10 Templates Anyone Can Use To Quickly Craft An Enticing Headline
Most writers struggle with headlines. Templates make it easy.
I used to suck at headlines.
I’d spend ages rearranging the words. Taking some out. Adding new ones in. But I always ended up with something bland. So I went hunting to see how the top creators did it. And started copying their tactics.
The change was dramatic. I quickly gained views, followers and cash! The good news is you can do the same. You don’t need to start from scratch. The best headlines follow the same patterns. Once you discover these it’ll be a game-changer for you.
You could look at your favourite creators. Dissect their titles to discover their formula. And apply it to your own. But this would take you hours. Lucky for you I’ve already done the hard work for you.
I’ve distilled the best headlines into 10 simple templates. So drop your content in. And you’ve got a stunning headline for minimal effort. Are you feeling excited?
Let’s go.
1. How I went from (problem) to (good outcome) in (timeframe)
How I went from 100 to 4000 followers in 10 months
How I went from broke to owning my own house in 3 years
How I went from lonely to an amazing friendship circle in 3 months
Tips to make this work:
Make the problem and outcome closely related. Ideally, make them opposites. Example one wouldn’t work if it was:
‘How I went from struggling to 4000 followers in 10 months’
X (bad thing) I made as a (type of person) (bad outcome)
7 mistakes I made as a husband (that nearly cost my marriage)
5 silly mistakes I made as a writer (that stopped my audience growing)
3 lies I believed as a marathon runner (that slowed down my running)
Tips to make this work:
The power of this headline is in the bad outcome. Make this emotionally charged. Think about your readers and what would bother them most.
Most (type of person) (bad outcome). How to (good outcome).
Most writers quit. How to stay resilient
Most runners get injured. How to stay injury-free
Most presenters get nervous. How to get rock-solid confidence.
Tips to make this work:
Make the bad and good outcomes direct opposites.
Want (good outcome)? Present (solution)
Want to earn money as a writer? Follow these 3 steps
Want to retire early? Adopt this attitude
Want to run your first 10k? Eat these 3 foods.
Tips to make this work:
When you present the solution. Don’t give the game away. You need to tease the audience so they want to read your writing. If the third example was:
‘Want to run your first 10k? Run 20 minutes every day’
There’d be no curiosity to read your post because they’ve got the answer.
Being too vague isn’t enticing either. Poor example:
‘Want to earn money as a writer? Do this’
What + who + good outcome
This mindset keeps presenters calm when they forget their words
3 hacks office writers can use to stop gaining weight
5 ways new writers can make their first $1000
Tips to make this work:
The power of this headline is in the good outcome. Make it strong, specific, or slightly unusual.
How to (good outcome) without (main obstacle)
How to write compelling content (without spending $500 on a course)
How to strengthen your friendship (without living in the same city)
How to keep fit (without joining a gym)
Tips to make this work:
The power of this one is in the obstacle. Pick something that resonates with your reader.
How to (good outcome) in (X) (steps)
How to conquer anxiety in 7 tiny steps
How to create a compelling landing page in 5 simple steps
How to make your first $1000 online in 3 quick steps
Tips to make this work:
This headline is super clear. Add a modifier to ‘steps’ to make it more attractive. Focus on how easy, quick or small the steps are.
X (thing) to (defeat obstacle) (good outcome)
7 ways to stop overthinking (and write every day)
5 hacks to keep motivated and run every day
3 tricks to stop you spending (so you can save for your 1st home)
Tips to make this work:
This is a harder headline to pull off. Both the obstacle and outcome need to hit home. But it has the potential to be extremely appealing.
How I stopped (bad outcome) (X things for type of person)
How I stopped eating sugar (3 quick tips for those with a sweet tooth)
How I stopped being a terrible writer (5 key lessons for new writers)
How I stopped losing my temper (3 sentences that keep me calm)
Tips to make this work:
This headline is jam-packed with strength. Fill in the blanks and you’ll have a winner. You don’t need to overcomplicate this one.
These (X) (things) will give you (good outcome)
These 5 simple techniques will give you endless ideas
These 5 tools will give you 1 extra hour every day
These 3 habits will stop you eating junk
Tips to make this work:
This headline needs a powerful, emotive outcome. So think carefully about how you word this. Find a way to increase it’s power by:
- adding emotion
- being specific
Keep these 10 templates handy. Use a different one for each post and watch all the readers flock to your content.
If you want the headline tactics I used to grow to 5000 followers in 6 months and earn $800/month Get my toolkit here: