# 50 LinkedIn Hook Formulas That Win in 2026, Each With the Post That Proved It
Canonical page: https://depost.ai/blog/linkedin-hooks
We scored eleven kinds of LinkedIn opening line against each writer's own typical post, across 13,104 posts from July to October 2026. Eight kinds win and three do not. Here are 50 formulas from the eight, each with the real post that proved it.
By [Atta-Ur-Rehman Shah](https://depost.ai/authors/atta), Depost AI. Published 2026-10-15.
**Short answer:** Measured against each writer's own typical post across 13,104 LinkedIn posts from July to October 2026, the strongest LinkedIn hooks are an order (1.11, with 61% of 64 creators beating their own average) and a how-to line (1.11, 60% of 35). A hot take scores 1.06, a plain claim 1.02 across 366 creators, a number first 1.02, a contrarian line 1.01, and a transformation and pain-then-promise 1.00. A curiosity gap (0.98), a statistic (0.96) and a question (0.93, with only 37% of 116 creators above their average) run under the writer's typical post. The 50 formulas here come from the eight kinds that win, each with the real post behind it.
Every list of LinkedIn hooks was built the same way. Collect first lines from posts that went big, sort them into groups, give each group a name. Nobody checked whether the writers who open that way do better with it than they do without it.
So we checked. We took 13,104 LinkedIn posts published between 9 July and 6 October 2026 by 409 creators, drawn from a library of 144,913 posts, and scored every one against its own writer's typical post. Not against other creators. Then we grouped the posts by the kind of sentence they open with and asked one question of each kind: do the people who use it beat their own average with it?
Eleven kinds of first line had enough writers to judge. Eight win. Three do not, and two of the three are the ones most hook lists lead with: the question and the statistic. The formula every course teaches, pain then promise, breaks even.
Below are the eleven ranked, the three to stop using, and 50 formulas from the eight kinds that win. Every formula comes with the real post that proved it: the creator's name, the first line as published, the public counts, and how many times their own typical post it did. Each kind has a figure and, under it, the same formulas and examples as text. At the end, which opening line wins for each shape of post, and four steps for filling a formula with your own facts.
## How this was measured
For every post, engagement (reactions, comments and reposts) divided by the same writer's median post over the three months, so 1.00 is that writer's typical post. A kind of opening line is scored as the median across the writers who used it at least twice and did something else at least twice, with the share of those writers who beat their own median beside it. A kind needed twelve or more writers to appear.
The kinds are the library's labels for the first sentence of a post: an order, a how-to line, a hot take, a plain claim, a number, a contrarian line, a transformation, pain then promise, a curiosity gap, a statistic, a question. The [hook glossary](https://depost.ai/glossary/hook) has a line on each.
This is the same test behind [the 30 post formats that keep winning](https://depost.ai/blog/linkedin-post-formats), which scores the shape of a post together with its opening line, and behind [the 14 rules tested against each creator's own posts](https://depost.ai/blog/what-works-on-linkedin). This page looks at the first line on its own.
## The eleven kinds of first line, ranked
Orange kinds beat the writer's typical post for most of the people who use them. Grey ones do not.
An order and a how-to line lead at 1.11, with 61% of 64 and 60% of 35 creators above their own average. A hot take is 1.06 on a small cell of 23 writers. The plain claim, used by 366 of the 409 creators, is 1.02, and so is a number first across 133. A contrarian line is 1.01. A transformation and pain then promise both sit at 1.00.
Then the line. A curiosity gap is 0.98 and 248 creators lean on it, the second most used opener in the library. A statistic is 0.96. A question is 0.93, and only 37% of the 116 creators who open with one beat their own typical post.
## The three to stop using
**A question.** 0.93 across 116 creators, and 37% of them above their average. It is the weakest opener in the library on every shape it was measured on: 0.89 on a how-to, 0.91 on a mindset post. A question asks the reader to do the work before they have a reason to.
**A statistic.** 0.96 across 104 creators. A number that is not yours reads as a pitch. The same finding stated as a plain sentence, with the number second, scores 1.07 on a data post; opened with the statistic, 0.94.
**A curiosity gap.** 0.98 across 248 creators. It holds only when the payoff is real and immediate, a milestone (1.21) or a trend with a number in it (1.04). On a how-to it is 0.92, on a diary entry 0.96, on a tools post 0.95. Most of the time the loop it opens is not worth closing.
