You’ve already baited the reader with a catchy title. Now you just need to hook and real them in. The introduction to your blog post is the most crucial section in your piece of content. From the first few lines, it needs to capture the reader and force them to keep on reading.
You could have an awesome, well-researched article that you’ve invested a lot of time and energy into, but if you fail to grab the reader’s attention within the first sentence and then pull them onto the second and tug them onwards, there’s a high chance that they won’t continue and your blog post is as good as dead.
Many blog writers are far too eager to jump straight into fleshing out the article’s main body and often overlook the importance of a catchy introduction and title.
That’s a mistake that could cause your brilliant blog post to disappear into the abyss. Although leaving the intro to the end has some benefits, it’s a good idea to have something at least written down that you can use as an anchor as you write.
With around 7 million blog posts published per day, how are you going to make yours break through the noise and grab the reader’s attention?
Elements Of A Killer Introduction
Before I dive in and give you my thoughts on how to craft the perfect blog intro, let’s take a closer look at three key elements that every introduction needs.
The Hook
There are no set rules, but try to make the hook exciting and brief.
It can be a single sentence or even a couple, a phrase, or even a single word. Whatever your blog hook is, it needs to grab the reader’s attention, so they don’t hit the back button on the web browser.
In just a few words, it has to pique their interest, and they have no other option but to continue reading.
The Transition
The transition is typically a sentence that leads from the hook that connects to the body and, if possible, also reinforces the blog title.
If you have successfully hooked the reader, you need to keep pulling them through your introduction.
The Topic
Finally, you need to summarize the topic and tell the reader why the content was written and why they should continue reading. If you nailed the transition, this part should fall naturally into place.
5 Pointers On How To Write A Good Introduction For A Blog
You should now have a better idea of the key components of a good blog intro. Just remember those first few introductory sentences need to hook and set the tone for the rest of the article.
Below I have listed some tips that I often find myself using when writing a captivating introduction.
1. Tell A Story
Who doesn’t love a good story? Stories give your readers something they can relate to.
The story doesn’t even have to be true if you don’t share any real-life experiences. You could pose a scenario starting with words like “Can you imagine if…” or “Picture this.”
As long as you can create a captivating and intriguing story that can transition through into your blog post, you’ll have your readers hooked.
2. Begin With An Intriguing Statistic
According to Time.com, about 55% of readers will only spend around 15 seconds or less on a blog post. That means you have only a few seconds to hook them and keep them reading before they bounce off.
Adding a related statistic to your content in the opening paragraph is a great way to quote similar information for a credible source which will give your readers a reason to trust you, and they will want to continue on to see what you have to say.
3. Addresses Your Readers’ Pain Points
If the reader has landed on your article from a search engine, chances are they’re looking for answers to a problem. If they don’t think your article can deliver the solutions in the first few sentences, they’re gone.
If you can highlight your readers’ pain points and provide help and advice or a solution, they will more than likely want to stick around to see how you can help.
4. Use An Inspirational Quote
An actual life quote from outside of your post can help sustain and support what you have to say. Quotes can help your readers connect with you and makes them think more about the topic.
For example:
“Talent is cheaper than table salt. What separates the talented individual from the successful one is a lot of hard work.” ~ Steven King
This quote from Steven King is a great way to grab your reader’s attention within the first 15 seconds. You’ve hooked them; hopefully, they will stick around.
5. A Plot Twist
You can reel in the reader by telling a story that has an exciting turn of events.
Remember, about 15 seconds is all you have, and in that time, if you can nudge the reader to the edge of their seat within the first paragraph, they won’t want to bounce off your page until they find out what happened.
This is common practice in fiction novels, but it works exceptionally well in blog writing too.
Crafting your blog intro with a story that suddenly shifts direction is a sure way to draw the reader into your story and give them a reason to keep on reading.
How Long Should A Blog Intro Be?
A good blog introduction doesn’t need a mountain of words. Your intro needs to be short and sweet to keep your readers hooked.
An intro that falls between 100 to 200 words is the sweet spot for a typical blog post. Try to make your sentences short (about 7 to 8 words), so they are easy to read and can be processed fast.
Try Writing The Introduction Last
Blog intros are the first thing your readers see when they land on your blog, but in most cases, it should be the last thing you write.
The introduction is more important than any other part of your post. You only have a few seconds to grab the reader’s attention, so make every word count.
It’s easy to get caught up writing the perfectly crafted introduction, but it’s far more efficient to leave it until the end or at the very least once you’ve laid out your main points.
You’ll have a better understanding of the topic you’re writing about once you have fleshed out and written the meat of your post.
Key Takeaways
A strong, captivating blog opening needs to convince and engage readers, and they need to feel compelled to keep on reading.
It should reassure them about the content and if it’s going to answer their problem or query.
If you get it right, you will be able to pull the reader from one sentence to the next, and before they know it, they’ve reached the end of your post and are ready to hit share or leave a comment.
But that’s not all. Crafting a good blog introduction can also help with your SEO efforts in a couple of ways.
First, it helps Google and other search engines understand the topic of the page so it can be indexed correctly.
Second, by creating a catchy blog intro, your readers are more likely to stay on the page longer, which will boost user engagement.