How to Capture Attention on Social Media

Want your words to actually sell? Here’s a simple roadmap I've found incredibly helpful: Think of crafting your message like taking someone on a mini-journey: 1. Hook them with curiosity: Your headline is the first "hello."  Make it intriguing enough to stop the scroll.  Instead of just saying "Email Marketing Tips," try something like "Want a 20% revenue jump in the next 60 days? (Here's the email secret)."  See the difference? Promise + Specificity = Attention. 2. Tell a story with a villain: This might sound dramatic, but hear me out.  What's the problem your audience is facing?  What's the frustration, the obstacle, the "enemy" they're battling?  For the email example, maybe it's "wasting hours on emails that no one opens."  Giving that problem a name creates an instant connection and a sense of purpose for your solution. 3. Handle the "yeah, but..." in their head: We all have those internal objections.  "I don't have time," "It costs too much," "Will it even work for me?"  Great copy anticipates these doubts and addresses them head-on within the message. 4. Show, don't just tell (Proof!): People are naturally skeptical.  Instead of just saying "it works," show them.  Even a simple "Join thousands of others who've seen real results" adds weight. Testimonials, even short ones, are gold. 5. Make it crystal clear what you want them to do (CTA):   Don't leave them guessing!  "Learn the exact steps in my latest guide" or "Grab your free checklist now" are direct and tell them exactly what to do and what they'll get.  Notice the benefit in the CTA example: "Get sculpted abs in just 4 weeks without dieting." And when you're thinking about where you're sharing this (LinkedIn post, email, etc.), there are different ways to structure your message. The P-A-S (Problem-Agitate-Solution) or A-I-D-A (Attention-Interest-Desire-Action) frameworks are classics for a reason. The core difference I've learned? Good copywriting isn't about shouting about your amazing product. It's about understanding them – their challenges, their desires – and positioning your solution as the answer in a way that feels like a conversation, not a sales pitch.

If your content isn’t doing as well as you wish it would, it’s probably because you’re focused on the wrong person…. You. The biggest mistake I see on social media is that many people use it like a megaphone instead of a mirror. They shout their news, their wins, their updates, but they never stop to think about what their audience actually needs or wants. If you want people to care about what you post, you have to make it about them. Here’s how to do that more consistently: ✅ Speak to a pain point: Instead of posting “I was promoted,” say A lot of people ask how to stand out and get promoted faster. Here’s what helped me the most. ✅ Be useful: Share what you wish you knew sooner, what others ask you about, or what you’re learning in real time. That’s the stuff people bookmark and come back to. ✅ Lead with the takeaway: Don’t bury the value under three paragraphs of background. Start with the point. Hook them early. ✅ Be generous with what you know: If you learned something the hard way, say so. If someone else taught you something, give them credit. This builds trust and it travels farther. ✅ Stop announcing: You’re not a PR firm. You don’t need to “announce” every event or accomplishment. Talk about what it means and why it matters. ✅ Talk like a human: Banish the corporate speak. If you wouldn’t say it out loud to a colleague, don’t write it in a post. ✅ Earn attention: We are never entitled to engagement. If people are scrolling past your content, ask why. And then fix it. You can still share your story. Just make sure it actually connects with the people reading it. Which of these do you need to start doing? #PersonalBranding #LinkedInTips #LegalMarketing

