Writing Headlines That Encourage Further Reading

Want to write better hooks? Study print journalism. 📰 On LinkedIn, the constraints of print are much more instructive than SEO headline strategy for the general internet. You only have a certain amount of space to grab readers’ attention and make them click “read more” — the equivalent of picking up the paper or magazine. Unlike writing to optimize for search, when you want your headline to clearly answer a question, a LinkedIn hook has to capture attention and appeal to people who aren’t seeking a particular answer. Your readers aren’t in search mode — they’re in meander mode. They’re just scrolling. You have to give them a reason to stop. 🛑 That doesn’t mean you trick readers with clickbait. It means you figure out the most compelling element of your post and put it at the top, which is exactly how you write print headlines. I recently wrote a post about unpaid internships that’s gotten 1.6 million impressions, 8k reactions and hundreds of comments and reposts. I think the hook really helped: “When I was 23 and desperate to break into the magazine world, I turned down an internship at Time, Inc.” The point of the post was to share my personal experience to demonstrate what I see as a larger, persistent problem in the media industry — that unpaid internships create inequity because not everyone can afford to take them. But that wasn’t the hook. That came at the end. If the hook had been “Unpaid internships create inequity in the media world,” it could have done fine. I doubt it would have gotten the traction it did with the personal hook. That one works because it gives the exploring reader a question they want answered: Why would someone trying to break into the industry walk away from an opportunity at one of the top publications in the country? When I was a print journalist, I learned fast that the headline to a community board story could not be “Community board meets to discuss historical awning proposal.” 🥱 The headline needed to be “Residents rail against 78th St awning; ‘it’s an abomination.’” 😮 This was for a free local newspaper, and we knew that most people walking by our newsbox on the way to the subway weren’t thinking “Gee I wonder what the community board discussed at Tuesday’s meeting.” But if they saw the headline, they might think, “what in the name of Pete are these people getting so riled up about?? I have to know.” So think of the LinkedIn feed as a graffiti- and dirt-covered metal box at the corner of 59th and 5th, and your hook is the headline on the newspaper inside that box. Is it compelling enough to make someone open that grimy handle and grab a copy to read on their commute?

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.