Your hook will determine 70% of success.
👋 Welcome back to Content to Commas, your weekly playbook for turning content into authority, consistency, and growth.
You create a great piece of content.
Strong insight. Real value. Hours of work. And it dies at 200 views. It’s not bad content, it’s just because nobody clicked.
The solve … I’m betting on the idea of more “curiosity” in your content.
This issue is about how platforms prioritize curiosity over everything else. It applies to YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, Email, and more.
📌 In this issue:
The curiosity gap that makes people click "See More"
3 fixes you can test this week
An exclusive playbook I wrote with HubSpot (see more)
Let’s get to work.
— Brandon Smithwrick
FROM OUR FRIENDS @ HUBSPOT
I hate cold outreach with a passion.
It’s not bad … it’s actually necessary. But it’s not the best method for scaling.
Buyers are exhausted, inboxes are full, and most outbound strategies rely on volume.
Instead, I want you to turn your social media into a 24-hour sales engine that warms people up before a conversation ever starts.
I partnered with HubSpot to break down that system step by step in a FREE playbook I wrote just for you.
click to view the playbook
This is the same approach I’ve used to turn content into money in the bank and booking on the calendar.
📍 Inside, I walk through:
How to stop treating posts like one-offs and start treating them like a pipeline
Why “problem-first” content outperforms thought leadership alone
How to design posts that attract the right buyers, not just attention
What to measure if your goal is sales, not likes
This is the alternative to cold outreach. A system that compounds, I’m proof of it!
👓 The “see more” Playbook
Platforms don't promote content because it's good. They promote content because people interact with it early.
👆 despite all the social media changes, this remains true.
LinkedIn shows your post to a small group first. If they click "see more," LinkedIn assumes the post is worth showing to more people. If they scroll past it, good luck.
YouTube doesn't care if your video is 10 minutes of gold. If the thumbnail doesn't make us click, the video never plays.
Even this newsletter can hand deliver a $10K/mo blueprint. But if it doesn't get opened by the subject line, none of that value matters.
Curiosity matters in content. Value is what keeps them there.
Here's my new system. (this will be a future keynote, I promise)
1. The Truncation Test
Most platforms cut your content off visually. LinkedIn shows 2 to 3 lines before "see more." Email subject lines get cut at ~40 characters on mobile. YouTube titles truncate after 30 characters in search.
Your job is to make the visible part irresistible.
What “good” looks like:
The first 2 lines must create tension, not explain the whole point
End with an incomplete thought (let the "..." do its job)
Test your content on mobile to see what actually shows
2. The Curiosity Gap Strategy
The gap between what they see and what they want to know is what drives the click.
People engage because you made them wonder what happens next.
What “good” looks like:
Open with a specific scenario or surprising fact
Withhold the resolution until after the fold
Use the first line to trigger "wait, what?" not "oh, I already know this"
3. Package Your Message
You can spend 2 hours writing the perfect script. But if the first 2 lines and the thumbnail (or preview) don't stop someone, those 2 hours don't exist.
It’s not about clickbait. We just need to respect the reality of how people scroll.
What “good” looks like:
Test subject lines and thumbnails before you publish
Ask: "Would I click this if I saw it in my feed right now?"
The truth is, value doesn't matter if nobody sees it.
Your song might be incredible, your insight might change someone's business, but if the packaging doesn't earn the click, it doesn’t grow.
Curiosity will change the way you create content.
📌 ICYMI
Each week, I share tips on branding, monetization, growth, and useful tools that you might have missed. You can catch up in just a few minutes.
Posts You May Have Missed…
These posts did numbers for a reason. Worth a reread.
Still confused about TikTok + the US acquisition? If you’re unsure whether to pause, pivot, or double down, this breaks down the smartest next move → Re-read this
“You should start a Substack” is the latest bad advice: Substack is great. Most people just jump in unprepared. Read this before you commit → Read it first
Get your next job with content: Layoffs are turning entrepreneurship into the default path. This won’t guarantee a job, but it will make you harder to ignore → Use this playbook
How to become a hybrid creator: Aesthetics get likes. Value gets opportunities. Here’s how to build both without becoming cringe → Re-read this
Before you launch anything: The creatorpreneur checklist that saves you from the “I launched and nobody cared” moment → Go through this
Tools I Love…
The stack I keep coming back to in my own business.
📤 Fyxer: The AI tool I’m using to draft emails faster without sounding like a robot → Extra 7 days to try
💻 Gamma: Build presentations in half the time with AI doing the heavy lifting → Try Gamma
🔧 Kit: My go-to if you want landing pages that actually convert → Check out Kit
👑 Testimonial.to: The easiest way to collect customer proof without awkward follow-ups → Collect testimonials
💸 Sequence: One of the best additions I made last year. Automates how money moves across accounts. Get $75 to get started → Explore Sequence
📽 VEED (50% off 3 months): The online editor everyone’s quietly switching to → Claim the discount
🗣 Whisprflow: I’m literally dictating newsletters now. This is why my drafts are faster → Claim a free month
📧 Beehiiv: Newsletters, websites, podcast hosting, and link-in-bio in one place. Use this link for 20% off your first 3 months → Launch on Beehiiv
🔍 Stanley: My LinkedIn AI coach. Weekly insights on what’s working and why. 3-day free trial with this link → Test Stanley
🏦 Mercury: My business banking setup. Clean, simple, no mess. Deposit $10K in 90 days and get $250 → Open an account
🎓 Teachable: Build and sell digital products without duct-taping tools together. Start free → Start creating
📊 QuickBooks: I upgraded once my business started acting like a real business. Keeps finances clean and tax-ready. Save up to 75% with this link → Set up QuickBooks
💬 ManyChat: Turn comments into automatic DMs that convert → Build the flow
My Content Kit:
The gear I actually use to capture clean, usable content without overthinking it.
🎙️ Shure MV7+: The mic I use for every call and recording. Clean audio matters more than video, especially early.
📜 Teleprompter: Nobody memorizes scripts. Reading keeps you concise and confident.
📱 Compact tripod: Compact, travel-friendly, and lets you shoot anywhere without friction.
🔋 Anker battery pack: My most powerful charger. Even fully charges my MacBook on the go.
🦾 Magic Arm: The easiest way to get dynamic angles and avoid static shots.
🎤 DJI Mic 2: Reliable, clear audio when you’re traveling or filming on the move.
🎥 DJI Osmo Pocket 3: A creator secret weapon for vlogs, BTS, and stabilized video.
🎒 Bellroy Side Bag: My go-to content bag. Fits all of this and keeps everything organized when I’m moving.
🧲 Suction mount: Instant dynamic angles on cars, windows, or desks without a tripod.
Free Resources For You:
🚀 Contentpreneur Dashboard (new update): My refreshed operating system for creators building real businesses → Explore the dashboard
💼 Content Marketer Toolkit (new): The exact tools shaping modern marketing workflows (also a cheat code for creative directors) → Grab the toolkit
🪝 250 Proven LinkedIn Hooks: Copy, tweak, grow your brand faster → Get the hooks
🤝 How to Land a Brand Deal: Zero-fluff guide to inbound and outreach that works → Learn the playbook
📈 Wins Wins Wins: If this newsletter has helped you make money, save time, or get unstuck, I want the receipt → Share your win (30 seconds)
Thanks for reading!
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