Here are 6 things you can do TODAY to turn around your social media strategy you’ve been neglecting for years: This isn’t theory. This is hands-on, pull-up-your-sleeves action. LET’S GO: ➡️ Audit your last 30 posts: Open your feed and look at what you’ve been posting. Are you selling 24/7? Using stock photos? Talking at your audience instead of talking with them? Write down what types of posts got the most engagement and which ones flopped, that’s your blueprint. Then delete the dead weight that doesn’t represent your brand today. ➡️ Redesign your content pillars: If your content strategy is "post something when we have a promo," you're already behind. You need at least 3–5 clear content pillars: behind-the-scenes, user-generated content, staff highlights, education, and local culture are a great place to start. These help your brand stay consistent, and make it easier to show up every day. ➡️ Start showing faces, not logos: People connect with people, not buildings or brand names. Tomorrow, take out your phone and record your GM talking about why they love working at your property, or introduce your head chef, or film your front desk team welcoming a guest. No scripts. Just real people doing what they do. That’s what performs. ➡️ Reformat your visuals for mobile-first: Horizontal videos? Huge mistake unless you're on YouTube. Go 4x5 or 9x16 for Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. That vertical real estate is prime attention space. You don't have to refilm everything, just crop and reframe your content correctly. Tomorrow, repurpose one older video the right way and repost it. ➡️ Write like a human, not a brochure: Cut the robotic captions. Nobody’s engaging with “Book your stay now and experience unparalleled luxury.” Tell a story. Share a moment. Ask a question. Get personal. Hospitality is about emotion, your captions should feel like a conversation, not a corporate memo. ➡️ Respond to every comment and DM: You’re not too busy. Engagement is the algorithm’s love language. If someone took the time to leave a comment, take 10 seconds to reply with something meaningful. You’ll be shocked how fast that builds loyalty. Set aside 20 minutes tomorrow to reply to everything, even the old stuff. You can fix this. You just have to stop thinking of social media as a department and start thinking of it as a culture. ---- I’m Scott Eddy, keynote speaker, social media strategist, and the #15 hospitality influencer in the world. I help hotels, cruise lines, and destinations tell stories that drive revenue and lasting results — through strategy, content, and unforgettable photo shoots. If the way I look at the world of hospitality works for you, and you want to have a conversation about working together, let’s chat: scott@mrscotteddy.com.

I've helped Ryan Serhant get over 17,375,044 impressions on his LinkedIn content (in less than 60 minutes per day). Here are the 4 things I learned 👇 1. Your ideas are great, but your execution sucks. Coming up with a good content idea is only 20% of the equation. The remaining 80% is the execution. I can think of plenty of times when I’ve posted something for Ryan, and it completely flopped… but I knew the idea was solid. So, I would wait a month or two and then rewrite the post, adding a new hook and reformatting the information. The second time around, we would get 2X - 10X the number of impressions. The image below is a good example of this. Same idea, new delivery. 2. Your hook is everything. In the words of David Ogilvy, “Five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.” When writing this post, I came up with 6 different hooks before I settled on the one you see now. If you can’t get someone to click “… see more” on your post, you lost. 3. Information captures attention, but storytelling cultivates a following. While raw data and facts are great for attracting initial interest or curiosity, it is the art of storytelling that engages people on a deeper level and keeps them coming back. For example: this post is definitely much more informative than it is story-driven, and that’s okay! You can create a mix. But 30% - 70% of the content you create should focus on telling a story while weaving in relevant information. 4. You can’t outsource the source. Anytime I’ve tried to create a post for Ryan from scratch – without consulting him, using one of his ideas as the foundation, or referencing something he’s said in the past – it ends up feeling a little wrong: • the tone of voice isn’t right • the idea feels inauthentic • the delivery is off etc. I mean – this post that you’re reading right now… this was originally going to be a piece of content for Ryan’s LinkedIn. But the truth is: Ryan isn’t the guy who talks about best practices for content, social media, and copywriting… he’s the real estate, sales, and entrepreneurship guy! So, as you approach creating content for your personal brand: don’t outsource the source (you!). Your thoughts, ideas, and insights need to be your own... without it, your “personal brand” isn’t personal. However, you can outsource (agency, freelancer, or employee): • strategy, to extract your ideas • copy, to clarify and communicate your ideas • designs, to illustrate your ideas • videos, to make the presentation of your ideas more engaging — This is the first time I’ve made a “proper” LinkedIn post in a while. That said, if you’d be interested in seeing more content like this (going over content best practices and case studies) in the future, let me know in the comments. I’d be keen to hear your thoughts. Your time is your greatest asset, thanks for sharing it with me 🕊