## 1. An order
**1.11 against the writer's own typical post.** 61% of the 64 creators who open this way beat their average with it. An order is the joint strongest opener in the library and the least used of the winners: 64 creators, against 366 for the plain claim. It reads as a decision already made, which is why it carries a mindset post to 1.21 and why it fails when the body does not back the order with a reason.
The 7 formulas, each with the post behind it:
1. **Stop {what you say}. {Show it} instead.** [Johnny C. Taylor](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7511788719042023426): "Stop telling people you're kind." 12,932 reactions, 536 comments, 19 times their typical post.
2. **Stop {settling for any X}. {Hold out for the right one}.** [Shulin Lee](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7486378416204636160): "Stop praying for just any job. Pray for the right one." 8,260 reactions, 440 comments, 11 times their typical post.
3. **Don't let {the setback} define {the future}.** [Will McTighe](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7497276582844284928): "Don’t let failure define your future." 8,224 reactions, 498 comments, 10 times their typical post.
4. **Before you {judge / decide}, ask a better question:** [Dr. Christian Poensgen](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7501247885385314304): "Before you judge yourself, ask a better question:" 2,436 reactions, 209 comments, 6.5 times their typical post.
5. **Stop managing {the input}. Start managing {the outcome}.** [Elfried Samba](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7502383138212405248): "Stop managing time. Start managing outcomes." 2,450 reactions, 96 comments, 4.0 times their typical post.
6. **Stop {using the tool the lazy way}.** [Matt Village](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7485257373226369024): "Stop asking ChatGPT random questions." 404 reactions, 762 comments, 3.6 times their typical post.
7. **{Do the thing} like a {human / beginner / owner}.** [Daniel Murray](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7501000043982741504): "Write like a human." 1,657 reactions, 63 comments, 4.8 times their typical post.
**Where it fits.** No shape in the formats test has this as its best opener; it is a general-purpose line rather than the one a shape is built around.
## 2. A how-to line
**1.11 against the writer's own typical post.** 60% of the 35 creators who open this way beat their average with it. The how-to line is the other opener at the top, and it belongs to one shape. A how-to post breaks even across the library (1.00); opened with a how-to line it scores 1.30. The first line promises exactly what the body delivers, so nobody feels tricked into a lesson.
The 5 formulas, each with the post behind it:
8. **Learn how to {notice / do} more {good thing} in your {life / work}.** [Ben Meer](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7493280921438011392): "Learn how to notice more good things in your life." 7,379 reactions, 472 comments, 9.0 times their typical post.
9. **Here's how to do great {X} for any {company} in any {industry}.** [Dave Gerhardt](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7510681708631875584): "Here's how to do great marketing for any company in any industry." 620 reactions, 185 comments, 2.3 times their typical post.
10. **How to use {tool} to {outcome}: ({setup time}, runs while you sleep).** [Austin Belcak](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7510686470207074304): "How to use Claude Cowork to find new jobs: (10 minute setup, runs while you sleep)." 515 reactions, 135 comments, 2.5 times their typical post.
11. **How I overcame the objection "{the exact words}."** [Josh Braun](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7508231470415511552): "How I overcame the objection "I have a sick kid."" 306 reactions, 95 comments, 2.0 times their typical post.
12. **How to {design} your {dream outcome} in {year}.** [Matt Gray](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7495478965466443776): "How to design your dream life in 2026." 1,612 reactions, 307 comments, 2.2 times their typical post.
**Where it is the best opener.** How-to (1.30, 67% of 18 creators).
## 3. A hot take
**1.06 against the writer's own typical post.** 61% of the 23 creators who open this way beat their average with it. The hot take is a personal view with a specific detail in it, a time, a habit, a car. It is the smallest cell in the test, 23 creators, so read 1.06 as a direction rather than a fact. The examples that win are stories with an opinion inside them, not opinions with a story bolted on.
The 4 formulas, each with the post behind it:
13. **I had a boss who {specific habit}. Usually around {exact time}.** [Josh Braun](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7507482782080671744): "I had a boss who loved sending Sunday emails. Usually around 5:47pm." 698 reactions, 139 comments, 4.2 times their typical post.
14. **Advice I wish I received sooner: {one sentence}.** [Ben Meer](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7509588376992362496): "Advice I wish I received sooner: If you feel stuck, start by investing in yourself." 2,790 reactions, 145 comments, 3.3 times their typical post.
15. **Everyone in my {family / team} {does this ordinary thing}.** [Dominick Namis](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7508897221493346305): "Everyone in my family drives either a Toyota or a Lexus." 1,581 reactions, 98 comments, 3.3 times their typical post.
