The short answer: a good blog introduction does three jobs in under 120 words. It confirms the reader is in the right place, it delivers the core answer or promise, and it gives a reason to keep reading. Anything else, such as scene-setting, throat-clearing or a dictionary definition, is optional and usually harmful.
Introductions matter more than most writers admit. They are the part of the page that both human readers and AI systems look at first when deciding what an article is about. We rewrite introductions more often than any other part of a draft. Below are the five patterns we use, with guidance on when each one fits and the mistakes that kill them.
What should a blog introduction accomplish?
Before choosing a pattern, check your opening against three tests.
- The relevance test: could a reader with this exact problem recognise themselves in the first sentence?
- The answer test: if the reader stopped after the introduction, would they have learned something useful?
- The path test: does the reader know what the rest of the page contains and why it is worth their time?
Introductions that fail the answer test are the biggest problem. Writers hold the answer back to create suspense, but a reader who came from a search or an AI summary already has a question. Withholding the answer feels like a delay, and they leave. We discuss the broader principle in our article on answer-first writing.
Pattern 1: The direct answer
Use it when: the title is a question, a how-to or a decision.
Start with the answer in one or two sentences, then say what the rest of the article adds. Example structure: “Yes, but only if X. Here is how to tell which side of the line you are on, and what to do about it.” This is the default pattern for most business content because it matches the way people search and the way assistants quote.
Common mistake: an answer so hedged it says nothing. “It depends” is not an answer; “It depends on two things, your margin and your close rate” is.
Pattern 2: The sharp problem statement
Use it when: the reader may not realise they have the problem.
Describe the symptom in concrete terms, then name the cause. “Your ads get clicks but the phone does not ring. In most accounts we look at, the problem sits in one of three places.” The first sentence earns recognition, the second earns the click through to the details.
Common mistake: a dramatic claim you cannot back. Keep the problem specific enough that the reader nods, not so extreme that they roll their eyes.
Pattern 3: The short, real example
Use it when: the idea is abstract and a picture makes it land.
Open with two or three sentences describing a concrete situation, then link it to the principle. The example must be true or clearly framed as hypothetical; invented testimonials destroy trust. “Imagine a bakery that spends €300 a month on ads and gets 40 enquiries. Sounds good, until you learn 35 of them asked about wedding cakes the bakery does not make.”
Common mistake: a story that runs too long. If the example takes more than 60 words, move it into the body and start with Pattern 1.
Pattern 4: The surprising number or fact
Use it when: you have a verified figure that changes how the reader sees the topic.
A number works if it is specific, sourced and relevant. If you do not have one, do not make one up and do not reach for a vague “studies show”. A framed calculation of your own is fine: “A lead that costs €40 sounds cheap until you realise only one in ten becomes a customer.” That is arithmetic, not a statistic.
Common mistake: using a number that is old or from a different market, and presenting it as current. Check the date and the source before you publish.
Pattern 5: The contrarian correction
Use it when: a widespread belief is wrong or incomplete.
State the common advice, then say what actually happens. “Most guides tell you to publish every day. For a small team, that usually produces a pile of thin pages and no authority.” Then promise the alternative. This pattern builds credibility when it is backed by experience and burns it when it is only a hot take.
Common mistake: attacking a straw man. Make sure the common advice you are correcting is something readers really have been told.
Which pattern should you pick?
| If the article is… | Start with |
|---|---|
| A how-to or a “should I” question | Direct answer |
| A diagnosis or troubleshooting guide | Sharp problem statement |
| Explaining an abstract idea | Short real example |
| Built around verified data | Surprising number |
| Debunking a common habit | Contrarian correction |
When in doubt, use the direct answer. It is the least exciting pattern and the most reliable.
What to cut from every introduction
Run these deletions on your own drafts. They work on almost every article we edit.
- The opening about the state of the world. “In today’s fast-paced digital landscape…” tells the reader nothing.
- The definition they already know. Define terms where they first matter, not before the point.
- The list of what you will cover, if the headings already show it. A single sentence of orientation is enough.
- Apologies and hedges. “We are not experts, but…” gives the reader a reason to leave.
- The second paragraph of throat-clearing. If the answer has not arrived by paragraph two, the draft needs restructuring.
How to write the introduction last
Many writers draft the introduction first and spend an hour on it. We usually write it last. Once the article exists, you know what it actually says, and the opening can state it precisely. A practical routine is to finish the draft, then ask: “If I had to answer this question in two sentences, what would I say?” Those two sentences are almost always the right start. The same habit helps when you interview colleagues for material, as we describe in interviewing a subject-matter expert in 30 minutes.
How headlines and introductions work together
The title makes a promise and the introduction keeps it within a few seconds. If your title says “7 mistakes”, the reader expects the first lines to hint at what kind of mistakes. If the title asks a question, the first sentence should answer it. Review both together; our guide to the AI headline formula shows how to check that a title and a page match what searchers want.
In a series, each introduction should also orient readers who arrive in the middle, with a single link to the earlier piece. For that structure, see how to write a series of blog posts that build on each other.
A five-minute edit you can do today
Open your three most visited posts. Read only the first 100 words of each and ask the three tests: relevance, answer and path. Rewrite the weakest one using the pattern from the table above, and note the change date so you can compare engagement in a month. Small edits to openings are among the cheapest improvements a blog can make, and they require no new research, only a clearer sense of what the reader came for.