You’ve seen it. You’re scrolling through TikTok or X at 2:00 AM, and suddenly, there he is. Or rather, there’s the idea of him. So there's this guy has become the unofficial preamble for every unhinged, romantic, or devastating story on the internet. It's basically the modern "Once upon a time," but with more emotional baggage and way better engagement metrics.
Wait.
Why are we obsessed with such a specific, almost clunky sentence? It’s not just a meme. It is a psychological trigger. When a creator starts a video with those four words, your brain stops scanning and starts listening. We are hardwired for narrative, and this phrase is the ultimate bait. It signals an immediate shift from "content" to "confidante."
The Anatomy of the "So There's This Guy" Hook
People think Google Discover is just about news. Wrong. It’s about curiosity gaps. The phrase so there's this guy creates a massive one. It implies a relationship, a conflict, or a punchline that hasn't landed yet.
Think about the structure. It’s informal. It’s "kinda" messy. It feels like your best friend leaned over a table at a loud bar to tell you a secret they shouldn't be sharing. That's the magic. Digital marketing experts often talk about "pattern interrupts," but this is more of a "pattern invite." It invites you into a parasocial relationship before you even know the guy’s name. In fact, usually, he doesn't even have a name. He’s just "this guy."
He's the one who didn't text back. He's the one who bought a whole sourdough starter kit and then disappeared. He's the coworker who accidentally CC’d the entire company on a complaint about the coffee machine. By keeping him anonymous, the narrator allows the audience to project their own experiences onto the story. It becomes universal.
Why the Algorithm Loves the Drama
Google and Meta aren't just looking for keywords anymore. They’re looking for dwell time. If you start a blog post or a video with so there's this guy, you’re almost guaranteed a higher retention rate in those first five seconds.
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Why? Because the human brain is nosy. We want to know what "this guy" did.
Data from social listening tools like Brandwatch suggests that conversational storytelling prompts see up to 40% more comments than "Top 10" style headlines. It’s because a listicle is a lecture. A story starting with so there's this guy is an invitation to gossip. And let’s be real, the internet is 90% gossip disguised as information.
The Power of the Mundane
The funniest part? The stories usually aren't that "big."
- He forgot his wallet on the first date.
- He thinks the moon isn't real.
- He has a very specific way of eating a KitKat.
These aren't news stories. They are "lifestyle" micro-moments. But because they are framed with that specific hook, they feel monumental. They feel like they belong in a group chat. That’s the level of intimacy creators are chasing to beat the 2026 algorithm updates that favor "originality" and "first-hand experience."
The Psychological Hook: Why We Can't Look Away
Psychologists often point to the "Zeigarnik Effect," which is the tendency to remember uncompleted or interrupted tasks better than completed ones. A sentence starting with so there's this guy is an open loop. Your brain physically wants to close it.
Honestly, it’s a bit of a cheat code.
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If you look at the successful subreddits like r/relationship_advice or r/AmItheAsshole, the most viral posts almost always start with a variation of this phrase. It sets the stage. It establishes a protagonist and a narrator. It creates a "them vs. us" or "him vs. me" dynamic immediately.
Does it actually rank on Google?
Believe it or not, yes. People are literally typing "so there's this guy meme" or "so there's this guy TikTok meaning" into search bars. They want to know the origin. They want to know why their "For You" page is flooded with girls staring into the camera while a specific indie song plays in the background.
The trend usually involves a photo dump or a slow-zoom video. The text overlay reads so there's this guy, followed by several slides of why the person is special, annoying, or confusing. It’s a format that has survived several platform iterations because it’s endlessly adaptable.
How to Use Narrative Hooks Without Sounding Like a Bot
If you're trying to capture this energy in your own writing or content, you can't just copy-paste the phrase. You have to understand the vibe.
- Drop the Formalities. Stop starting articles with "In the ever-evolving world of..." Nobody talks like that. Start with the "guy." Start with the problem.
- Specifics Matter. Don't just say he was weird. Say he carried a physical map of the city because he "didn't trust satellites." That’s the detail that makes the story stick.
- The "So" is Key. Starting a sentence with "So" or "Basically" feels more human. It mimics the way we actually speak. It’s a linguistic bridge.
We see this in high-level copywriting too. The best sales pages don't start with "Our product is 50% more efficient." They start with a story. "So I was sitting in my office at 3 AM, staring at a blank screen, and I realized..." It's the same mechanic.
The Evolution of the "Guy"
In 2026, the internet is smarter. We can spot a fake story from a mile away. The so there's this guy trend is shifting toward "anti-storytelling" where the guy is actually a dog, or a plant, or a sandwich.
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This meta-humor keeps the phrase alive. It shows that we’re in on the joke. We know we're being manipulated by a hook, but we like the hook so much we don't care. It’s a shared language. When you use that phrase, you’re telling the world you’re part of the same digital culture.
It’s about connection. At the end of the day, we’re all just looking for "this guy" or looking to tell a story about him.
Actionable Steps for Content Creators
If you want to leverage this kind of storytelling for SEO or social growth, you need a strategy that doesn't feel like a marketing plan.
- Audit your hooks. Look at your last five posts. Do they start with a fact or a feeling? Try flipping one to a narrative start.
- Use "Projective" Language. Use phrases that allow the reader to say "I know a guy like that."
- Vary Your Pace. Don't let your sentences get rhythmic. Short. Long. Staccato. It keeps the reader's "internal voice" engaged.
- Focus on the Relatable. The "guy" doesn't have to be a person. It can be a situation, a software bug, or a weird habit.
Stop trying to be an authority and start being a storyteller. People don't follow "authorities" on Google Discover; they follow voices they recognize. The phrase so there's this guy is just one way to find that voice. It’s about being real, being a little messy, and most importantly, being human in a world full of AI-generated noise.
Next time you go to post, think about your "guy." What’s the one thing about the situation that makes you want to tell your friend about it? Start there. Forget the "Ultimate Guide" and the "Comprehensive Overview." Just tell the story. That is how you win the feed.