Headline writing: a step-by-step method and prompt

Headline writing is the skill of stating a piece's main promise so the right reader stops and clicks. The reliable method: define the promise in one sentence, draft at least 20 options using different angles, score them for clarity and specificity, and test the top two. A clear headline beats a clever one almost every time.

What it is

A headline is the first and often only thing a reader sees: a blog title, a landing page hero, an email subject line, a post's first line. Its job is to say who the piece is for and what they get, fast enough that the right person keeps reading.

Good headlines share four traits:

When to use it

• Titling a blog post, guide or landing page
• Writing email subject lines and preview text
• Opening lines for X, LinkedIn or Reddit posts
• A page ranks but has a low click-through rate in Search Console
• Picking a name for a lead magnet or launch post

Step-by-step method

1. Write the promise sentence. Finish this: "After reading, [reader] will be able to [outcome]." Every headline you write must deliver this promise.
2. List the key words. Note the search keyword (if any), the audience label, and the concrete outcome. These are your building blocks.
3. Draft 20 options across angles. Use different formulas: how-to, number list, question, comparison, mistake, result, and direct statement. Do not judge while drafting.
4. Front-load meaning. Rewrite each so the important words come first. Search results and inboxes truncate long lines.
5. Score each option. Rate clarity, specificity and relevance from 1 to 3 each. Cut anything under 6. Cut any option the content does not fully deliver.
6. Check the context. Read the top three in place: in a search result mock, an inbox, or a feed. Check length against the channel's limits.
7. Test the top two. Use an email A/B split, two social posts on different days, or a title change measured in Search Console over several weeks.

Formulas to start from

• How to [outcome] without [common pain]
• [Number] [things] for [audience] who want [outcome]
• [Option A] vs [Option B]: which is better for [use case]
• The [mistake] that keeps [audience] from [outcome]
• [Outcome] in [timeframe]: a [format] for [audience]

Ready-to-use prompt

You are an editor who writes clear, specific headlines.

Content type: [BLOG_POST / LANDING_PAGE / EMAIL / SOCIAL_POST]
Reader: [AUDIENCE]
Promise: After reading, the reader will be able to [OUTCOME].
Primary keyword (if any): [KEYWORD]
Length limit: [CHARACTER_LIMIT]
Summary of the content: [SUMMARY]

Tasks:
1. Write 20 headlines across these angles: how-to, number list, question, comparison, mistake, result, direct statement.
2. Put the key words in the first half of each headline.
3. Score each for clarity, specificity and relevance (1 to 3 each) in a table.
4. Remove any headline the content does not fully deliver.
5. Recommend the top 2 to test and explain why in one sentence each.

Rules: no clickbait, no hype words, no exclamation marks, no em dashes, stay within the length limit.

Checklist

• Promise sentence written before drafting
• At least 20 options drafted
• Several different angles tried
• Key words appear early
• Length fits the channel
• Specific audience or outcome is named
• The content fully delivers the headline
• Top two options tested, not guessed

How Thig automates it

The Writer agent proposes several title options for every article and scores the SEO title for length and keyword placement before it reaches your feed. Pair headlines with the title tags skill, and preview lengths with the Meta Description Generator.