Scroll LinkedIn for ten seconds and you’ll see two patterns:
Hooks that whisper instead of punch.
Stories that meander instead of land.
The cure isn’t more content; it’s harder-to-ignore content - copy that seizes attention in line 1, carries momentum, and ends with a jolt of “save + share.” The slides I teach from spell this out: strong hooks show specific benefit, spark emotion, and use action language, while weak ones drown in vagueness and clichés .
AI can manufacture that punch on cue - if you feed it the right briefs. Below is my end-to-end playbook: hook science, battle-tested frameworks, and three prompting recipes you can copy-paste today.
Nail the hook
If a LinkedIn post were a movie, the hook is the cold open. You have one line to grip the viewer before they hit “See More…” or sail on. I analysed all of my top-performing opening,s and the pattern-spotting was mind-numbingly consistent:
6–7 words, average.
Just enough real estate for a clear idea, too short to tire the eye.
A number in about 40 % of hits.
Specificity = credibility; “6 prompts” beats “several prompts.”
One unmistakable promise or jolt.
Anything vague dies, any surprise buys another thumb-swipe.
Below are steal-and-tweak formulas that bake those findings in. Copy, swap the nouns, and stress-test in your own voice.
1. Story Opener – drop the curtain instantly
“I live with a chronic condition.”
Why it works → Immediate vulnerability triggers mirror-neurons and curiosity. The reader feels, “Wait, what happened next?”
Variations
“Four years ago, I almost quit design.”
“Last Monday, my startup crashed - all 37 servers.”
2. Contrarian Take – shove the sacred cow
“Posting daily is bad advice.”
Why it works → It fractures a common belief, forcing the brain to resolve the dissonance by reading on.
Variations
“Ignore ‘write like you talk’.”
“Quit chasing 10 K followers.”
3. List Teaser – promise concrete utility
“Claude just rewired my workflow. Try these 6 prompts.”
Why it works → Specific tool + numbered payoff signals an easy win; perfection for busy scrollers.
Variations
“Use these 3 slides to sell any idea.”
“Five lines of code that triple load speed.”
4. Clock Ticker – inject urgency
“You have 90 days to master AI or fade.”
Why it works → A countdown sparks loss-aversion and momentum.
5. Niche Name-Drop – call your tribe by title
“SaaS founders, stop hiring ghostwriters.”
Why it works → Instant relevancy filter; non-founders glide past, your ICP leans in.
Quick polish checklist before you hit Post
Read it aloud - if you can’t say it in one breath, cut words.
Swap one bland verb for a vivid one - “get” → “steal”, “make” → “stop”.
Front-load the most unusual word - “Terminal boredom in most posts.”
Avoid questions unless the line itself is the hook - weak Q’s leak authority.
Test two tonal extremes - one matter-of-fact, one punchy.
Nail the hook and the algorithm becomes irrelevant.
Humans will do the heavy lifting, sharing what made them pause.
Drive the body with proven frameworks
Five classics and show where each line sits on the canvas :
BAB – Before → After → Bridge
PAS – Problem → Agitate → Solution
STAR – Situation → Task → Action → Result
AIDA – Attention → Interest → Desire → Action
SLAY – Story → Lesson → Actionable advice → You
Pick one and you’re already ahead of 90 % of the feed.
Let AI draft, but on your terms
Storytelling Prompting
(personal story + strict formatting)
Turn real-life experiences into standout LinkedIn stories. This prompt uses a structured flow - hook, twist, copywriting framework, CTA - paired with strict formatting rules to boost engagement. You’ll need to provide a topic, a copywriting framework (like PAS, AIDA, etc.), and post context (who it’s for and why it matters). Copy and paste the entire prompt below, and then you’ll be asked for input.
1 – Collect these inputs before writing
☐ Topic – the single subject of the post.
☐ Framework – pick PAS, AIDA, BAB, STAR, or SLAY.
☐ Post Context – who should read this and why it matters; any facts, stats, or tone notes.
2 – Global rules for the post
☐ Maximum 20 lines, about 200-250 words (~1 200 chars).
☐ Blank line after every line.
☐ Most lines: one sentence ≤ 55 chars.
☐ Up to 4 lines may be mini-paragraphs (2-3 sentences, ≤ 110 chars).
☐ Grade-6 words. Zero adverbs, zero jargon, zero fluff.
