78 Headline Hacks – A Cheat Sheet For Writing Headlines That Grab Your Readers by the Eyeballs

I know. You agree with me that the headlines you choose for your blog posts and articles serve the same purpose as headlines in a magazine or newspaper. They either draw the readers in or push them away.

“On the average, five times as many people read the headlines as read the body copy. It follows that unless your headline sells your product, you have wasted 90 percent of your money.” 

– David Ogilvy (Regarded as the Father of Advertising) 

Your goal as a blogger, writer, author or copywriter is to craft captivating headlines. 

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78 Headline Hacks

The Essential attributes of compelling headlines

Here are 3 essential attributes of a compelling headline:

1. It Must Grab Attention. Your headline’s number one job is to grab the reader’s attention.  You accomplish this by any of the following:
   • Making a claim or promise, 
   • Evoking an emotional response, or 
   • Stirring up curiosity
2. It Must Draw Readers Into the Message. Remember you’re not selling your concept or proposition in the headline. You’re making one pitch only: the idea of reading the rest of the bog post or article.
3. It Must Communicate Your Big Idea. What is the one overriding benefit of your post, and how can you communicate that to your readers in a way that is meaningful to them? Find a way to put that in your headline.

Incorporating these 3 principles into your headlines should bring you more traffic, more readers, and more engagement with your audience.

Headline Hacks

Now to the templates. The headline hacks! Are you ready?

Let’s get started!

Part 1 – Attention Grabbing Headlines

These are headlines that grab your readers by the eyeballs and drag them into your message. And they work. Want to know why? Because your readers fall into one or more of these categories: 

• They are fascinated by claims or promises. 
• They are not creatures of logic but creatures of emotion. So they are intrigued by anything that evokes an emotional response.
• They are curious by nature.  

#1. Give Me [Blank] And I’ll Give You [Highly Desirable Outcome]

Examples: 

• Give Me 3 Days, And I’ll Give You A New Business
• Give Me A Weekend, And I’ll Give You Foolproof Investing Plans
• Give Me 30 Minutes, And I’ll Give You A Plan To Double Your Income

#2. [#] Habits of [Highly Desirable Outcome]

Examples:

• 7 Habits of Highly Successful People
• 12 Habits of Super Productive people 
• 21 Habits of The Most Successful Bloggers on Earth 

#3. Do You Have The Courage To [Have Highly Desirable Outcome]

Examples:

• Do You Have The Courage To Make A $1 Million Income?
• Do You Have The Courage To Be Your Own Boss?
• Do You Have The Courage To Live The Life Of Your Dreams?

#4. The Secret Way To [Have Highly Desirable Outcome]

Examples:

• The Secret Way To Be Happier Instantly
• The Secret Way To Retire Early And Live Better
• The Secret Way To Know If Your Partner Is Cheating On You

#5. The Forbidden Secrets Of [Blank] The/Your [Trusted Person/Influential Person/Company/Government Department] Doesn’t Want You To Know

Examples:

• The Forbidden Secrets Of Tax Loopholes The IRS Doesn’t Want You To Know
• The Forbidden Secrets Of Investing Your Broker Doesn’t Want You To Know
• The Forbidden Secrets Of Health The Big Pharma Industry Doesn’t Want You To Know 

#6. Who Else Wants [Highly Desirable Outcome] 

Examples:

• Who Else Wants The Secret Of Looking Young Forever?
• Who Else Wants Chiseled Abs In 7 Minutes?
• Who Else Wants To Make Money While They Sleep

#7. [#] [Blank] Ways To [Blank] Your [Blank]

Examples: 

• 10 Surprising Ways to Supercharge Your Blog
• 7 Surefire Ways to Supercharge Your Finances 
• 21 Little Known Ways to Turbocharge Your Marriage

#8. How I [Blank] In [Blank]

Examples: 

• How I Made $100,000 In Two Weeks
• How I Attracted 1,000 New Email Subscribers In One Day 
• How I Paid Off My Mortgage In Nine Months  

#9. What No One Tells You About [Blank]

Examples:

• What No One Tells You About Blogging
• What No One Tells You About Parenting
• What No One Tells Your About Marriage

#10. The Hidden Truth Behind [Blank]

Examples:

• The Hidden Truth Behind Every Successful Business Owner
• The Hidden Truth Behind Easy Credit
• The Hidden Truth Behind Every New York Times Bestseller 

#11. Why Don’t [Blank] [Contrasting Outcome]

Examples:

• Why Don’t Your Kids Do What You Tell Them?
• Why Don’t Doctors Get Sick? 
• Why Don’t Runners Have Healthier Hearts?

