Last Tuesday, I was reviewing tweets from a guy with 500K followers.
His hooks were trash.
Same mistakes I see everywhere. The kind that make the algorithm ghost you before anyone even sees your second line.
After driving 10 billion impressions for clients, I can spot a dead hook in 2 seconds. And 90% of founders are making the same 3 mistakes that tank their reach.
Let me show you what's broken (and how to fix it).
THE HOOK PROBLEM
Most people think their content is bad.
It's not. Your hook is.
Mistake #1: Low Stakes Opening "I'm a millionaire" doesn't stop anyone anymore. Market awareness is through the roof. Millionaire is the new "$10K/month" - everyone's desensitized.
If you're going authority-based, you need billionaire-level claims.
Something that gets people to stop scrolling and say “oh sh*” this looks important.
If it’s not something that exudes “can’t miss this” energy, you’re f’d.
Mistake #2: The Disconnect Your first line says one thing. Your second line talks about something completely different. The brain expects cohesiveness. When it doesn't get t, people scroll.
Example: "I'm a millionaire. If you suddenly become rich overnight..."
These don't connect. One's about status. One's about unlikely scenarios. Pick a lane.
Mistake #3: Cliche Without Substance "Most entrepreneurs are playing checkers while a small group is playing chess."
Cool. Everyone's heard this 1,000 times. If your hook could be said by anyone in your niche, it's not a hook - it's wallpaper.
This only work if you follow it up with something NEW and FRESH.
THE FIX (What Actually Works)
After analyzing 1,000+ hooks, here are
3 patterns crushing it right now:
→ Borrowed Authority + Shock "Chris Williamson is undergoing massive toxin-induced mental health issues."
You're using a known name + a controversial take. This stops the scroll immediately. People want to see if you're right or wrong.
→ High TAM Direct Value "4 supplements I'm getting my aging parents to take."
Everyone has aging parents. Everyone wants them healthy longer. Cast the widest net possible, then deliver immediate value with a list.
→ The "Everyone" Hook (Done Right) "Everyone needs to hear this."
But only works if you actually deliver something everyone needs. Not some niche SaaS tactic. Universal life lesson. Movie quote. Chart everyone can relate to.
The difference between viral and dead isn't your content.
It's whether someone stops scrolling in the first 5 words.
YOUR ACTION STEP
Pull up your last 10 tweets right now.
Read only the first line of each. Would YOU stop scrolling?
If not, you have a hook problem, not a content problem.
Fix the hook. Keep everything else the same. Watch what happens.
Hope this helps.
Cheers.
Marcos
P.S. - Want our complete viral hook swipe file with 100+ proven patterns? We built it for the 99% who don't qualify for our agency. Grab it here [LINK]
