The engaging opening will ensure you attract the reader to your content like a magnet.

As a writer, your job is to hook the reader from the very beginning.

You know the headline is the billboard of your article and is the first thing people see before they click your article.

And then comes your subtitle, and it should be equally impressive.

But your creative knack for enchanting your reader doesn’t stop here. The next most important thing is the opening of your blog post.

After all, no matter how enticing your headline and subtitle look, if the beginning doesn’t grab your reader’s attention, most likely, they’ll click away.

That’s why you must open it with a big bang. If the reader is hooked to the opening paragraph, most likely, they’ll read your content.

A great headline mixed with a weak opening is like inviting someone into your house, only to slam the door in their face as they approach.

— Brian Clark

Here are 4 ways you can create a powerful opening paragraph.

Open with a question

You can never fail your post by starting it with a rhetorical question.

Rhetorical questions act like magnets by sparking curiosity within your readers. Most importantly, it gets them to stop and think about how to answer your question.

Open with an anecdote

I’m sure you can pick an anecdote from your life to which readers can relate.

Anecdote can be any short story from your personal life. Anecdotes evoke a reaction in your reader — and this is what you want.

Anecdotes from your personal life promote bonding and help readers draw an emotional connection with you. Depending on the story you write, it could evoke a different reaction: laughter, anger, happiness, or joy.

Create an imaginative line

Tapping into your reader’s imagination is one of the best ways you can engage with the reader. That’s because when a reader forms a mental image, it opens up their mind for more. They’re open to engaging with your content and more likely follow you along to see what you have to say.

And how do you do that?

By using questions with words like “imagine” or “picture this” or suggest a reader recall a particular scene from their life, such as from the one from their childhood, etc.

By engaging the reader’s imagination you’re activating all their senses.

Stating a shocking fact or statistic

Why does this strategy work? The answer is simple- readers are curiosity-driven and by stating a shocking fact or statistic, you’re driving that curiosity over the edge. Readers won’t resist it and keep reading your content. After all, who doesn’t love discovering new information or facts?

The more startling or shocking your statistic is, the more impact it will make. Also, make sure the statistic you cite is relevant to your overall story.

The takeaway

How you open a blog post will determine whether the readers will engage with your content or click away.

If you open it with a bang, most likely, the readers will move past your opening and read your whole story. Four ways you can open your blog post with a bang is by:

• Opening with a question
• Opening with an anecdote
• Creating an imaginative line
• Stating a shocking fact or statistic