#12. The [Blank] Guide to [Blank]

Examples:

• The Ultimate Guide to Spiritual Warfare 
• The Complete Guide To Blogging
• The Definitive Guide to Monetizing Your Blog

#13. The Amazing Secrets Of [Blank]

Examples:

• The Amazing Secrets Of People Who Work a “2 Day Week.”
• The Amazing Secrets That Make These People “Heart Attack Proof”
• The Amazing Secrets Of An Ancient Chinese Pain Medicine.

#14. How To Eliminate [Recurring Problem] [Blank]

Examples:

• How To Eliminate Money Worries Forever
• How To Eliminate Doubt And Uncertainty From Your Heart
• How To Eliminate Stress And Anxiety Overnight

#15. The Future Of [Blank] [Something Which Evokes Curiosity]

Examples:

• The Future Of Investing… It’s Not What You Think
• The Future Of Family Life… This May Surprise You!
• The Future Of Blogging… This Would Shock You!

#16. The Best Time For [Blank]

Examples:

• The Best Time For Buying Precious Metals
• The Best Time For Starting Any Diet
• The Best Time For Dog Walking

#17. [#] Pleasant Ways To [Blank]

Examples: 

• 7 Pleasant Ways To Do Your Taxes
• 12 Pleasant Ways To Lose Weight
• 10 Pleasant Ways To Discipline Your Children 

#18. The Best [Blank] For [Achieving Highly Desirable Outcome]

Examples:

• The Best Tricks For Saving Time
• The Best Workout For Massive Muscle
• The Best Herbs For Relieving Headaches

#19. They Laughed When [Blank], But [Blank]… 

Examples:

• They Laughed When I Asked For The Menu, But When I Ordered In Perfect French…
• They Laughed When I Pick Up The Violin, But When I Started To Play…
• They Laughed When I Stepped Up To The Microphone, But When I Started To Sing…

#20. The [#] Things Every [Your Audience] Should Know

Examples:

• The 12 Things Every New Grandparent Should Know
• The 10 Things Every Parent Should Know
• The 10 Things Everyone Who Gets A Speeding Ticket Should Know

#21. It’s A Shame You [Blank], When [Blank]

Examples: 

• It’s A Shame You Can’t Achieve The Business Success You Desire, When Even These Fast Food Restaurant Owners Can Do It
• It’s A Shame You Can’t Retire Early, When These 40-Year-Olds Did It So Easily
• It’s A Shame You Can’t Make Money Blogging, When Even These Medicare Grandmas Do It So Easily

#22. The [Trusted Professional]’s Secret To [Highly Desirable Outcome]

Examples:

• The Lawyer’s Secret To Winning Every Argument
• The Doctor’s Secret To Never Getting Sick
• The Accountant’s Secret To Never Paying Taxes Again

Part 2 – Headlines That Promise Your Readers A Simpler Life

These days, everyone is struggling to keep up. So many times, what’s urgent takes over what’s important. You’re jumping into this mayhem, and promising your readers a simpler life! It’s similar to the How To Headlines but distinctly different because here you’re showing your audience how to do something effortlessly.

#23. How To [Do An Extremely Valuable Thing] In [#] Minutes Or Less

Examples:

• How To Knock $150 Off Your Credit Card Bill In 15 Minutes or Less
• How To Respond To Your Weekly Emails In 10 Minutes Or Less
• How To Write A Killer Blog Post In 30 Minutes Or Less

#24. [#] Perfectly Legal Shortcuts For [Completing Tedious Process] in Record Time 

Examples:

• 7 Perfectly Legal Shortcuts For Building A Profitable Online Business In Record Time
• 12 Perfectly Legal Shortcuts For Becoming An Expert In Your Niche In Record Time
• 7 Perfectly Legal Shortcuts For Paying Off Your Mortgage In Record Time

#25. Can’t Keep Up? [#] Effortless Ways To Simplify Your [Blank] 

Examples:

• Can’t Keep Up? 7 Effortless Ways To Simplify Your Email Inbox
• Can’t Keep Up? 21 Effortless Ways To Simplify Your Search for New Clients
• Can’t Keep Up? 10 Effortless Ways To Simplify Your Recipe For Tomorrow’s Dinner Party

#26. The Minimalist Guide To [Getting Of Audience’s Aggravation]

Examples:

