How to Write Content That Grabs Attention (Using Simple Psychological Triggers)

There’s a lot of noise online.

Everyone is fighting for attention, and most content gets ignored. It’s unfortunate but a fact.

But there’s a simple way to make sure your content stands out.

Use psychology.

People are wired to pay attention to certain things—curiosity, social proof, urgency. If you know how to tap into these triggers, your content becomes impossible to ignore.

Here are a few simple psychological triggers you should be using in your content.

Curiosity: The “Knowledge Gap” That Keeps Readers Hooked

People can’t stand not knowing something.

If they feel like they’re missing out on useful information, they’ll keep reading to fill the gap.

This is why headlines like:

• “Most people get this wrong about writing—do you?”

• “The one mistake that’s killing your engagement (and how to fix it).”

…work so well.

A great example of this in action is when I recently mentioned an article I wrote about Medium hacks. Just by saying it “got several comments,” it creates curiosity—people want to know what those hacks were and why they got attention.

Use curiosity in your:

✅ Headlines

✅ Opening sentences

✅ Email subject lines

If you can make people feel like they’re missing something, they’ll stick around to find out what it is.

Find Our Why 238 People Subscribed To My Free Newsletter Last Month 😀

Social Proof – Why People Trust What Others Trust

Have you ever noticed how a restaurant with a queue out the door always seems more appealing?

That’s social proof.

People don’t want to miss out on something others find valuable.

In content, social proof looks like:

• “Join 10,000+ readers who get my newsletter.”

• “This method helped Sarah go from $0 to $5K/month.”

• “Here’s what people are saying about this strategy…” (followed by testimonials or comments).

I used this when talking about my Skool community. I shared how a small mini-course I created helped two people earn enough money to buy houses. That’s strong social proof—it signals to others that the strategy worked.

Even small numbers help. If you don’t have a big audience yet, try:

• “Hundreds of creators are using this method right now.”

• “This has worked for many of my clients/students.”

Readers will assume: If others are doing this, maybe I should too.

Scarcity & Urgency: Why “Limited Time” Drives Action

People take action when they feel like they might miss out.

Scarcity works because of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)—nobody wants to be left behind.

Simple ways to use it in content:

🚀 “This offer expires in 24 hours.”

🚀 “Only 5 spots left.”

🚀 “This strategy works right now—but it may not in the future.”

I touched on this when discussing the YouTube Membership Model in a previous artilce. By mentioning that I could qualify in a couple of months, it subtly signaled that others are already getting in on this opportunity—which makes the reader feel like they should too.

The key?

Make it real.

Fake urgency destroys trust. But when people feel something is truly limited, they’ll move fast.

Commitment & Consistency – Get Small Wins First

People are more likely to take big actions if they’ve already taken small ones.

This is why engagement hooks like:

• “Drop a YES in the comments if you agree.”

• “Try this today and let me know how it goes.”

…work so well.

Once someone engages with your content in a small way, they’re more likely to subscribe, share, or buy.

I’ve used this when asking readers what their plans are. Even a simple question like “What are your plans to monetise your content?” encourages engagement.

Use it to warm up your audience before pitching anything.

The ‘Because’ Effect – Always Give a Reason

Here’s a simple trick: When you ask someone to do something, give them a reason—even if it’s obvious.

Example:

🚀 Instead of “Sign up for my newsletter,” say:

“Sign up because this strategy will help you get results faster.”

I’ve used this when explaining why audience trust matters.

Saying something as simple as “The members of your audience who subscribe trust you to deliver, so over-deliver!” reinforces why providing value is important.

Research shows that when people hear “because”, they’re more likely to say yes.

Small change, big difference.

Final Thoughts – Make People Feel Something

At the end of the day, content that grabs attention makes people feel something. Curiosity, urgency, trust—these all trigger emotional responses.

If your content isn’t getting traction, you’re probably missing these elements.

✅ Use curiosity to pull people in.

✅ Show social proof to build trust.

✅ Create urgency so people act now.

✅ Get small commitments to lead to bigger ones.

✅ Give reasons so people feel confident in taking action.

Simple tweaks, big impact.

Which one of these are you using in your content right now?

Let me know in the comments. 🚀  (See, that was easy!)