6 viral posts every creator should write

copy paste publish (added me 10,000+ followers)

Author

Heythem Naji
September 06, 2025

Today I’m gonna show you templates that ALWAYS work 🙂

20 months on Threads, 48,000+ followers later, I asked one question:

Which posts brought me the most followers, email subscribers, and clients (aka revenue)?

So I audited every viral post from the last 2 years, and 6 formats kept showing up again and again.

They grew my audience, my list, and my income. And they did the same for the creators I mentor.

Most creators would gatekeep these or hide them behind a paywall.

I want no part of that.

Here are the exact templates. Copy. Paste. Publish. (then screenshot and share your wins with me hehe)

Enjoy. 🙂 

Quick reminder before we begin:

⏳ 24 hours left — 3 mentoring spots.

On Thursday, I opened 3 spots for my “Full-Time Writer” mentoring program.

6 creators already raised their hands, so expect spots to go fast.

So if you want to live off your writing, influence 1,000s, and finally be free from the job you don’t want to go back to, this is your chance.

I’m running interviews over the next few days.

Applications close in 24 hours. Once the spots are filled, they’re gone.

Reply “I’m in” within 24 hours, and I'll get back to you.

1. Transformations

Life = change. Literally.

The seasons, our bodies, our thoughts, our experiences - everything is in constant change.

And that’s what we connect to.

Stories, movies, books, series - they all talk about change. That’s what we gravitate toward.

Talk about change and you have the reader’s attention.

That’s what people call the “Covenant of the Arc” in storytelling:

Humans are drawn to transformation.

So make your brand about constant change, evolution, and growth. The more you show your transformations, the more readers connect.

It’s what we love in movies, books, music - a clear arc from then → now.

Transformation means: “Here’s how my life changed after [experience].”

How to make it work:

First, understand that everybody has a transformation.

The last 20, 10, 5, 1 years - or 6 months, 1 month, even 1 day. I’m never the same person.

I’m exposed to life’s forces of change, and my job as a creator is to spot change.

Here’s how:

Pick a specific “then vs now”: Age, season, event, habit, move, travels, career shift, mindset shift, etc.

Describe 3 concrete facts from “then” and then 3 concrete facts from “now.”

Add a short bridge: “Here’s how it happened / what I changed. Here’s how my life changed after [experience].”

Share your actionable takeaways.

Example hook (copy + fill):

I’m {your age}.

When I was {past age} I felt {neg1, neg2, neg3}.

Now I’m {current age} and I feel {pos1, pos2, pos3}.

Here’s how I did it:

More examples:

  • “When I was 20, I felt X. At 27, I feel Y. Here’s how it happened.”

  • “I wasted my entire 20s. Here are the 7 lessons I learned.”

  • “I was trapped in depression most of my life. Last year, I broke free. Here’s how:”

You can use those, but the biggest takeaway is this:

Reflect on your transformation and share each and every one with your audience. That’s how you build a brand.

2) Callouts

Callouts work because they are specific.

A named audience leans in when it feels like the post was written for them.

When you write to one person, you reach 1000s who see themselves in that identity.

This format is an easy win across niches.

For example:

People in their 40s and 50s can speak to people in their 20s.

How to make it work

Choose a single audience:

  • by age (20s, 30s, 40s)

  • identity (men, women, parents)

  • role (founders, creators, corporate workers, scientists)

Then deliver lessons the reader can use today. Important: Keep it rooted in your experience.

You can use these hooks:

  • I just turned 30. If you’re in your 20s, read this.

  • I’m a {profession}. Here are 5 lessons I wish I knew earlier.

  • I’m a {profession} and I hate to break it to you, but {controversial/unique take}. Here’s how.

More examples of Callouts:

An effective way to get the readers’ attention is to call out big cooperations: 

  • Big therapy/pharma doesn't want you to know this:

  • The cosmetic industry will hate me for this:

  • The food industry is hiding this from you:

  • School/University won’t teach you this:

  • Society doesn’t want you to hear this:

  • Your boss doesn’t want you to know:

  • They won’t teach you this in therapy:

  • Your therapist won’t tell you this:

  • Your doctor won’t prescribe this:

  • Dan Koe/Eckhart Tolle is wrong:

Example:

3. Credibility

Start your hook with why people should listen to you.

I talked a lot about credibility in past newsletters, using statements in my hooks like:

  • Age → “I’m 23. Here are 3 things I wish I knew when I was 18.”

