Writing Headlines That Boost Engagement

Most PR campaigns fail because they start with strategy docs instead of headlines. If your headline sucks, your campaign will too. Here's why the traditional approach falls apart: Most PR teams start with audience analysis, publication research, and messaging hierarchies. Then they try to reverse-engineer a story that journalists actually want to write. It doesn't work. Traditional strategies treat all product features as equally newsworthy. They emphasize what companies want to say instead of what journalists want to cover. The headline-first approach flips this completely. Start by writing the exact headline you want to see in your target publication. Everything else flows from there. "New dog food is making millennials go crazy over the nostalgia of its packaging" immediately tells you which publications to target, what angle to develop, and which product features matter most. Compare that to "This new dog food brand is using natural ingredients no one has ever used before." Same product, completely different strategy. Different publications, different messaging, different everything. The headline becomes your North Star for every campaign decision. Once you have that headline, you can prioritize which messages actually support the story. You can identify the right publications and journalists. You can build campaign elements that all point in the same direction. Instead of creating strategy documents that try to be everything to everyone, you create focused campaigns with clear journalistic value. Try it on your next campaign. Write the headline first. Make it compelling. Build everything else around that. Your pitches will be sharper, your targeting clearer, and your coverage better.

"Just get the click" Marketers are obsessed with this because it "signals the algorithm." But science shows that it KILLS profits. Here's why: A 2022 study (Mukherjee, Dutta, and De Bruyn) analyzed almost 20,000 articles from top publishers like Business Insider and BBC.  They found that clickbait headlines— that omit key details and rely on vague promises—received 41% fewer likes and 48% fewer retweets compared to headlines that tell you what’s really happening.  What does this mean for you? When you rely on clickbait, you may get a spike in clicks, or even “signal the algorithm” but you risk alienating your audience.  Readers feel manipulated when they realize your headline is hiding important information. That distrust makes them less likely to share the content or view you as reliable.  Here’s how to fix it: 1. Audit your headlines. Identify phrases that play on shock value—“You won’t believe…” type claims. 2. Replace vague language with specifics. For example, instead of “You won’t believe which celebrity just did this,” instead use “Celebrity X just launched a groundbreaking initiative.” 3. Test your headlines through small-scale A/B experiments. Measure how clear headlines perform in terms of likes, retweets, and overall engagement. For paid advertisers - while clickbait might drive initial clicks, if you’re trying to sell stuff it could be ruining your brand. And - if you want to know how to scale without voodoo and gurus, I write and make videos about using the scientific method in business.

Don’t write another headline before reading this: “No sentence can be effective if it contains facts alone,” said copywriting great, Eugene Schwartz. “It must also contain emotion, image, logic, and promise.” Headlines are sentences too, of course. They’re actually the most important sentences. Because if you write a bad one, nobody will care enough to keep reading. Nobody will give a damn. If you write a bad headline, you fail. So don’t write flat, invisible headlines, like white paper on a white desk. Write compelling headlines. Headlines containing emotion and imagery and logic and promise. Here’s how to make your most important sentence: 1/ Emotional ↴ Make it dramatic, like this famous headline by John Caples: “They Laughed When I Sat Down At the Piano — But When I Started to Play!” It’s among the most successful headlines of the 20th century because it tells a story — and so efficiently. Dramatizing the claim (or its result) is storytelling, pure and simple. It’s making the prospect visualize a clear narrative in as few words as possible. And if she can relate to this narrative — if she can understand it — you now have her attention. 2/ Vivid ↴ Make it appeal to the senses, like this headline from The United Fruit Company: “Tastes Like You Just Picked It!” Sensitizing the claim by making the prospect feel it, smell it, touch it, see it, or hear it will transport the prospect to a moment, consciously or otherwise. In this headline, it’s a hungry moment: you’ve just bitten into a fresh apple, it’s delicious, and you’re craving another bite. 3/ Logical ↴ Make it a question, like this headline by Gary Bencivenga: “Has This Man Really Discovered the Secret of Inevitable Wealth?” If you want to make someone think, ask them a question. A good question can change someone’s perspective, which can change everything: “A change in perspective,” said Alan Kay, “is worth 80 IQ points.” 4/ Hopeful ↴ Make it inspirational, like this classic headline from Rolls Royce: “To The Man Who Is Afraid To Let His Dreams Come True” This ad was featured in Julian Watkins’ book, The 100 Greatest Advertisements, because despite running during the Great Depression, it sold more cars than any Rolls Royce ad before it. An inspirational headline can challenge any limiting beliefs the prospect may have, forcing her to think critically about what she deeply, genuinely wants. Life, after all, is a battle between what we want and what’s expected of us. It’s our perennial dilemma, omnipresent and omnipotent. If appropriate, write a headline that helps the prospect cope with this. Write a headline that bolsters hope. Onward. #copywriting #marketing #creativity Psst... coming soon ↴ 𝘝𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘊𝘰𝘱𝘺: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘰𝘬 → www.verygoodcopy.com/book

