}% of our {metric} came from one {channel or post}. Here is what made it different:
Why it works: Concentrated results raise an obvious question: why that one?
EXAMPLE40% of our sign-ups came from one webinar. Here is what made it different:91 characters - Stat · Founders · Professional
{number} months, {number} customers, ${amount} in revenue. What I would do differently:
Why it works: Real milestones signal experience; the turn to mistakes adds honesty.
EXAMPLE18 months, 40 customers, $300K in revenue. What I would do differently:88 characters - Stat · Recruiters · Professional
I read {number} resumes this {period}. The ones that got interviews had {number} things in common.
Why it works: Volume shows expertise and the promise of a pattern is useful to job seekers.
EXAMPLEI read 600 resumes this quarter. The ones that got interviews had 3 things in common.99 characters - Stat · Healthcare · Professional
{number} years in {specialty} taught me one thing about {topic}.
Why it works: Years of experience build authority before the lesson lands.
EXAMPLE12 years in the ICU taught me one thing about burnout.64 characters - Question · Marketers, Founders · Friendly
When did you last rewrite your {asset}?
Why it works: A pointed question makes readers check their own work.
EXAMPLEWhen did you last rewrite your homepage?39 characters - Question · Job Seekers · Friendly
What would you do if you had to find a job in {number} days?
Why it works: A concrete scenario invites people to imagine and to comment.
EXAMPLEWhat would you do if you had to find a job in 30 days?60 characters - Question · Sales · Professional
What is the one question you ask in every discovery call?
Why it works: Invites peers to share, which leads to comments and replies.
EXAMPLEWhat is the one question you ask in every discovery call?57 characters - Question · Tech · Friendly
Be honest: how many tabs do you have open right now?
Why it works: Light and relatable, a good opener for a post about focus or tools.
EXAMPLEBe honest: how many tabs do you have open right now?52 characters - Question · Real Estate · Friendly
Would you buy a house you have only seen on video?
Why it works: A specific yes-or-no question gets fast replies.
EXAMPLEWould you buy a house you have only seen on video?50 characters - List · Sales · Professional
{number} things I wish I knew in my first year of {role}:
Why it works: A list promises quick, practical value from experience.
EXAMPLE5 things I wish I knew in my first year of sales:57 characters - List · Job Seekers, Students · Friendly
{number} questions to ask at the end of every interview:
Why it works: Directly useful, easy to save and share.
EXAMPLE3 questions to ask at the end of every interview:56 characters - List · Freelancers · Professional
My {topic} checklist, after {number} {projects or years}:
Why it works: A checklist from real experience is both credible and practical.
EXAMPLEMy client onboarding checklist, after 50 projects:57 characters - List · Coaches · Friendly
{number} habits that changed how I {outcome}:
Why it works: Personal habits are easy to relate to and easy to try.
EXAMPLE4 habits that changed how I run my week:45 characters - List · Finance · Professional
{number} money mistakes I see every {season or month}:
Why it works: Combines a list with mistakes, which people check against their own.
EXAMPLE5 money mistakes I see every tax season:54 characters - Mistake · Founders · Professional
My biggest hiring mistake cost us {time or money}.
Why it works: A specific cost makes the mistake real and the lesson valuable.
EXAMPLEMy biggest hiring mistake cost us six months.50 characters - Mistake · Sales · Friendly
I sent the same follow-up to {number} prospects. Here is what happened.
Why it works: A cautionary experiment readers will want to learn from.
EXAMPLEI sent the same follow-up to 200 prospects. Here is what happened.72 characters - Mistake · Marketers · Professional
We spent {amount} on {channel} before we learned this.
Why it works: Money spent is a strong signal that the lesson matters.
EXAMPLEWe spent $40K on paid ads before we learned this.54 characters - Mistake · Job Seekers · Friendly
I turned down a job I should have taken.
Why it works: An unexpected admission that invites curiosity and empathy.
EXAMPLEI turned down a job I should have taken.40 characters - Mistake · Tech · Professional
I shipped a bug to {number} users on a Friday. What we changed afterward:
Why it works: A relatable mistake with a promise of practical fixes.
EXAMPLEI shipped a bug to 10,000 users on a Friday. What we changed afterward:74 characters
How to personalize a template
- Swap every part in curly braces for something real: your role, your number, the moment it happened.
- Cut any word that is not pulling its weight. A hook reads best as one short line.
- Say it out loud. If it sounds like something you would never say to a colleague, rewrite it.
- Paste the full post into the Post Preview and check the hook still shows before "see more".
Common mistakes
- Publishing with curly braces still in the text. Search your draft for them before you post.
- Opening with a number you cannot point to a source for.
- Writing a hook the rest of the post does not pay off.
- Starting every post with the same template, so your feed starts to sound like a formula.
Frequently asked questions
What is a LinkedIn hook template?
A reusable first line for a post. The parts in curly braces are blanks you fill with your own story, numbers and topic.
Which hook style should I start with?
The story hook is the easiest to get right, because you only need one real moment from your work. Try the stat and contrarian styles once you have something you can back up.
Can I reuse a template?
Yes, but rotate them. If every post opens the same way, regular readers notice and the opener stops doing its job.
Are the filled examples about real people?
No. They are invented to show how a template reads once it is filled in. Use your own facts and numbers, never someone else's.
Go further
Write one for your exact situation with the free Hook Generator. Read How to Write a LinkedIn Hook for the reasoning. Check how a message or post reads with the Post Preview, or browse the full template library.