How To Write Intriguing Hooks That Will Make Readers Pick Up Your Romance Book!
Your new romance book might be amazing, even an Amazon bestseller - but if you can’t get eyes on it, no one will know. In a time of short attention spans, it is more important than ever to capture a audience’s initerest within the first few seconds of your videos.
Having a compelling hook can make the difference between someone scrolling past your video, or buying your book.
Read on to see what’s worked for me and how you can create your own, attention-grabbing hook!
Why Hooks Matter In Social Media Marketing
Social media is a fast-paced environment. Viewers decide whether to stick with a video within a fraction of a second, and your hook is the first thing they’ll notice. Whether you’re promoting on Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook, your hook has to be strong enough to stop the scroll and entice readers to continue watching, engage and purchase.
But don’t take my word for it – see what has worked for me and how you can apply these strategies to market your romance book effectively.
Understand your target audience
You probably see this particular advice in every single article your read about approaching marketing as a romance author - which should highlight to you just how important it is to narrow down your target audience.
A romcom - lover is going to look for something entirely else compared to a dark or historical romance reader. Something they all have in common is the search for relatable characters, a happy end and book boyfriends to sweep them off their feet, whether morally grey or not 😉
But as you narrow down your scenes and quotes for hooks, ask yourself:
Are your readers looking for the sweet moments or high stakes and angst?
How important are the steamy scenes for your audience?
If you write fade to black romance, your readers are not interested in hooks that hint at spicy content - and spicy romance readers will be disappointed to not find any when they read your book.
If you write dark romance, they might not want to be as interested if your prompt is about a cutesy date, compared to steam or gore.
Tailoring your hook to your target audience is the foundation of its success.
2. Do Your Research!
If you haven’t yet, make sure to follow fellow romance authors in your genre on social media platforms! Not only is interacting with their content a great way to network, but it’s also a perfect opportunity to see what hooks work for their audience.
Now, I’m not saying copy them 1:1 and use it as a way to promote your own content - in fact, please don’t. But you can adapt similar structures that align with your book.
How could you formulate your hook in a similar structure that might work for your books?
3. Find Relatable Situations In Your Book
Find situations that readers either:
Can relate to in their own life.
Fantasize about experiencing.
Become emotionally invested in instantly.
Because either of those is going to help your hook stand out.
Kat Singleton is an amazing example for this and oh, boy look where a hook about text messages during a business meeting got her! Check out her Reel!
4. Make Your Viewer Feel Something
It is no secret that emotions are a driving factor in a customers decision making when it comes to buying a product.
But what exactly does that mean for romance authors and social media hooks?
The hook in your TikToks or Reels needs to spark curiosity or emotional engagement right from the start, and then keep that momentum going throughout your video.
The best hook is not going to bring sales if you lose your viewers after a the first sentence.
So pick a scene that will evoke emotions. Here are some examples:
Does your couple break up in a heated fight where they say words they can’t exactly take back?
Does your MMC’s sneaky ex try to put a wedge between him and the FMC?
Your hook should pull the viewer in and leave them wanting to see how the situation plays out. Emotionally charged scenes can convince potential readers to read your book, because they want to find out how the situation plays out.
5. Sex Sells!
It’s a tale as old as time but it works nonetheless.
Take a note out of advertising for OF sites (well, not literally but it’s the best comparison I could come up with) and give your readers a sneak peek - then guide them to your romance book to read the rest.
Do your characters participate in a certain kink that you think readers might be curious about?
Is the MMC a particular dirty talker? Or the FMC?
Throw it in the hook! Just make sure to adhere to the social media platforms’ guidelines and censor as needed.
5. Hint, Don’t Spoil
Make sure to leave your viewers on a cliffhanger. Yes, some might dislike you for it, others will persistently comment “part 2??” but you’re trying to sell your book here.
Example:
“Suddenly, she sees her boyfriend making out with another woman…”
vs.
"When she catches her boyfriend kissing another woman, she confronts them both in public, slaps him, and walks away."
The first prompt makes the reader to ask questions. What happens next? Does she confront him? Does she walk away?
This curiosity can drive people to read your book to satisfy that urge to know.
The second one spoils the entire moment and removes the need for the reader to find out what happens, because, well, now they know.
Of course, this does not apply to trigger- or content warnings! Please always make sure to be transparent with those.
6. Leverage Popular Romance Tropes
Using familiar tropes is a short and effective way to convey your books storyline and vibe. Tropes are well-known in the romance reader community and set expectations, which helps readers immediately understand more about your romance book.
Example:
“She’s lost at a party when suddenly her brothers grumpy best friend pulls her outside.”
-> This example tells us: She likely knows the MC, he’s not a sunshine personality and probably hard to warm up to.
“She’s lost at a party when suddenly, a stern-looking man pulls her outside.”
-> Makes you fear for the FMCs safety.
Readers will immediately know the type of romance they’re about to get and may be more likely to pick up the book if you slip your common tropes into your hook.
7. Include a Call To Action
Every hook should have a clear CTA (Call To Action) to guide the viewer on what to do next. Whether it’s:
Read now in Kindle Unlimited!
Grab your copy of (Book Title) now!
Now available for pre-order!
Check out (Book Title) in KU!
A strong CTA helps to take advantage of the emotions your hook generates and guides your viewers to the next step, whether it’s downloading, purchasing, or saving your book for later. This usually goes into the description as the first thing they’ll see when they open it after your hook intrigued them.
8. Find The Sweet Spot
Don’t create one hook and ride it until the end of time. Switch it up from time to time and play with the wording - try out different style, tones and formates to see which sparks the most engagement and conversion from your audience. Keep track of what works and what doesn’t and make your adjustments accordingly.
Still not sure how to find the perfect hooks in your book? I can find them for you!