• The Minimalist Guide To Losing Weight That Stays Off
• The Minimalist Guide To Social Media
• The Minimalist Guide To Cooking a Nutritious Dinner

#27. How To Take Charge of Your [Unruly Problem] 

Examples:

• How To Take Charge of Your Son’s Alcohol Addiction
• How To Take Charge of Your Twitter Account 
• How To Take Charge of Your Debt Problem

#28. Get Rid Of [Recurring Problem] Once And For All 

Examples:

• Get Rid Of Your Gambling Addiction Once And for All
• Get Rid Of Your SpiralingDebt Once And for All
• Get Rid Of Your Body Odour Once And for All

#29. [#] [Blank] Hacks: A Cheat Sheet/Insider’s Guide For [Blank] 

Examples:

• 78 Headline Hacks: A Cheat Sheet For Writing Headlines That Grab Your Readers By The Eyeballs
• 12 Copywriting Hacks: A Cheat Sheet For Writing Sales Copy That Converts Like Crazy
• 37 Income Tax Hacks: An Insider’s Guide To Beating the IRS At Their Own Game

Part 3 – Headlines That Target The Things That Keep Your Readers Up At Night

These are threat or danger headlines. They address the things that keep your readers up at night. And as long as your readers can identify with the threat or danger, they’d be drawn in!

#30. [#] Warning Signs That [Blank]

Examples:

• 5 Warning Signs That You’ll Never Earn An Income From Blogging
• 7 Warning Signs That You’re About to Get Audited By the IRS
• 12 Warning Signs That You Chose the Wrong Blog Niche

#31. How Safe Are/Is Your [Valuable Person/Object] From [Threat]?

Examples:

• How Safe Are Your Kids From The Paedophiles Roaming The Internet?
• How Safe Is Your Retirement Income From The Government?
• How Safe Are Your Dog From The Foxes Across The Road?

#32. Warning: [Blank]

Examples:

• Warning: Don’t Read This Blog Post Except You Want To Quadruple Your Income
• Warning: Use These 7 Proven Email Subject Formulas at Your Own Peril
• Warning: These Daily Exercise Routines Can Eliminate Your Weight Problem

#33. Can We Really Trust [An Influential Person/Respected Company/Well Established Product/Brand]? 

Examples:

• Can We Really Trust General Motors? The 7 Things You Should Know
• Can We Really Trust Hilary Clinton? The Truth About Those Emails
• Can We Really Trust Google? The 10 Things They Don’t Want You To Know

#34. Exposed: The Shocking Truth about [Blank] 

Examples:

• Exposed: The Shocking Truth About Yoga
• Exposed: The Shocking Truth About Donald Trump
• Exposed: The Shocking Truth About Amazon

#35. The Great [Blank] Hoax: What [Blank]

Examples:

• The Great Facebook Hoax: What Mark Zuckerberg Doesn’t Want You To Know!
• The Great Microsoft Hoax: What Is Bill Gates Really Hiding?
• The Great Income Tax Hoax: Proof That Taxes Are Unconstitutional!

#36. [#] Things Your [Trusted Person] Won’t Tell You

Examples:

• 13 Things Your Investment Broker Won’t Tell You
• 21 Things Your Doctor Won’t Tell You
• 7 Things Your Priest Won’t Tell You About Your Soul 

#37. How [Blank] Gamble with Your [Blank]: [#] Ways to Protect Yourself 

Examples:

• How Accountants Gamble With Your Taxes: 11 Ways to Protect Yourself
• How Doctors Gamble with Your Life: 7 Ways to Protect Yourself
• How Banks Gamble With Your Money: 5 Ways to Protect Yourself

#38. [#] Lies [Group of People] Like to Tell 

Examples:

• 9 Lies Attorneys Like to Tell Their Clients 
• 14 Lies Playboys Like to Tell Their Dates
• 7 Lies Fashion Companies Like To Tell About Their Products 

#39. [#] Little-Known Factors That Could Affect Your [Blank] 

Examples:

• 5 Little-Known Factors That Could Affect Your Retirement Income
• 7 Little-Known Factors That Could Affect Your Ebook Sales
• 10 Little-Known Factors That Could Affect Your Marriage

#40. [Your Audience] Alert: The New [Blank] Scam to Avoid 

Examples:

• Blogger Alert: The New Phishing Scam to Avoid
• Traveler Alert: The New Airport Scam to Avoid
• Investor Alert: The New Financing Scam to Avoid

Part 4 – Headlines That Ride On The Back Of Famous Brands And Personalities 

Celebrities and famous brands spend big bucks to develop and maintain their brands. Here you’re trying to use their names to your advantage. However, be very careful. Since you are benefiting from someone else’s brand, there is a potential for lawsuits with this tactic. So please be aware that you use the headlines in this Part at your own risk.

