Readers don’t consume all, or even most, of the words on web pages. In fact, research finds they pay attention to only one-fifth of them.
Instead, they skim the content to see if it's worth their time and effort.
The battle for modest consumption may seem like a lost cause, but it doesn’t have to be.
The secret: Strengthening your content’s introduction — an underestimated yet powerful game changer in your content marketing arsenal.
Why bother perfecting your intro sections if readers just skim the page?
A compelling introduction answers the what’s-in-it-for-me information right at the beginning, which keeps your visitors on the page. And good hooks and structure can actually turn scanners into readers.
A captivating introduction:
Sets expectations
Excites the audience to keep reading
Tells the audience what they can expect from the content
Try these seven formulas to achieve those intro goals.
1. Agree, promise, preview (APP)
The APP formula does best for a search audience, so they know the content delivers what they want. Here's how it works:
Provide information that a target reader would agree is the problem
Promise a solution to that problem
Preview the content so the reader understands what they'll get
SEO expert Brian Dean of Backlinko is the author of this method, which he often uses in his blog posts. It keeps the intros concise, straightforward, and appealing. I used APP in this Woorank guest post, 5 SEO Writing Skills To Help Your Content Rank Higher:
Agree: “Top-notch content that’s well-rounded, correctly formatted, and benefits an audience is what Google demands. Unfortunately, those are just the base requirements. If we want to rank higher in SERPs, we need to produce high-quality content that focuses on SEO as well.”
Promise: “Good search engine optimization is important, being more than just having a lot of keywords embedded in the content. SEO writers need to develop ways to take content to the next level, ranking higher than the competition.”
Preview: “This article will demonstrate five practical strategies designed to help take content writing further and achieve better SEO.”
2. Attention, interest, desire, action (AIDA)
Among the most common copywriting formulas, AIDA works well for sales content, evoking the desire to purchase and pushing potential buyers to take action. It also works well for intros because it:
Grabs the reader's attention in the first sentence
Appeals to their interest by saying something new to them
Evokes the desire to learn more, explaining how they'll benefit from the content
Invites them to take action (keep reading)
CMI’s Jodi Harris implements this intro formula in her article How 6 Leading Brands Use Content To Win Audiences:
Attention: “... you’ve experienced the ‘battle of the brains.’”
Interest: “But your logical brain points to the blank screen and kills the buzz, saying, ‘OK, hotshot. Where do we start?'”
Desire: “The valuable insight into what’s resonating with audiences like yours can fuel your creative and strategic minds.”
Action: “Here’s a peek at six of my favorite initiatives.”
3. Preview, proof, bridge (PPB)
Brian also uses this formula to engage Backlinko readers from the first sentence because it clarifies whether the content is worth reading:
Preview your content asset
Provide proof of why it's worth further investigation
Add a bridge (a short transition phrase to keep readers glued and get them to the next paragraph)
Brian's article on blog promotion uses the PPB method:
Preview: “In today’s post, I’m going to show you exactly how to promote your blog.”
Proof: “These are the same strategies that I used to grow my blog to over 451K monthly visitors.”
Bridge: “Let’s dive right in.”
4. Short, pain, yay (SPY)
Readers don’t want to work hard to understand your content. Don't dissuade them with complicated sentences and long paragraphs. Make the introduction visually readable, punchy, and easy to digest.
Start with a short sentence that hooks the audience. Ask an intriguing question. Make a controversial statement. Use a quote or incorporate statistics. Include a surprising fact.
The only rule? Give them a “yay” — something unusual and unexpected. Make it sound odd enough for readers to crave more. To cement the effect, refer to a pain point of your readers to communicate your awareness of their problems.
The SPY formula includes the following:
Start with a short statement
Address a pain point
Hook with yay info (say something unusual or unexpected)
Helen Boss demonstrates this technique in her article for SmartBlogger:
Short and yay: “Looking for conversion copywriting tips to keep users locked into your content?”
Pain point: “It isn’t easy.” “Boost your conversion rate.”
Yay: “... bite-sized chunks for an easy-to-follow success recipe."
5. Socratic method
I mentioned the Socratic method in my article about neuro-writing tactics. Named after the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, it asks argumentative questions to stimulate curiosity and critical thinking. It’s perfect to use in introductions to hook users and create a reading flow.
But this method involves more than asking a question in the first sentence. Use at least two (ideally three) questions in a row. Ensure each is concise and contextually related to the content.
My writing guru Henneke Duistermaat nails it in the article, How To Turn a Sales Pitch Into a Pleasant Conversation: 3 Writing Techniques:
“Does writing sales copy feel hard?”
“Do you feel like you have to turn yourself into a pushy salesperson?”
Instead of questions, you could pose consecutive statements that will make your target readers nod in agreement. These statements prove you understand their pain and know how to help.
Brian Clark uses the Socratic statement method in this Copyblogger article, in which he says he will share how to:
Get started
Cut the fluff
Finish a draft
6. Concise yet emotional
The oldy-moldy powerful technique of storytelling engages audiences and makes them want to keep reading. Why? Stories activate the experience-related parts of the brain.
Reading or listening to a story immerses the readers because they feel more connected and relevant to the information shared in the story. It also motivates them to see how the story progresses.
Sharing a personal story — reflective writing — in an introduction draws in readers. I used the technique in my SEO Writing 2025: How to Craft Content That Ranks High article. I write: “First, a confession. I’ve been providing SEO copywriting and content creation services for over 10 years.
“I’m that dinosaur who remembers days when writing for SEO was about nothing but placing a target keyword throughout a text. The number of backlinks was more critical than their relevancy and quality to rank high.
“I wrote 500-800-word-long mediocre texts, following the particular instructions ..."
But you don’t have to go personal. Use the Pinocchios of storytelling — fictional characters to tell a story, create emotional connections, and improve the content experience for your audience. That’s exactly what I did in the article, The Art of Writing Effective Proposals, using the characters of Andrew, who grieves, and Lucy, who sighs.
7. Scene-setting
This intro method sets the scene to prompt the readers’ curiosity and help them understand what to expect. It also works well for emerging topics or newsy issues.
With scene-setting, you can:
Establish a clear position
Highlight the aspects of the content asset
Manipulate the readers' emotions by setting a desired tone
Address the readers’ imagination and involve them in the process of thinking
That's what Lesley Vos does in her article on WordStream:
“There are two magic lands. One is the land of friendly grain-grower tribes, while the other is a motherland of mean-spirited hunters warring and betraying for profit.
“Can you guess which land is called Grataka and which one is called Lamoniana?”
Which intro method motivates you to read?
Introduction writing takes time and practice to master. Formulaic methods from savvy content creators can help but don't treat them as the ultimate truth: Follow your writing style, brand tone of voice, and target audience's needs to create opening paragraphs they'll eagerly read.
After you draft an intro, ask: "Would I read the article if I went through this kind of introduction?" If you answer "yes," move on to the next paragraphs. If you answer “no” or you hesitate, revise it until you’re satisfied.
Remember Hemingway's advice: "All you have to do is write one true sentence." Start your introduction with "the truest sentence you know," and your reader will stay with you.
Updated from a May 2023 story.
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