  • Special travel experiences → “I’ve been to 12 countries in the last 3 years. This is what travel taught me about people.”

  • Significant past experiences → “When my startup failed, I thought my life was over. It turned out to be the best thing that happened to me.”

  • Difficulties you’ve faced in life → “I battled depression for years. Here are the lessons that stuck with me.”

  • Unique life circumstances → “As an immigrant growing up in two cultures, here’s what I learned about belonging.”

  • Things you’d normally put on a CV → “After 5 years of studying law, this is what I really learned about justice.”

  • Transformations you went through → “At 20, I was lost and anxious. At 27, I feel free. Here’s how I got here.”

BUT:

People think they need a degree, a PhD, or some crazy story to be “credible”. But that’s not true.

EVERYBODY has credibility.

What are the struggles, traumas, and turning points that shaped you?

This is what I call “negative credibility”:

Vulnerability builds trust, and owning losses is more effective than bragging. 

How to make it work

  • Pick a miss (burnout, launch fail, wrong niche, bad habit).

  • Share the cost, the cause, and the correction (the 3 Cs).

  • Close with “Do this instead” to turn your pain into their path.

Hooks (copy + fill)

  • I failed at {X}. Here’s what it taught me.

  • {X} pieces of advice after {X} years as a {profession}.

  • “I blew €12,000 on the wrong offer. Here’s what I’d do differently.”

  • “I burned out chasing virality. 7 rules I use now.”

4. Controversial Truths

Authenticity and controversy are correlated.

The lines you hesitate to post are the ones people need. When you say what you believe, readers pay attention.

Always remember:

You can’t build a brand without repelling someone. If everyone agrees with you, you’re saying nothing.

When you speak your truth, the right people rally around you. The wrong people leave.

Both outcomes are good. 🙂

How to make it work

Lead with credibility (“I’m a therapist/founder/parent/business owner/ I wasted X years in corporate…”) and then make a claim.

Hook starters:

  • I spent 10 days in silence, and I need you to hear this:

  • I studied {topic} for {X} hours and was shocked by {finding}:

  • I’m a {profession} and I hate to break it to you but: {take}. Here’s how:

Viral examples I used in the past:

  • “We’re all traumatized.”

  • “Depression is overdiagnosed.”

  • “Science is not against God. It explains God.”

  • “You don't need to spend money on therapy to heal.”

  • “Your creativity is slowly dying without you noticing.”

  • “Most problems are solved by taking a walk in nature.”

  • “Communication is more important than your university degree.”

  • “The deeper the trauma the more a spiritual approach is needed.”

  • “Instagram Reels, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts are breaking your brain.”

5. Famous Figures

This format uses borrowed credibility - people absolutely looooove distilled wisdom from people they know.

(I hope you understand by now how important credibility is, whether it’s yours, negative credibility, or borrowed credibility)

How to make it work

Pick a name your audience recognizes (Freud, Hormozi, Jobs, or other niche giant).

Study the work, pull their 5–9 greatest lessons, and add your personal take.

Great starters:

  • “The woman who heals what therapy can’t: {Name}”

  • “The man who saved humanity from nihilism”

  • “The man who saved me from myself”

Hooks:

  • I studied {Figure} for X hours. Here are his X greatest lessons:

  • His unique view on … will change how you perceive life forever

  • After studying him for X+ hours, I can confidently say, these are his X greatest lessons

6. Took Me X Years → You Get It in X Minutes

People love summaries.

They promise quick lessons distilled from many years of experience.

It’s the promise of speed + depth: You did the hard work, and they get the short read.

How to make it work

Lead with a clear promise (X years → X minutes).

Deliver a tight list of lessons that cover the whole topic. Keep each point punchy and practical, then close with a next step.

Hooks:

  • {X} Years of lessons condensed into a 2-Minute Read

  • It took me {X} years to realize this and I will tell you in {X} minutes…

  • It took {X} hours, {X} years, and {X} books to learn these {X} lessons. You get them in 2 minutes.

That’s it!

Everybody serious about growing online should save those.

But even better:

Pick one, write a draft, send it to me, and I’ll give you my personalized feedback. 

Can’t wait to see your posts 🙂

With love,

Heythem

P.S. ⏳ 24 hours left to apply for the 3 mentoring spots. If you want to live off your writing, influence 1,000s, and finally be free from your job, reply “I’m in” and I’ll get back to you.