Headlines, yeah—those few squiggly words at the top? They’re everything. I mean, you could have a Nobel Prize–worthy piece of writing, but if your headline flops? Nobody’s gonna care. Been there.
One time, I wrote this killer post on productivity hacks. Legit gold. Crickets. You know why? “Boosting Work Efficiency Through Time Optimization.” That was the title. I hate past-me sometimes.
What I should’ve called it? Something loud. Like: “I Gained 3 Free Hours a Day—Here’s How I Did It Without Waking Up Early.” See the diff?
🧠 Brain makes split-second choices. If the headline don’t hit—bye-bye reader. And most people online, they’re not reading. They’re skimming. Scrolling. Tapping. Bouncing.
But yeah, I’ve tested a lot. On blogs, emails, social media blasts. Everywhere. Over time, I sorta noticed a few things. Patterns? Nah. Just vibes. That’s a lie. Patterns help, but I also learned to break ’em.
Who’s Reading, Anyway?
Okay so here’s a thing: you write for someone. Not a bot. Not a crowd. A single person with a brain and preferences and probably bad Wi-Fi.
Always imagine one person. Their coffee’s half-warm, maybe they’re reading you on a cracked screen. What are they thinking? What hurts? What do they need?
Y’ever read Amazon reviews to see how real folks talk? That’s language gold. “This thing actually worked” > “Effective solution to common issue.”
Jargon kills. Authenticity wins. Mostly.
What Makes a Headline Not Suck
There’s no math, but there’s kinda math. Like 1+ power word + clarity = boom.
Wait. Hold up. I’m gettin’ ahead of myself. Back to basics.
📌 Rule 1: Say what you mean. Don’t be vague. Confused readers don’t click.
📌 Rule 2: Numbers. They pull eyeballs like magnets. “3 Ways to…” “9 Mistakes…” People love predictability. (Odd numbers = extra charm.)
📌 Rule 3: Trigger words. “Secret,” “Instant,” “Proven,” “Dead Simple.” Sprinkle ’em. Gently. Like salt. Too much = gross.
But also, don’t overdo tricks. If your headline’s too shiny and the article’s flat, readers bounce harder than my rent check.
My Favorite Headline Styles? They Change Weekly.
I don’t have favorites. I just like what works. And fails loud.
Try:
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How to X Without Y
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The Truth About Z (They Don’t Want You to Know)
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[Number] Hacks That Actually Help
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I Tried [Weird Thing] So You Don’t Have To
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What [X Group] Gets Wrong About [Thing]
But I mix it up. Copywriting’s jazz, not classical. Rules? Optional.
Also…Questions Work. Like, Seriously.
Sometimes, just ask something real. Not fancy. Not forced.
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“Are You Making These Sleep Mistakes Every Night?”
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“What If You Never Checked Email Before Noon?”
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“Does Your Website Actually Load Fast Enough?”
Get people thinkin’. Reflectin’. Regrettin’. (Kidding, maybe.)
Just don’t ask stuff that’s too obvious. “Do You Like Pizza?” Well, duh.
Testing: My Favorite Nerdy Hobby
I once tested three headlines for a dumb blog about fonts. Not even kidding.
Guess which one won? “These Fonts Will Make You Look Like You Know What You’re Doing.”
People clicked like mad.
Another? “7 Fonts That Don’t Suck” vs. “Top 7 Professional Fonts.” First one, double the open rate.
Sometimes I run A/B tests with tools like Mailchimp, sometimes I just ask three friends. (One is brutally honest. I love her for it.)
The SEO Monster (Don’t Ignore It)
Look. I love humans. But Google’s a guest at this party, too. If you want traffic, feed the bot.
Put your keyword in the headline, near the front if you can. Just not in a stiff way. Nobody likes a robot whisperer.
Instead of: “Tips for Making a Business Grow Faster”
Try: “Business Growth Tips That Actually Move the Needle”
One’s dry toast. The other’s buttered.
What I Do Every Time I Write a Headline
I write ten.
Minimum.
Even if I hate it. Even if I think the first one’s perfect. (Spoiler: it never is.)
Some are dumb. Some are wild. Some are fire.
Then I walk away. Come back later. Pick the one that punches me in the face—in a good way.
Last Thought Before I Vanish Into Wi-Fi
This isn’t about tricks. Or hacks. It’s about talking like a human and making people curious enough to follow you.
You’re not writing for everyone. You’re writing for someone who wants what you’ve got. They just need a nudge.
And the headline? That’s the nudge. The spark. The doorbell.
Make it ring.
Also, you can know more about Add Social Proof in startups here.