I’ve written 500 LinkedIn posts (here’s how I write for max reach) I've had posts get 250,000 views And 250 views Here's what I've learned Formatting matters, mainly because ↳ Most readers skim ↳ LinkedIn sessions are short ↳ Clarity keeps the reader's attention So, don't ramble on in your post Do this instead 👇 1. Post Length   - Aim for 700–1,500 characters, depending on post type   - Top posts are slightly longer, carousels 2. Hook   - Keep it bold, under 8 words, and use numbers   - “How I” > “How to” readers want real stories 3. Rehook   - Second line should challenge or build on your hook   - Use it to set up what’s coming next 4. Whitespace   - Break lines often to improve mobile readability   - Each line should feel easy to skim 5. Formatting   - Use a “wave” structure to guide the eye   - Makes text easier to process visually 6. Short Sentences   - Keep sentences under 12 words for clarity   - Value-dense writing performs 20% better 7. No Orphan Words   - Avoid leaving a single word on a new line   - Clean formatting keeps readers engaged 8. Topic Chunking   - Group related thoughts to boost readability   - Use connectors to shift between ideas 9. Power Ending   - End with a clear, bold takeaway   - Leave readers with something memorable 10. Call to Action (CTA)   - End with a question to boost engagement   - Increases comments by 20–40% You can ignore these 10 rules… But don’t complain when your posts flop. Master the structure. Then let your creativity fly. What’s your biggest formatting mistake? 👇

In the last 10 months, I’ve gained 27,983 followers, recorded 4,409,907 impressions, and driven a ton of leads to my companies. If I were starting today, here’s exactly what I’d do: (Let’s start with the most non-obvious tip) ~~ 1- Look at what I did in the hook. I created a "curiosity gap." —> How did he go from scratch to 27K followers? Then I punched it up: "Let’s start with the most non-obvious tip." —> Wait, what is it? You can have 10/10 content, but if no one reads it, then it’s wasted. No one owes you their attention. You have to earn it. == Each hook should answer these 3 questions: • WHO is this for? • WHAT is it about? • WHY should I listen to you? == 2- Pick your angle and go all in. Most founders write about everything—startups, fitness, mindset, AI, the economy. I didn’t. Last year, I wrote about: ✅ Bootstrapping & profitability (Seed-strapping to $100M+ revenue) ✅ B2B SaaS growth (How we scaled Onward past $4.5M ARR in under a year) ✅ DTC investing (15+ investments in commerce companies) Find your edge and OWN it. == 3- Write like you talk. A quick test: Read your post out loud. If it sounds like a corporate memo, rewrite it. My most viral post was brutally honest career advice. No fluff. No jargon. Just advice to my younger self. Good writing feels like a conversation. == 4- Details make advice actionable. I used to write things like, "Focus on your customer." Great advice. But how? Now I make it specific: “Talk to customers weekly. Ask these 3 questions...” Specific > vague. == 5- Play the long game. Most people quit after 2 months because they don’t go viral. Here’s what my journey looked like: Month 1: Crickets. Month 3: Posts flopped. Almost quit. Month 6: First viral post (726K impressions). Month 8: Inbound leads + real business impact. Consistency wins. I post 4-5 times a week, every week. == 6- Be polarizing (but back it up). Some of my best posts were when I challenged conventional wisdom: • Why most DTC brands shouldn’t raise VC. • How I “seed-strapped” StackCommerce to a $100M exit. • Why most SaaS founders overspend on tools. Take a stance. Just make sure you can defend it. == 7- Share numbers. One of my top posts? A SaaS stack breakdown with real costs. People love transparency. The more behind-the-scenes, the better. == 8- Don't just build an audience—build trust. Vanity metrics (followers, likes) don’t pay the bills. Trust does. Trust leads to deals, hires, partnerships, and exits. That’s the real game. == Most founders ignore LinkedIn. From my experience, that’s a mistake. If I were starting from scratch today, I’d do this: • Pick a niche • Write like I talk • Share real stories & numbers • Post 4-5x per week • Play the long game If you’re a founder wondering whether to start, ask a question below. And if you’re already posting—drop your biggest piece of advice!