16. **Yesterday {something happened to me} and it highlighted {N} things:** [Harry Stebbings](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7509587552501231616): "Yesterday I had a pretty painful operation and it highlighted two things to me:" 2,087 reactions, 287 comments, 5.3 times their typical post.
**Where it fits.** No shape in the formats test has this as its best opener; it is a general-purpose line rather than the one a shape is built around.
## 4. A plain claim
**1.02 against the writer's own typical post.** 56% of the 366 creators who open this way beat their average with it. The plain claim is average on its own and the best opener for eight of the twelve strongest formats in the library, because a flat statement of something true about you is what a personal shape needs. On a before-and-after it scores 1.56, on a vulnerable moment 1.44, on a milestone 1.32, on a leadership thought 1.22. What it needs is a claim a reader could disagree with.
The 8 formulas, each with the post behind it:
17. **The most {successful} people I know never stop {doing X}.** [Johnny C. Taylor](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7507076100477444097): "The most successful people I know never stop being students." 16,868 reactions, 638 comments, 24 times their typical post.
18. **{People} don't {quit} because it's {hard}. They {quit} because it's {unfair}.** [Nathan Hirsch](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7490743934198046721): "People don't quit because it's hard. They quit because it's unfair." 5,692 reactions, 461 comments, 18 times their typical post.
19. **A {small act} can {measurable effect}.** [Daniel Pink](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7489745804253888512): "A hug can lower your odds of catching a cold." 5,856 reactions, 465 comments, 16 times their typical post.
20. **Thrilled to announce that {an ordinary thing, said as news}.** [Adriaan Dekker](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7487824216239636480): "Thrilled to announce that I wrote this sentence without ChatGPT." 9,288 reactions, 186 comments, 16 times their typical post.
21. **{N} years later, and it still feels like yesterday.** [Tim Tebow](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7504154406083452928): "25 years later, and it still feels like yesterday." 22,401 reactions, 320 comments, 16 times their typical post.
22. **It took me until {a late point} to learn how to {a basic thing}.** [Chenae Erkerd](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7485849412947222528): "It took me until the 4th grade to learn how to read." 4,288 reactions, 494 comments, 14 times their typical post.
23. **{Success} finds you faster when you help others find theirs.** [Dr. Dupe Burgess](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7495406526564790272): "Success finds you faster when you help others find theirs." 4,405 reactions, 328 comments, 13 times their typical post.
24. **Some personal news: today is my last day at {company}.** [Peter Walker](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7491536347304763392): "Some personal news - today is somehow my last day at Carta." 3,617 reactions, 768 comments, 14 times their typical post.
**Where it is the best opener.** Before and after (1.56, 83% of 12 creators); Vulnerable moment (1.44, 72% of 29 creators); Personal milestone (1.32, 83% of 29 creators); Diary entry (1.28, 76% of 21 creators); Leadership thought (1.22, 82% of 33 creators); Hot take (1.15, 64% of 58 creators); Data-backed insight (1.07, 60% of 15 creators); Case study (1.04, 59% of 27 creators); Framework (1.04, 61% of 38 creators); Giveaway (1.03, 50% of 16 creators); Launch (0.98, 50% of 34 creators); Offer (0.90, 25% of 16 creators); News update (0.89, 41% of 17 creators); Event invite (0.69, 23% of 13 creators).
## 5. A number first
**1.02 against the writer's own typical post.** 52% of the 133 creators who open this way beat their average with it. A number first works when the number is one only you can make: 1084 connections, 20 years, 10,000 cold calls. On a tools-and-resources post it is the best opener (1.23). The same shape opened with a plain claim instead drops under average (0.99), which is the clearest single case of an opener deciding a post.
The 7 formulas, each with the post behind it:
25. **The day I left {company}, I had {number} {thing}.** [Anna Bilan](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7487848219444473856): "The day I left Deloitte, I had 1084 LinkedIn connections." 1,766 reactions, 239 comments, 9.3 times their typical post.
26. **In my {N} years of {X}, I have {done the thing} {N} times.** [Ankur Warikoo](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7488080889118318592): "In my 20 years of professional life, I have changed my career 5 times." 16,347 reactions, 810 comments, 7.9 times their typical post.
27. **The #1 way to {outcome}:** [Richard Yu](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7482431665110425600): "The #1 way to teach people to respect you:" 1,869 reactions, 129 comments, 10 times their typical post.
