Writing Headlines That Match Content Tone

Stop reflecting your audience in your content like this. Are you a business owner, founder, entrepreneur... Most marketers kinda know who their audience is. But when it’s time to write content, they pull the same move: “If you’re a financial advisor, consultant, or portfolio manager…” or “We help security leaders and professionals…” Cool. Titles are fine. But job titles don’t scroll. People do. So if you really want to connect, stop just naming what they do. Start reflecting who they are. Or better yet, who they want to be. Here’s how: 🟢 Aspirational Identity > Job Title Instead of “If you’re a career coach...” Try: “For the coach who’s ready to build a business, not just post advice.” “For the expert who’s done giving free game and wants clients who pay and stay.” This is about more than what they do. It’s about who they want to become. Speak to the elevation, not the occupation. Speak to the vision. The status. The internal flex. Or try this: 🟢 Frustration or Belief > Resume Line Instead of “We help HR professionals…” Try: “Still stuck doing HR with a spreadsheet and a prayer?” “For the people who know hiring isn’t broken—it’s just boring.” Tap into what they’re annoyed by, what they’ve tried, what’s not working. Make them nod in frustration or laugh in relief. MOM’s Rule of Thumb: When in doubt, ask yourself these 4 things: ▪️ What’s keeping them up at night? ▪️ What are they tired of hearing or doing? ▪️ What do they wish was true by next year? ▪️ What would make them stop scrolling and say, “Yes... that’s me”? This is how you make people feel seen. Because marketing isn’t about getting attention. It’s about giving recognition. Now go back to that headline or intro and rewrite it with your audience’s soul, not their LinkedIn title.

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?

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.