Where do we start?
The introduction is an essential part of any compelling blog content. It hooks the reader in and makes them want to learn more. But, lots of writers don’t know how to nail their intros. Common problems include writing intros that are too long, don’t clearly state the problem and value props or simply are too confusing to understand.
Luckily, writing a killer blog post intro is more straightforward than it sounds. If you need a blog introduction example or two, you’ve come to the right place. Take a look at some of our tips for writing a good intro, and use some of our favorite great introduction examples as a guide to get you started.
Key Elements of a Top Notch Blog Post Intro
For starters, you need something to hook the reader. You’re competing with thousands (probably millions) of other pieces of blog content, many of which are trying to answer the same questions or solve the same problems as you are. Unfortunately, it isn’t enough to just write a great piece of content with exclusive data and insights. You need a blog intro that’s going to convince the reader to start reading and keep reading.
Hook the Reader
That’s where your hook comes in to set the stage for reader engagement.
A good introduction can come in different forms: Whether you’re making a pop culture reference, posing a topical question or providing a compelling quote, data point or fun fact, there should be enough to grab the reader’s attention and make them want to continue the journey. You might skip the fanfare altogether and just state the problem as is. This might be the way to go if you know your readers want to get right to the point.
Consider Your Audience
Your blog introduction should be geared toward your target audience’s problems and preferences. Ask yourself, who are you writing for? Use language, tone of voice, examples, problems and potential solutions that will resonate with your target audience, upping your chances of getting the right people to read.
Offer Key Takeaways
Don’t leave your audience guessing. It’s a good idea to at least briefly mention your key takeaway(s) in your introduction. Nothing is more frustrating for online readers than consuming a piece of content that either didn’t give them anything valuable or wasted their time telling them something they already knew. They want to know right from the beginning that they’re going to consume quality content.
But, don’t give away too much. You also want to encourage readers to actually read the rest of the piece. Readers shouldn’t be able to only read the opening paragraph and gather everything they need to know about the content. It’s important to strike a balance between these two.
Our Favorite Blog Post Introduction Examples
1. The Spruce
Fall is the perfect season to get your home clean and cozy for winter and the holiday season and complete household chores that may have been neglected during summer vacations. The heat of summer has passed, and the weather is still mild enough to be outdoors to make sure everything is ready for cold weather.
If you follow a checklist for spring cleaning, it’s time to repeat many of the same tasks. This time, you should start with the outdoor tasks and then move indoors as the weather becomes colder.
By doing some extra work now, you’ll be ready to enjoy a snug winter without as many worries.
See the list of areas and items in your home you should clean, repair, or inspect (or all three!) during fall below, and read on for expert tips for tackling each item on your fall cleaning checklist.
Our take: The Spruce offers tips and inspiration on lifestyle items like gardening and home decor. The introduction to this blog post (titled “The Ultimate Fall Cleaning Checklist”) is warm and inviting, using descriptive words like “clean,” “cozy” and “snug” to make the reader feel good. Targeting readers’ emotions is one of the most effective ways to get them to engage with your content, and that’s what makes this a great intro.
This is also a good example of getting straight to the point early. Already within the first sentence, the writer has clued the reader into “household chores” as the main point before introducing the checklist idea.
2. Investopedia
Nearly 59,000 unplanned wildfires burned more than 10 million acres across the U.S. in 2020. This constitutes the second most acreage affected by wildfires in a single year since 1960 and reflects the rapid proliferation of wildfires across the country. By comparison, since 2000, an annual average of just 7 million acres has burned. Wildfires are becoming more common and increasingly devastating due to several factors, including a longer average season, hotter weather that increases susceptibility, earlier melting of winter snowpacks, and changing meteorological patterns due to climate change.
As wildfires become a more significant risk around the world, it’s important to consider the ways that fires and fire season affect the economy. An economic study has estimated that each additional day of smoke exposure from a wildfire reduces earnings in a community by about 0.04% over two years. Below, we’ll take a closer look at some of the many effects of wildfires on both local and national economies.
Our take: This one goes heavy on the data right from the get-go, but for a piece covering a topic like this (titled, “How Fire Season Affects the Economy”) and targeting Investopedia’s more technically minded audience, this works wonders.
Climate change and natural disasters are only becoming worse, so starting out with a lot of data points is a compelling way to attract the reader’s attention and convince them that this is a topic worth caring about. For people who want information, numbers make for an amazing blog introduction.
3. Zillow
While the kids are out of school, the adults are doing everything they can to keep their little ones safe and healthy at home — and find creative ways to alleviate the boredom and frustration they may be feeling after weeks away from their school friends or grandparents.
With just a few materials you can order online (or pick up curbside at the home improvement store) and some tools you likely have lying around the house, you can keep those little hands busy while giving your house some TLC.
Here are five DIY projects to improve your home and give your kids a productive outlet for their energy.