28. **{N} reasons why I'm so skeptical of {the whole industry}:** [Rand Fishkin](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7507961907467702272): "5 reasons why I'm so skeptical of the entire AI tracking industry:" 2,014 reactions, 388 comments, 6.4 times their typical post.
29. **I've made over {N} {cold calls} in my career.** [Christian Krause](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7497987713443192832): "I've made over 10,000 cold calls in my career." 1,028 reactions, 80 comments, 5.1 times their typical post.
30. **I saved {N} of the most useful {tool} {commands} into one {cheat sheet}.** [Hamna Aslam Kahn](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7490734489266995200): "I saved 99 of the most useful Claude commands into one cheat sheet." 1,567 reactions, 107 comments, 4.8 times their typical post.
31. **{N} words that make {sellers} sound {needy}.** [Josh Braun](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7508489644754530304): "6 words that make sellers sound needy." 849 reactions, 64 comments, 4.7 times their typical post.
**Where it is the best opener.** Tools and resources (1.23, 66% of 32 creators).
## 6. A contrarian line
**1.01 against the writer's own typical post.** 52% of the 145 creators who open this way beat their average with it. The contrarian line takes the view your field repeats and says the opposite, flatly. It names the fight and the body has to win it; the examples that win follow with evidence a reader can check. On a contrarian-opinion post it scores 1.21, and it is the opener that rescues a how-to (1.08) when the how-to line does not fit.
The 7 formulas, each with the post behind it:
32. **Instead of {what everyone does tonight}, {do this}.** [Linas Beliūnas](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7494818636529016832): "Instead of watching 2 hours of Netflix tonight, watch this Stanford lecture." 15,059 reactions, 267 comments, 14 times their typical post.
33. **Bad {copywriting}: "{the dull version}."** [Chase Dimond](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7500184787165446144): "Bad copywriting: “Our sunscreen is SPF 50.”" 3,551 reactions, 381 comments, 14 times their typical post.
34. **You could spend {time} explaining {X}. Or you could show someone {this}.** [Josh Braun](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7508569582501203970): "You could spend 20 minutes explaining why lifting weights matters. Or you could show someone these two bones." 1,686 reactions, 147 comments, 9.3 times their typical post.
35. **Unpopular opinion: the better the {company}, the less I trust the {salesperson}.** [Sam Jacobs](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7508499617488240640): "Unpopular opinion: The better the company, the less I trust the salesperson." 1,468 reactions, 292 comments, 7.7 times their typical post.
36. **Your {AI strategy} is perfect. That's why it's worthless.** [Michael Lee](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7496185523741319168): "Your AI strategy is perfect. That's why it's worthless." 2,356 reactions, 741 comments, 5.3 times their typical post.
37. **You don't need {what everyone says you need} to {outcome}.** [Kevin Jurovich](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7503484411993174016): "You don’t need warm intros to raise money." 865 reactions, 191 comments, 4.5 times their typical post.
38. **{X} has been dying since {year}.** [Jake Ward](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7503421200723795968): "SEO has been dying since 1997." 1,879 reactions, 398 comments, 3.8 times their typical post.
**Where it is the best opener.** Contrarian opinion (1.21, 79% of 14 creators).
## 7. A transformation
**1.00 against the writer's own typical post.** 50% of the 132 creators who open this way beat their average with it. A transformation is the before and after in two short sentences. It breaks even across every shape (1.00) and earns its place on the one shape it was made for, the before-and-after post, at 1.21 with 79% of 19 creators above their average. The formula fails when the before is softened; it works when the before is a plain fact.
The 6 formulas, each with the post behind it:
39. **I grew up in {place}. {Modest start}. And now I'm {the unlikely place}.** [Nicole DeTommaso](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7487528153188327425): "I grew up in NY. Went to university in NYC as a first-gen college student. And now I'm on a billboard in Times Square." 2,258 reactions, 138 comments, 12 times their typical post.
40. **{Year}: I was rejected by {X}. {Year}: Working with {Y}.** [Anik Jain](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7492549703667208192): "2020: I was rejected by Schbang. 2026: Working with Virat Kohli." 3,051 reactions, 80 comments, 6.1 times their typical post.
41. **I used to be a huge {introvert}.** [Noemi Kis](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7503067174769643520): "I used to be a huge introvert." 2,071 reactions, 309 comments, 5.8 times their typical post.