☐ No em dashes (—).
☐ No questions unless the hook itself is a question.
☐ No emojis except: ☑ → 1. 2. 3. and ♻️ in the CTA.
☐ Rule of Three – use at most two trios per post.
☐ Vary sentence starts; avoid over-using “I”.
3 – Post structure
☐ Line 1 – Hook
- Bold the chosen hook, ≤ 50 chars.
☐ Line 2 – Twist / Contrast
- Opposes or surprises the hook, ≤ 50 chars.
☐ Lines 3-18 – Core via chosen framework
- Split the framework stages into 3-5 lines each.
- Lists inside any stage must have exactly three items:
1. 2. 3. or ☑ ☑ ☑
- Use arrows ↳ or → to show flow where helpful.
Framework maps:
- PAS Problem → Agitation → Solution
- AIDA Attention → Interest → Desire → Action
- BAB Before → After → Bridge
- STAR Situation → Task → Action → Result
- SLAY Story → Lesson → Actionable advice → You
☐ Lines 19-20 – Wrap & CTA
- 2-3 lines that lock the lesson.
- Finish with one of these phrases followed by ♻️:
“Repost if”, “Repost this”, or “If this helped, repost”.
DELIVERABLE
Return the finished post only – no extra notes.
Paste, answer the check-boxes, and ChatGPT spits a ready-to-post story.
Multishot Prompting
(clone your favourite tone without plagiarising)
Clone the tone and rhythm of your favourite posts without copying them. Feed in 2–3 examples (they can be posts you’ve written yourself), and the prompt will remix the voice, structure, and emotional arc to match a new topic. Copy the full prompt below and enter your examples and topic in the bracket sections.
Write a post about "[Enter Topic]". Here are 3x post examples I like:
Post #1 [Paste caption]
Post #2 [Paste caption]
Post #3 [Paste caption]
The model reverse-engineers rhythm and energy, then applies them to the new topic.
RIF Framework
(Role – Instructions – Format for authority posts)
Write with expert authority using this structured format: Role, Instructions, Format. RIF helps you create bold, insight-driven posts with viral clarity and a consistent voice.
Copy the prompt below and fill in the bracket sections for:
Background and writing style
Copywriting framework (e.g. PAS, AIDA)
Desired call-to-action
[Fill in as much information about your background and writing style]
1. I will give you a topic.
2. After you receive it, please read the following formatting rules carefully.
3. Then write a viral post on the attached design.
- Provide a distinct opening line (12 words max), with no questions, to immediately draw readers in.
- Provide a bold opinion that is contrasting to the opening line in line two (30 characters max).
- Before the key points, use [Enter Storytelling Framework] framework in short sentences (40 characters max).
- Use the all information in the attached as key points (50 characters max per sentence). Write 2-3 lines of text per key point.
- Write a conclusion in 3-4 lines of text that reinforces the message (40 characters max per line of text).
- End with a clear call to action, [Enter CTA].
- Always write in full sentences per line of text.
- No rhetorical questions.
- No emojis.
Take a deep breath and solve this problem, step-by-step.
Think of RIF as a “creative brief on rails” - the model can’t wander.
Chef-grade execution
Gather → Generate → Season → Serve is the end-to-end content kitchen that keeps your feed tasting fresh.
Gather: Before you create, you need to gather. AI won’t save you from bad ingredients. Start by collecting substance: audience problems, past posts, and content you admire. You’re not starting from scratch — you’re starting with insight.
Generate: Next, generate. Think of this as prep — AI is your sous chef. Use it to create outlines, hooks, or multiple post drafts. These aren’t final. They’re rough ideas to work from, giving you structure to build on.
Season: Then, season. This is where your voice comes in. Add personal stories, vivid details, and real-life context only you can offer. Cut fluff, sharpen the point, and make it unmistakably yours.
Serve: Finally, serve. Share your content when your audience is most active. Stick around to engage, reply, and learn. Track what works, then loop that insight back into your next Gather phase.
Your next move (5-minute challenge)
Pick tomorrow’s topic.
Choose one framework from section 2.
Copy the Storytelling Prompt.
Answer the questions, hit generate.
Season once, post once, learn forever.
Unignoreable copy isn’t magic; it’s hook science + story structure + AI leverage. Do the reps and the feed will finally stop scrolling past you.
Stay curious, stay human, keep creating.
— Charlie