Reference · Cheat Sheet
The 4 Building Blocks of Any Content
Compressed from Lesson 1. Keep this open while you make anything — post, Reel, video, or LinkedIn text.
1Hook
2Value
3Payoff
4CTA
At a glance
| Block | Its ONE job | Fails when… |
| Hook | Earn the next second | Slow, vague, or "hi guys" |
| Value | Deliver the substance | Rambling, no clear point |
| Payoff | Give the promised "aha" | Leaves viewer hanging |
| CTA | One small next step | No ask, or five asks |
Hook starters that work for tech
- "You've been doing X the dangerous/slow/wrong way."
- "Nobody tells junior devs this about X."
- "I wasted 3 hours on this bug so you won't have to."
- "X in 30 seconds — no fluff."
- "Stop using X. Do this instead."
CTA menu — pick exactly one
- Follow — "Follow for one dev tip a week." (grows audience)
- Save — "Save this for your next merge conflict." (boosts reach)
- Comment — "What tripped you up learning Git? 👇" (boosts reach + ideas)
- Next — "Part 2 explains rebase → watch it." (boosts watch time)
Rule of thumb
Spend disproportionate effort on the Hook. A great video with a weak hook is an unseen video. Draft 5 hooks, pick the best 1.