Your headlines are failing. Here’s how to fix them. Want to grab attention? It starts with writing a headline that makes people stop and take notice. But here’s the harsh truth: Most headlines miss the mark. They’re too vague, too long, or too boring to capture attention in today’s fast-scrolling world. Great headlines aren’t a stroke of luck—they’re crafted using principles that work. 🔑 Here are 10 proven principles to make your headlines impossible to ignore: 1️⃣ Make It Clear ↳ Focus on what’s in it for your audience. 💬 Example: “Get Fit in 15 Minutes a Day—No Gym Needed.” 2️⃣ Add a Hook ↳ Tease curiosity or promise a benefit. 💬 Example: “The Secret to Doubling Your Sales in 30 Days.” 3️⃣ Use Power Words ↳ Leverage emotional language that excites or persuades. 💬 Example: “Discover the Proven Formula That’s Guaranteed to Work.” 4️⃣ Leverage Specificity ↳ Numbers, timeframes, or clear benefits always perform better. 💬 Example: “7 Simple Habits to Boost Your Energy by 50%.” 5️⃣ Keep It Short and Sweet ↳ 6-10 words is the sweet spot for clarity and impact. 💬 Example: “Why Your Marketing Isn’t Working—And How to Fix It.” 6️⃣ Target Emotions ↳ Evoke curiosity, joy, or fear—emotions drive clicks. 💬 Example: “Are You Making These Costly Hiring Mistakes?” 7️⃣ Ask a Question ↳ Engage readers by sparking curiosity or self-reflection. 💬 Example: “What’s Stopping You From Achieving Financial Freedom?” 8️⃣ Challenge Expectations ↳ A bold, contrarian headline breaks through the noise. 💬 Example: “Stop Working Harder—It’s Killing Your Productivity.” 9️⃣ Test, Then Test Again ↳ A/B testing shows you what actually works. 💬 Example: Try variations like “The Ultimate Guide to Leadership” vs. “7 Rules Every Leader Must Follow.” 🔟 Align with the Content ↳ Overpromising destroys trust. Deliver what your headline promises. 💬 Example: “5 Budget-Friendly Recipes for Busy Weeknights” (no fancy or complex meals inside). ✨ The best headlines are clear, bold, and deliver on their promise. 💬 What’s the best headline you’ve seen recently? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to see it! ♻️ Share this post with your team to sharpen your headline skills. ✅ Follow Tom Wanek for more actionable marketing insights to level up your content today.

I used to write my headlines last. And it took writing 3,000+ articles to realize how wrong I was. Now, I write my headlines first & spend 80% of my writing time making them super specific. Here's my 3-part Headline Niching Framework (steal this to attract loyal readers): First, why should you niche down your headlines? It helps you: • You attract a more targeted reader • You exclude "general" audiences And these are good things. You don't want to create something for everyone. You want to be specific and speak to your ideal audience. Here's how: 1/ Name the Audience If you write "How To Make More Money," that answers a pretty general question. But what if you said: • "How To Make More Money As A Writer" or • "How To Make More Money As A Writer In Chicago" Say exactly WHO your writing is for. 2/ Name the Outcome Let's stay with this example. Instead of "How To Make More Money," try: • "How To Make More Money So You Can Buy Your First House" or • "How To Make More Money So You Can Build A Music Studio In Your Backyard" Say exactly WHAT the reader will achieve. 3/ Name the Process You can also name the process to unlock the promised outcome: • "How To Make More Money As A Writer Without Leaving Your Couch" or • "How To Make More Money As A Writer Ghostwriting For CEOs" Yet another point of context to attract who you want. That's it! Use these tips to write your next headline. Remember: specificity is the secret to legendary writing.