Why Your LinkedIn™ Hook Fails (And What Actually Works)

Your LinkedIn™ post flopped. Again.

Let me guess—you blamed the algorithm, your audience, or your industry. But let’s be honest: your hook was about as exciting as a tax seminar.

Meanwhile, someone posted a picture of a Lamborghini, and boom—10,000 likes.

That’s the reality of LinkedIn™. It’s a business platform, sure. But human attention is still driven by emotion, surprise, and aesthetics.

Fox and owl driving a Lamborghini

I Asked a CEO What Actually Grabs Attention on LinkedIn™

Last week, I visited Georg Lindsberger, founder of XiTrust – The eSignature Company. He’s been pioneering digital signatures for 20 years.

After our workshop, I asked him, “What actually catches a CEO’s eye on LinkedIn™?”

His answer? Not digital signatures.

Instead, he talked about bold visuals, cool designs, and—yes—Lamborghinis.

Not because CEOs are car-obsessed, but because striking visuals make them stop scrolling.

Let that sink in.

Fox and owl staring at an Excel sheet, bored.

Examples of Unexpected Content That Converts

Sometimes, the most engaging content is the kind no one sees coming. Here are some real-world examples:

  • Dollar Shave Club’s viral video: A low-budget, humor-packed ad turned a startup into a multimillion-dollar brand.
  • Blendtec’s “Will It Blend?” series: A blender company blended smartphones, went viral, and boosted sales.
  • Spotify Wrapped: Personalized music insights that people love to share, generating massive organic reach.
  • Dunkin’s Spider Doughnut Campaign: A Halloween campaign with flirtatious donut messages created a viral moment.
  • Red Bull’s extreme sports content: Instead of pushing their product, they built a lifestyle brand around adventure.

See the pattern? These brands didn’t play it safe—they surprised their audience.

How to Make Your Content Less Boring

If your LinkedIn™ posts aren’t grabbing attention, here’s your action plan:

  • Calculate your content’s boredom coefficient. If your post wouldn’t even make you stop scrolling, why would anyone else?
  • Toss your old hooks in the trash. Stop writing like a corporate brochure. Start writing like you want to be read.
  • Make video your best friend. The feed is designed for motion and eye-catching visuals. Leverage it.
  • Get creative. Experiment with storytelling, surprising visuals, or even humor.

P.S.: Did you really think one of Europe’s leading digital signature experts only consumes content about… digital signatures?

Neither do your clients.