Lesson 2 of 7
Why posts travel: hooks, formats and shareability
Why some posts get shared, and the first second that decides it
The idea
Why do people forward a list of “10 cheap date ideas” to a friend, but never a shop's “new arrivals” post? The list helps the friend, and it makes the sender look thoughtful.
The researcher Jonah Berger studied why some things catch on. He found six reasons that keep coming back.
It makes me look good
Sharing it shows I'm in the know
A reminder
Something in daily life brings it to mind
A strong feeling
Awe, laughter or anger travel furthest
Others can see it
People notice others using it
It's useful
Worth sending to a friend
A story
The idea rides inside a story
The first second
Step 1
First second
A face, a result or a question: stop the scroll
Step 2
First three seconds
A promise: why stay
Step 3
The middle
Keep the promise, fast
Step 4
The end
Something to save, send or answer
A weak opening
- “Hi everyone, today I want to talk about…”
- A logo before anything happens
- The point arrives at the end
A strong opening
- The result in the first frame
- A question your customer is asking
- A surprise, then the explanation
Copy the format, not the content
In every field, some posts do far better than their account usually does. You can learn their format: the structure, the length, the first line. The content itself belongs to whoever made it.
Sort it
1 of 6
Stops the scroll or not?
“A brand film for £3,500: here is where every pound goes”
Today, with AI
Short video became the main format on most apps, so the first second matters more than ever.
Trend tools now show what's taking off in a field this week, so formats spread in days, not months.
What AI does well
Spotting posts that beat their account's usual numbers, working out why they did, and drafting your version.
Where it goes wrong
It copies too closely if you let it, and it can't tell whether a trend suits your brand.
What stays yours
Which formats fit you, and the face, voice and detail that make your version yours.
Check yourself
Do it in the studio
Try it here first
Write three openings
Three first lines for your next post, one of each kind. Keep the one that would stop you.
Yours
1. Five dinners, one shopping list, $60 2. What's for dinner this week, decided in two minutes? 3. The shopping mistake that doubles a food bill
- 01
Run Why did this reel take off? on one reel that took off in your field: the opening, the structure, how to repeat it.
free - 02
In the studio, open Market watch → Trends and search your topic for the videos taking off this week.
35 credits - 03
Open one and press Why did it work?, then Write the script for your own take.
20 credits - 04
Pick the strongest of your three openings above for your next post.
free
Done when Your next post promises something in its first second.
Go deeper
University courses on the same topic, if you want to go further.
Wharton
Contagious: How Things Catch On (MKTG 7680)Why products, apps and ideas spread, from word of mouth to social media
MIT Sloan
Digital Marketing and Social Media Analytics (15.570)How sharing spreads, and how to measure it