One week ago, I wrote a post that “Went Viral.” Here’s why I think it happened (and how you can do it too): Last Sunday, I spent 20ish minutes writing a LinkedIn post (in comments) about how generative AI search will impact PR and crisis management. I hit “post,” hopped on a 45-minute Peloton ride, and didn’t think much of it. The post ended up with 1,100 likes, hundreds of comments and shares, and the most surprising result—600 new followers in 48 hours. LinkedIn says it’s now been seen by (😱) 300K+ people. It’s my most-followed post that wasn’t tied to breaking news or a crisis analysis. I’m left with the same question many of us ask: How do I replicate it? I don’t have all the answers (if I did, I’d be living and ⛷️ing at the Yellowstone Club 🤣 ), but here are 10 lessons I’ve noticed in my higher-performing posts: 1) Nail the hook. Your first sentence has one job: stop the scroll. This post worked because it warned PR pros about the risks of ignoring AI’s impact—something many hadn’t thought about yet. Hooks can be provocative, gut-wrenching, or even humorous, but they need to grab attention immediately. Pro tip: If you’re stuck, ask AI or a friend for feedback before posting. 2) Write for a specific audience. This sounds obvious, but it’s overlooked all the time. I write for people in PR, public affairs, crisis management, advocsct. I confirmed who I was writing for immediately, but also referenced a topic many others are talking about too. 3) Promise value early. By the 5th sentence, I’d made a clear promise: “Here’s what’s happening, why it matters, and how you can stay ahead.” If you want people to keep reading, tell them upfront why it’s worth their time. 4) Use lists or bullets. Numbered or bulleted lists make your post easier to read, easier to remember, and easier to share. 5) Be specific. Don’t just tell your audience what’s happening—tell them what to do about it. “Here’s why this crisis unfolded and how it could’ve been prevented” is way more useful than a generic rant or motivational platitude. 6) Start a conversation. The best posts invite dialogue, not monologues. End your post with a question: “What would you add? What did I miss?” 7) Cover relevant, unexpected topics. The post worked because it addressed something timely (AI) but applied it to an audience (PR pros) in a way that wasn’t obvious. Look for the intersections your audience hasn’t thought much about yet. 8) Post often. Some posts will hit, others will flop—keep going. The follow-up to my post did okay, but others this week barely made a ripple. 9) Don’t try to go viral. This sounds counterintuitive, but the harder you try to make a post over the top, the less likely it is to resonate. Write for your expertise and audience not for the masses. 10) Timing matters. 7:30 and 9 a.m. CT work best for me. Depends on geography, but I’ve never had a high-performing post past 3 p.m. Anything you’d add to this list?

You have 8 seconds. That’s it. Not to sell. Not to impress. Just to keep someone listening. Because in today’s world, attention isn’t earned. It’s lost quickly. The average human attention span? Just under 8 seconds. That’s less than a goldfish. So if you start with a long-winded backstory, a weak intro, or a “quick thought” that takes two minutes to land? You’ve already lost them. Here’s the truth: The first 8 seconds of anything you say determine whether people will keep listening. This isn’t about gimmicks. It’s about clarity. Intent. And how you show respect for someone’s time. Want to master the 8-second rule? Here’s how: 1. Start with the point, not the preamble. “Let me back up a bit…” = disengagement. “Here’s what I think we should do.” = engagement. People don’t need buildup. They need value—fast. 2. Drop your best line first. Don’t bury the insight. Don’t save the story’s punchline for the end. Lead with the line that makes them look up. 3. Use contrast. “This worked last year. It’s failing now.” Contrast creates tension. And tension creates attention. 4. Ditch filler words. If it starts with “I just wanted to say…” you’ve already wasted 3 of your 8 seconds. Be direct. Be kind. But cut the fluff. 5. Ask a question. Real curiosity pulls people in. “What would happen if we flipped the script?” That’s how you make ears perk up. 6. Get visual. Stories, metaphors, images; they light up the brain. “Saying yes to everything is like trying to run with bricks in your backpack.” Now they’re listening and picturing it. 7. Own your voice. Speak with calm, clear conviction. People don’t just hear your words. They feel your certainty. 8. Leave them wanting more. Not “Let me explain for 15 more minutes.” Try: “There’s a deeper layer to this; happy to unpack it if helpful.” Curiosity is a more powerful hook than explanation. You’ve been in those meetings. Someone starts rambling. You check your phone. They lost you at hello. Now flip it. You say one sentence that hits. Someone looks up. You’ve earned the next 8 seconds. And then the next. This isn’t just about being polished. It’s about being intentional. Because in a noisy world, clarity feels like leadership. So before your next pitch, update, or conversation, ask yourself: What can I say in 8 seconds that will make someone want to hear 80 more? Master that, and people won’t just listen. They’ll remember. ❓ Do you enjoy public speaking? ♻️ Repost to help others. ➕ Follow Nathan Crockett, PhD for daily posts about leadership, culture, and family.

