Some content gets saved, shared, screenshot.
Other content disappears into the void.
The difference is tension.
Tension is the pull that makes someone need to keep reading. Without it, your idea is flat. Forgettable. Easy to scroll past.
The Tension Test checks for four types:
Curiosity → You opened a loop they need closed. A question raised. An unexpected claim made.
Disagreement → You said something they're not sure they agree with. They have to keep reading to decide.
Surprise → You broke a pattern. Subverted an expectation. Went somewhere they didn't predict.
Recognition → You described their situation so accurately they feel exposed. They have to see where you're going.
Before you post anything, run The Tension Test.
Read your opening line. Ask yourself: which type of tension does this create?
If the answer is none, rewrite until it has one.
No tension, no attention.
P.S. Reply with your next post's opening line and I'll tell you which tension type it's using (or missing).
~ Blake
3 ways I can help:
Pagetear → Copywriting studio for your SaaS
Boundset → Positioning & messaging sprint for startups
Founder Positioning → Personal brand sprint to become a thought leader