Writing a hook that earns the 'see more' tap: a checklist

Writing a hook that earns the 'see more' tap: a checklist

The question: how do you write the first two lines so a reader taps 'see more' — the single action that buys you dwell time?

LinkedIn truncates text posts after roughly 2-3 lines on mobile. That cutoff is the most important real estate you control, because the tap itself is a dwell signal the algorithm reads.

The hook checklist:
— Open an information gap the reader must close ('Most B2B attribution is wrong for one structural reason.').
— Cut the windup; delete any first line that's throat-clearing.
— Front-load the most specific noun; vague openers get scrolled past.
— Never let the payoff appear above the fold — give the promise, withhold the answer.
— Avoid a complete sentence that resolves; resolution kills the tap.
— Test the line in isolation: would you tap?

Limitations: curiosity-gap effects come from headline research, not LinkedIn-specific controlled trials; over-using gaps reads as clickbait and erodes trust over time. Treat as a craft heuristic.

What it means for B2B: a brilliant post with a flat first line is invisible — the hook is not decoration, it's the distribution mechanism.

Bottom line: spend disproportionate time on the two lines above the fold; everything below them depends on the tap.