Your prospect has a shorter attention span than a goldfish. Here’s how to write copy their brain actually wants to read. If your messaging is making it to the primary but doesn't make the prospect want to reply, it’s probably the spammy email structure your buyer’s brain is already wired to ignore. Most sales copy works against how people actually process information. That’s why I use these four brain-based principles to help reps write copy that earns attention, fast. 📌 Steal these: 1. Cognitive Overload When you share too much, your message gets ignored. The brain can’t hold it all, so it dumps what doesn’t feel urgent. This is why simplified, benefit-led copy outperforms long value dumps every time. If you want them to retain it, reduce it. 2. The Primacy Effect Buyers are more likely to remember the first thing they read. That’s why your first line matters more than anything (that & optimizing for preview text IYKYK). It needs to be clear, relevant, and benefit-driven. If your opener is weak, the rest doesn’t get read. 3. Decision Fatigue Your prospect is tired. They’ve already made dozens of decisions today. If your message is complicated, it’s easier to delete than decode. Use white space. Use short sentences. Make your CTA an easy yes. Write at a 3rd grade reading level. 4. Pattern Recognition The brain loves patterns ... and it also spots the bad ones. If your subject line screams “quick question” or your CTA feels forced, it triggers a mental spam filter. Your intent doesn’t matter. Their brain has already said no. When reps understand how the brain actually works, they stop trying to out-pitch the problem. And they start writing like they respect the reader’s brain. 📌 Which of these four do you see sellers breaking most often? ✨ Enjoyed this post? Make sure to hit FOLLOW for daily posts about B2B sales, leadership, entrepreneurship and mindset.

I was sitting in a class full of 45 people. Everyone was talking to each other. So lost in gossip, they’d miss a dinosaur walking in. A situation a teacher would call a fish market. It was that chaotic. Suddenly, one of the backbenchers stood up. And he said, “There’s one thing none of you know about our topper.” Everyone turned. We all wanted to know what he would say next. We were hooked. Desperate to hear. And that’s why I say: To write good posts, you need great hooks. No matter how good your content is, if the first line doesn’t grab attention, no one sticks around to read the rest. 5 Tips to Write Irresistible Hooks: 1. Flip a belief, then prove it Say something that challenges what your audience believes. It makes them stop and ask—“Wait, what?” That’s when you’ve got them. Just make sure you back it up with logic or a story. 2. Share a highlight, not a summary ❌ “Here’s how my trip to Bali went.” ✅ “I almost drowned in Bali because I trusted a stranger.” Start with the most interesting moment, not a recap. A great hook pulls people into the story. It doesn’t explain the whole thing upfront. 3. Keep it as short as possible “I cried in the middle of a meeting today.” Short. Personal. Long intros lose attention. Hooks should punch fast. 4. Use contrast to grab attention Juxtapose two opposite emotions or situations: “I was smiling. But inside, I was falling apart.” It creates tension. It makes people curious. It makes them stay. 5. Say something unbelievable, but true “This ₹30 dish got me a ₹3 lakh client.” The more unbelievable, the better. Bonus Tip 6: Say what they’re thinking “Every time I take a break, I feel guilty.” The best hooks feel like they wrote it. When your words echo their thoughts, you win attention. Remember: Great posts don’t start with introductions. They start with emotion, surprise, or truth. Your hook = the doorway to your story. Make it sharp enough… and they’ll have to step in. Follow for more FREE #PersonalBranding and content tips. Need help with branding? I'm just a text away.