42. **My {wife} sent {N} applications. Zero replies. {What changed}. {N} responses in {N} days.** [Saidul Islam](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7507065222453444609): "My wife sent 85 applications. Zero replies. I uploaded her resume to Claude. 16 responses in 14 days." 1,280 reactions, 74 comments, 5.7 times their typical post.
43. **{N} years ago, you were cool if you had {the old tool}.** [Maja Voje](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7504917344641634305): "10 years ago, you were cool if you had a CRM and an email automation platform." 1,257 reactions, 256 comments, 5.6 times their typical post.
44. **For {N} years I've taught {X} that {rule}. Turns out I had a {rule} problem of my own.** [Mark Ritson](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7503666092419063808): "For twenty years I’ve taught marketers that positioning is everything. Turns out I had a positioning problem of my own" 1,038 reactions, 213 comments, 4.0 times their typical post.
**Where it fits.** No shape in the formats test has this as its best opener; it is a general-purpose line rather than the one a shape is built around.
## 8. Pain, then the promise
**1.00 against the writer's own typical post.** 50% of the 116 creators who open this way beat their average with it. Pain, then the promise, is the formula every course teaches, and across the library it breaks even. It earns its keep in front of real steps, 1.15 on a how-to, and on a mindset post it is the strongest opener of all at 1.32. The pain line has to be specific enough that the reader recognises their own week in it.
The 6 formulas, each with the post behind it:
45. **Most people take {months} to {recover}. You can do it in {minutes}:** [Chase Dimond](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7484956316092788736): "Most people take months to bounce back. You can do it in minutes:" 4,150 reactions, 304 comments, 17 times their typical post.
46. **Be careful who you {promote}. One wrong {promotion} can cost you {your best people}.** [Johnny C. Taylor](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7500190692133199872): "Be careful who you promote. One wrong promotion can cost you your best people." 6,657 reactions, 427 comments, 9.6 times their typical post.
47. **Google your name. Now imagine {a client} doing it.** [Anisha Jain](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7483819715593961472): "Google your name. Now imagine your ex doing it." 3,434 reactions, 327 comments, 8.8 times their typical post.
48. **"{Title}" sounds great until you realise you're also {the entire department}.** [Elfried Samba](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7506249249433636867): "“Head of Marketing” sounds great until you realise you’re also the entire marketing department" 4,814 reactions, 232 comments, 7.8 times their typical post.
49. **Most {candidates} lose "{the moment}" in the first {30 seconds}. Here's how to {fix it}:** [Harvey Lee](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7500530433110126592): "Most candidates lose "tell me about yourself" in the first 30 seconds. Here's how to answer it properly: ↓" 1,423 reactions, 98 comments, 5.5 times their typical post.
50. **Everyone wants {AI} to take over {the boring part}. Almost nobody knows where to start.** [Hana Kobzová](https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7507687681192026112): "Everyone wants AI to take over the boring parts of Google Ads. Almost nobody knows where to start." 240 reactions, 1,025 comments, 3.8 times their typical post.
**Where it is the best opener.** Mindset post (1.32, 64% of 14 creators).
## Which opening line wins for each shape
The same first line does different work on different shapes. For every shape with ten or more writers in the formats test, the opener that scored highest on it:
| Shape | Open it with | Score | Beat their average | Creators |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Before and after | A plain bold claim | 1.56 | 83% | 12 |
| Vulnerable moment | A plain bold claim | 1.44 | 72% | 29 |
| Personal milestone | A plain bold claim | 1.32 | 83% | 29 |
| Mindset post | The pain, then the promise | 1.32 | 64% | 14 |
| How-to | A how-to line | 1.30 | 67% | 18 |
| Diary entry | A plain bold claim | 1.28 | 76% | 21 |
| Tools and resources | A number | 1.23 | 66% | 32 |
| Leadership thought | A plain bold claim | 1.22 | 82% | 33 |
| Contrarian opinion | A contrarian line | 1.21 | 79% | 14 |
| Hot take | A plain bold claim | 1.15 | 64% | 58 |
| Data-backed insight | A plain bold claim | 1.07 | 60% | 15 |
| Case study | A plain bold claim | 1.04 | 59% | 27 |
| Trend read | A curiosity gap | 1.04 | 59% | 22 |
| Framework | A plain bold claim | 1.04 | 61% | 38 |
| Giveaway | A plain bold claim | 1.03 | 50% | 16 |
| Launch | A plain bold claim | 0.98 | 50% | 34 |
| Offer | A plain bold claim | 0.90 | 25% | 16 |
| News update | A plain bold claim | 0.89 | 41% | 17 |
| Event invite | A plain bold claim | 0.69 | 23% | 13 |
The pattern in the table is the pattern of this page. The plain claim wins the personal shapes. The how-to line wins the how-to. The number wins the list. An order and the pain line win the mindset post. Nothing wins with a question.
