Words That Move Mountains

Welcome back to Viral Examples.

Today (in 2 mins or less) we're diving into how to create hooks so powerful they do 80% of your selling with just 20% of your words.

Words That Move Mountains

"Your first sentence costs $1,000. Each word after that is worth $1."

That's the brutal math of attention online. 

The difference between viral creators and everyone else isn't talent, but understanding that opening hooks follow a precise formula.

The 3-Part 80/20 Hook Formula:

1/ Create immediate tension 

Start with a pattern interrupt - something that challenges assumptions or creates cognitive dissonance:

• "The best hooks never try to sell"

• "Most email advice actually destroys opens"

• "Your expertise is killing your content"

The key is making readers pause and think: "Wait, that can't be right... can it?"

2/ Promise specific value 

Follow tension with a clear payoff. What will they gain by continuing? Be concrete:

• "3 frameworks that bypass skepticism"

• "The template that doubles response rates"

• "A 30-second fix for dead engagement"

Don't promise vague outcomes like "grow your audience" - promise the exact tool they'll receive.

3/ Qualify your ideal reader 

The strongest hooks filter as much as they attract. Signal who should pay attention:

• "For founders tired of ghosted follow-ups"

• "What elite creators never share publicly"

• "The approach only profitable newsletters use"

This creates an in-group effect that makes the right people feel personally addressed.

The magic happens when you combine all three elements in 8 words or less. Your hook should create tension, promise value, and qualify your reader - all before they've finished their scroll.

Remember: The best hooks don't sell the content. They make it impossible not to read it.

Time to Grow

There’s two parts to getting results from posting content:

1. High quality content

2. Relevant distribution

Megaphone, the team behind Viral Examples, helps with both.

1. Our writing team works learns your voice and delivers weekly batches of content for you to post.

2. Our creator network helps get your posts in front of the right audience.

Grab time here or just reply to this email to learn more.