📈 AI Killed Contrarian Hooks

Read time: 4 minutes

Most people think they can write like Justin Welsh and grow a massive following on LinkedIn.

That playbook died in 2023. He has 800,000 followers. That's not just a number - it's 800,000 people who already trust him enough to stop scrolling.

EVEN if he has an off day and his hook is a bit flat.

If you're new, you don't have that luxury. You don't have his brand equity.

You have 3 seconds, zero goodwill and have to earn every second of attention you get.

And it is only getting harder. AI slop is flooding the feed and now everyone sounds the same.

Generic contrarian hooks that worked in 2024 get scrolled past without a thought.

You have to do more to stand out.

The Problem With Most Hooks

Most people write hooks like this:

• "Hard work beats talent."

• "You can be a leader without a title."

• "No one deserves to be micromanaged."

These are generic observations. AI can write a hundred of them in a minute.

They might get likes but they build zero influence. And if your goal is to grow your business, they're mostly a waste of time.

They don't tell me who you are. Why you know this. What makes your perspective different from the 50 other people posting the same thing.

Without that context, you run the risk of being another AI-sounding account trying to go viral.

Here are four hook styles that actually stand out.

Four Hook Styles That Actually Work

1. Proof of Work

Show the effort that you’ve put in so others don't have to:

1. "I analyzed 500 cold emails that got responses.
   Here's what actually works:”

2. "After interviewing 47 CMOs about their hiring process..."

3. "I tested 30 different LinkedIn post formats.
   Three consistently outperformed:”

You're saying: I did the work. Here's what I found. Save yourself the time.

This is a great hook format for beginners who may not have much experience yet - it just requires you to put in the work.

2. Proof of Authority

This is probably the strongest hook format - you tell people what you’ve achieved and that is the justification for why people should listen to you:

1. “After 17 years in product management…”

2. “After leading 15 AI transformations…”

They are also completely uncopyable!

3. The Unexpected Angle

Weird hooks can win too:

1. "I got a $200k job by posting a meme on LinkedIn"

2. "My biggest client came from a comment I left at 2am"

3. "I accidentally discovered the best cold email format while drunk"

These hooks work because they are unexpected and stand out.

4. Story Hooks That Pull You In

Start with a specific moment:

1. "This investor laughed at my pitch deck and told me my company was dead"

2. "My boss called me into his office. I knew what was coming"

3. "I opened my laptop to 47 rejection emails"

Stories create curiosity and make people want to keep reading.

Why This Matters More Than Ever

AI can write mildly contrarian hooks all day.

It can't share your personal experiences interviewing 500 people. It can't describe the lessons from your 20 years in the industry. It can't tell your drunk email story.

The bar for "interesting" has gotten higher on LinkedIn and generic observations don't cut it anymore.

You need to give people a reason to stop scrolling. And that reason is usually you. Your work, your authority, your story.

Start showing why you're worth listening to.

Your hooks should tell people why you're worth their time, not just what you think.

See you next week,

Will

P.S. 

• I just published my most valuable YouTube video ever - it includes everything I wish I knew when I started on LinkedIn. Watch it here.

• We launched an infographics and carousel generator earlier this month. Here’s a quick video on how it works. Sign up for the waitlist for the next cohort.

Will McTighe

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