## Fill a formula with your own facts
**1. Pick the kind of line that wins for the shape you are writing.** The table above. If you are writing a story, a milestone or a leadership thought, it is a plain claim. If you are writing a how-to, it is a how-to line. If you are writing a list, it is the number.
**2. Put a fact of yours in the orange part.** Every example on this page carries one: a grade, a year, a price, a count, a name, a time of day. If you do not have the number, write around it. A number that is not yours is the one thing that turns a hook into a pitch.
**3. Make the first line stand on its own.** Read it with nothing under it. If it only works once the body explains it, it is a curiosity gap, and those run under the writer's typical post.
**4. End the way the shape ends.** Not with a link: a link at the end scores 0.91 across 194 creators, the worst ending in the library. The link goes in the first comment.
### Inside Depost AI
The free analysis in Depost AI runs this test for your niche at your audience size and shows how the best creators there open their posts, with the real post behind each line, beside your own best and weakest posts as multiples of your own typical post. Every idea it suggests starts from the formats and first lines that won in your niche and names the post that proved it, so the evidence is one click away rather than taken on trust.
One honest line: it does not yet read the opening lines of your own posts, so it cannot tell you which of these kinds wins for you specifically. It says so on the screen until that changes. What it can tell you is which win in your niche, and which shapes of post win for you.
The [hook generator](https://depost.ai/tools/linkedin-hook-generator) on this site writes first lines from a topic you give it, in the kinds above. It is a starting point, not a measurement.
## What this cannot tell you
Engagement is not revenue. Correlation, not cause: the writers who open with an order may differ from the ones who open with a question in ways the test cannot see. One season, one platform, English only. The kinds are labels assigned by a classifier to the first sentence of a post, and a classifier is sometimes wrong. The hot take rests on 23 writers and should be read as a direction. The scores are medians, so one viral post cannot carry a kind, but a kind with 35 writers rests on 35 people's habits. The first lines are quoted as published, with emoji removed.
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The print view keeps the article and every figure and drops the rest of the site.
## FAQ
### What is a hook on LinkedIn?
The first sentence of a post, the only part most readers see before they decide whether to click "more". On this page a hook is one of eleven kinds of first line as labelled by the library's classifier: an order, a how-to line, a hot take, a plain claim, a number, a contrarian line, a transformation, pain then promise, a curiosity gap, a statistic, or a question.
### What is the best LinkedIn hook in 2026?
Measured against each writer's own typical post, an order ("Stop doing X.") and a how-to line, both at 1.11. A plain claim is the best first line for the personal shapes of post, where it scores 1.56 on a before-and-after and 1.44 on a vulnerable moment. The best hook depends on the shape of the post under it.
### Do questions work as LinkedIn hooks?
No. A question as the first line scores 0.93 across 116 creators, and only 37% of them beat their own typical post with it. On a how-to it is 0.89 and on a mindset post 0.91. It is the weakest opener measured.
### Should a LinkedIn hook start with a statistic?
Not as the first line. A statistic first scores 0.96 across 104 creators. The same finding stated as a plain sentence, with the number second, scores 1.07 on a data post. A number that is not yours reads as a pitch.
### Does the pain-then-promise formula work on LinkedIn?
It breaks even on its own, 1.00 across 116 creators. It works in front of something concrete: 1.15 on a how-to with real steps, and 1.32 on a mindset post, where it is the strongest opener of all.
### How was this measured?
13,104 LinkedIn posts published between 9 July and 6 October 2026 by 409 creators with four or more posts in that window, drawn from a library of 144,913 posts. Each post's engagement (reactions, comments and reposts) was divided by the same writer's median post over the three months, so 1.00 is that writer's typical post. Each kind of first line is scored as the median across writers who used it at least twice and did something else at least twice, with the share who beat their own median beside it. A kind needed twelve or more writers to appear; the shape-and-opener figures come from the formats test on the same posts at a ten-writer bar.
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Cite as Depost AI (https://depost.ai/blog/linkedin-hooks). Index of every page: https://depost.ai/llms.txt. Full reference: https://depost.ai/llms-full.txt.