Our take: This blog content from Zillow (titled “Do It Together: 5 Home Projects for You and Your Household Helpers”) neatly blends heavy-hitting problem-solving with friendly and approachable language. This intro starts by outlining a very familiar problem for parents — finding things to do with their kids — before hinting at the journey the reader can expect to go on as they read.
With its emphasis on the do-it-yourself aspect of the projects, the reader knows that the information they’re getting is something they can actually manage at home with their own supplies.
4. Adventurous Kate
Can Americans travel to Cuba? They can, because I’m American and I’m here. I’m nervous in the waiting line at Cuban immigration, but I know I shouldn’t be. I did everything right.
Still, this is Cuba. I’m visiting Cuba as an American. Can Americans even visit Cuba? Yeah, we can. This country has been off-limits to us since 1959 — though that hasn’t stopped lots of Americans from visiting Cuba both legally and quasi-legally.
The agent calls me forward. I hand him my navy blue passport and half-smile, half-cringe. Yes, I’m here, and I’m American, and I’m sorry our country has cut you off, and I disagree with it — but hey, I’m here, and I want to get to know you. It’s an expression that will color my face for days, until a cooking class in central Havana sets me straight.
“Stamp?” he asks, holding up the stamp. Cuba is like Israel; they won’t stamp your passport if you don’t want them to.
Do I get a Cuba stamp? Will American immigration care? Will it get me hassled at the border for years to come?
This blog intro is a stellar example for several reasons. The blog (titled “Can Americans travel to Cuba?”) has a superb hook with its several rhetorical questions leading up to the meaty Q&A section of the article. The only way you’re going to find out the answers to these questions is by reading on. This taps into the reader’s curiosity — it makes them invested in what the author has to say.
And, while setting the scene, it gets to the point right away: Can Americans travel to Cuba? “Yeah, we can.” Between these three words and the rhetorical questions mentioned above, you know you’re going to get the information you crave.
Blog Introduction Tips From Experience
Introductions for blog posts can be tough, especially when you just want to get to the meat of the piece. Consider using some of the following tips to knock your intros out of the park every time.
Write the Introduction Last
This is a really useful one that can save you a ton of time later. Lots of writers intuitively think they should start with the introduction, and that would make sense. However, as many writers know, the piece’s direction often changes soon after you’ve put pen to paper (or…fingers to keyboard).
If that happens — and if you’ve written the intro first — the piece might end up looking a lot different than what the original introduction suggests, forcing you to rewrite the intro from scratch.
Writing the beginning at the end means you’ve got a complete sense of the final content and how you can transform and utilize it in a strong introduction. You’ve already finely developed your key points and takeaways and they’re better suited to frame the piece in the intro.
Make It Clear What the Post Will Be About
This might seem obvious, but lots of people come from writing backgrounds in which the introduction serves to lead readers in without revealing too much about the content. For those writing fiction or even some long-form journalism, a piece is supposed to be a journey and the ending a surprise. In those cases, introducing all the main points right in the intro would defeat the purpose.
But, in the world of content marketing — where attention spans are low and content options are almost boundless — time is precious. A great blog post introduction hooks the reader as soon as possible by making it clear from the very beginning that the piece is worth their time. Think of your introduction as a thesis statement that outlines your magnum opus.
Decide if It’s Something You’d Want To Read
This one’s tough and requires you to be self-critical. Reread the introduction and decide if it actually makes you want to read the rest of the blog article. You’ll need to consider how compelling, clear and thoughtful the writing is and whether there’s enough there to convince you that the rest of the article is worthwhile.
It also requires you to really understand who your target audience is and what they’re looking for. Writers aren’t always covering topics they themselves find interesting, but their audience might consider the subject matter essential to their business. It’s important for you to put yourself in your audience’s shoes and decide if your introduction suggests that the piece contains great content.
Keep It Short and Sweet
This one depends on the type of content. But, in the content marketing world, we’re talking about the fluffy, meandering and unclear introductions that feel like an essay. Literally.
Nothing is a bigger buzzkill for readers than intros that never get to the point — or the ones that leave them feeling confused and maybe even a little annoyed. Intros of that type are sure to get readers to click away from the page and look elsewhere for the information they’re hunting for.
Avoid this by clearing away any fluff and including only the information needed to draw readers in. Make sure any anecdotes, quotes and pop culture references are super relevant and don’t drag on. A general rule of thumb is to keep intros to around 100 words. That’s usually long enough to convey the key information while getting to the point in a succinct way. And, always remember that a short sentence is better than a long-winded one.
Be Provocative (But With Caution)
This one depends on a lot of things. We all know provocation works, and a provocative introduction can get people to read when they otherwise wouldn’t. If you know your audience will appreciate a little flare, then provoke away! But, do it with caution. Readers can sometimes get annoyed when the title or introduction of a piece is provocative but the rest of the content is anything but, and that can even cause them to lose trust in the brand.
Introductions are one of the most important parts of any blog article. A good blog introduction piques the reader’s curiosity, clues them into the content contained in the rest of the piece and gets them excited to learn more. Without a great introduction, the rest of the content will really suffer.
Editor’s Note: Updated March 2023.
