A blog intro has exactly one job — keep the reader past the first 80 words — and “today” loses that job before the second sentence. Burying the answer in paragraph 3, hedging the thesis, or refusing to name who the post is for all leak the same way: the back button. These prompts give you 14 different opening moves keyed to reader temperature — search-intent payoff for cold Google clicks, story for warm newsletter subscribers, contrarian or data hooks for opinionated topics, pattern-break for overdone genres. Pair with the blog conclusion prompts so the opener’s promise lands in the closer’s payoff.
Best for
- SEO blog posts
- Newsletter intros
- Substack openers
- Tutorial leads
- Opinion pieces
1. Search-intent payoff intro
Best for SEO posts — answer the query in the first 40 words.
Write the first 80 words of a blog post targeting the keyword "{keyword}". Reader wants to know: {target question}. Format: 1-sentence direct answer first, then 1 sentence on why this answer is non-obvious, then 1 sentence promising what the rest of the post will cover. No throat-clearing. No "in today's fast-paced world".2. Contrarian claim intro
Use when your post overturns a common belief.
Open a blog post with a contrarian claim: most people think "{common belief}", but it is actually wrong because {real insight}. 90 words. Start with the wrong belief in one sentence, then "Here is what the data actually shows" or equivalent, then 1 line promising the rest.3. Problem–agitate–payoff intro
Write a 100-word blog intro using the problem–agitate–payoff structure. Problem: {what the reader is stuck on}. Agitate: name the specific cost or frustration of staying stuck. Payoff: name the outcome they will have by the end of this post. Plain language, no exclamation marks.4. Personal-story opener
Write a 120-word personal-story intro for a blog about "{topic}". Open with a concrete scene from when I first hit this problem ({scene}). End the story on the question that led me to find the answer this post explains.5. Data-shock hook
Open a blog post with a surprising statistic about "{topic}". Format: stat in line 1, why that stat matters in line 2, what the rest of the post does with it in line 3. The stat must be specific (number + source + year). 80 words.6. “If you …” reader-mirror hook
Write a 70-word intro that mirrors the reader's symptom. Start with "If you are {symptom 1}, {symptom 2}, or {symptom 3}, you are not alone." Follow with the underlying cause in one sentence, then the promise of what this post will fix.7. Inverted-pyramid intro for B2B blog
Write a 90-word intro in inverted-pyramid order for a B2B blog on "{topic}" aimed at {role}. Strongest conclusion first, then who this changes for, then the conditions under which it applies. No hedging, no "may", no "could". Be specific.8. Counterintuitive question hook
Open with a counterintuitive question about "{topic}", then answer it within 3 sentences. The answer should challenge the reader's default assumption. 80 words. End with a one-line promise of the rest of the post.9. List-promise intro for listicle
Write a 90-word intro for a listicle "{N} {thing} for {audience}". Format: 1 sentence on why this list is different (criteria, source, recency), 1 sentence on who should skip it, 1 sentence on how to use the list. No "we have curated".10. Tutorial intro that earns the next click
Open a tutorial on "{task}" with 70 words. Format: what the reader will be able to do at the end, prerequisites in one short list, estimated time. Skip motivation — assume the reader is here because they already need this.11. “Why this is hard” admission intro
Write an 80-word intro that admits "{task / topic}" is harder than most posts make it look. List 2 specific reasons it is hard. Then promise that this post addresses both. Honest tone — no false reassurance.12. Q&A interview-style intro
Open a blog post as a 100-word implied Q&A. First question the reader is asking. Direct answer in 1 sentence. Second-order question they will then ask. Direct answer. Final line: "Here is how to actually do this." Conversational, no quote marks.13. Pattern-break opener
Write a 60-word intro that opens with one short sentence (≤8 words) that breaks the usual blog rhythm. Then one mid-length sentence explaining what that opening means. Then one long sentence promising the post's payoff. Use this when the topic is overdone.14. “What changed in 2026” intro
Write a 90-word intro for a post on "{topic}" that justifies why a 2026 update is needed. Format: what was true before, what changed (model, tool, platform, regulation), what that means for the reader. Mention the change concretely, not "AI is evolving".Common mistakes
- Generic “today” / “in the age of AI” openers — instant signal the post is filler
- Burying the answer in paragraph 3 — for SEO traffic the direct answer belongs in line 1
- Over-promising in the intro and underdelivering by paragraph 4 — trust dies fast
- No mention of who the post is for, so qualified readers can’t tell if they should stay
- Long intros (>150 words) that delay the actual content past the scroll fold
- Stat hooks without a source or year — readers Ctrl-F for the citation and don’t find one
Related
Tags: #Prompt #Writing #Copywriting #SEO