#41. What [World-Class Example] Can Teach Us About [Irony]

Examples:

• What The Lehman Brothers Crash Can Teach Us About Saving For The Rainy Day
• What Ashley Madison Can Teach Us About Fidelity
• What the Horizon Realty Fail Can Teach You about Social Media

#42.  [Do Something] Like [Famous Person]: [#] Ways to [Blank] 

Examples:

• Launch Like Jeff Walker: 12 Ways to Build Buzz for Your Next Product Launch
• Do Your Taxes Like Donald Trump: 7 Ways the Rich Cheat the IRS
• Sprint like Usain Bolt: 21 Ways Get Ahead Of The Competition In Your On Line Business

#43. [Famous Person’s] Top [#] Tips for [Blank] 

Examples:

• Dave Ramsey’s Top 7 Tips For Becoming Debt Free
• David Ogilvy’s Top 5 Tips for Writing Killer Copy 
• Donald Trump’s Top 10 Tips For Winning An Election 

#44. [#][Blank] From [Famous Person]: The [Blank] of [Blank]

Examples:

• 13 Timeless Lessons From David Ogilvy, The Father of Advertising
• 7 Ageless Motivational Tips From Zig Ziglar, The King Of Motivation
• 21 Unforgettable Lessons From Muhammad Ali, The Greatest Boxer  

#45. The [World-Class Example] Guide to [Blank] 

Examples:

• The David Ogilvy Guide To Persuasive Writing
• The Tiger Woods Guide To Golf
• The Mike Tyson Guide To Boxing

#46. Secrets Of [Famous Group]: [Blank] 

Examples:

• Secrets Of Billionaires: 12 Tactics That Keep Them on Top
• Secrets Of The Hollywood Hall Of Famers: 21 Strategies That Keep The Stars At The Top Of Their Game 
• Secrets Of Hollywood A-Listers: How to Look like a Movie Star Without Spending A Fortune

More Headline Hacks

We will now look at our remaining headline hacks. Ready?

Let’s jump right in!

Part 5 – ‘How To’ Headlines

You can call these headlines the godfather of all headlines because they have been around for about 100 or so years. And they always work no matter the niche! Want to know why? Because deep down, we all want to know how to do things better!

#47. How To [Achieve Outstanding Results] in [Very Short Period of Time]

Examples:

• How To Lose 30 Pounds In 30 Days
• How To Clean Your House In 30 Minutes A Week
• How To Attract Your First 1,000 Subscribers in 30 Days

#48. How to [Blank] 

Examples:

• How To Win Friends And Influence People
• How To Earn $1000 A Month From Blogging
• How to Write Headlines That Grab Your Readers By The Eyeballs 

#49. How to [Blank] (Even If [Common Obstacle])

Examples:

• How to Make Money Blogging (Even If You’re No Good At Writing)
• How To Get A Six-Pack (Even If You Hate Exercise)
• How To Get A Credit Card (Even If You Have A Lousy Credit Rating) 

#50. How to Be [Desirable Contrasting Quality] [even if – problem]

Examples:

• How To Be Interesting (Even If You’re Naturally Boring)
• How To Be Creative (Even If You Hate Hard Work)
• How To Be The Life And Soul Of The Party (Even If You’re An Introvert)

#51. How To [Blank] Without [Objectionable Action] 

Examples:

• How To Look Like A Movie Star Without Spending a Fortune
• How To Make Money Online Without Owning A Blog
• How To Guest Blog Without Ass-kissing 

#52. How To [Do/Achieve Something Valuable] While You [Do Something Else] 

Examples:

• How To Make Serious Money While You Sleep
• How to Be Productive While You’re Driving 
• How To Be Creative While Having A Shower 

#53. How To [Do Something] That Your [Target Audience] Will Love

Examples:

• How To Pick a Dress Your Wife Will Love
• How To Send An Email Your Subscribers Will Love
• How Write A Blog Post Your Readers Will Love

#54. How To Set Up [Desirable Outcome] 

Examples:

• How To Set Up A Membership Site In One Hour
• How To Set Up Your Day For A Win
• How To Set Up Your Kids For Success

#55. How To [Blank] And [Contrasting But Desirable Outcome]

Examples:

• How To Work Less And Earn More 
• How To Exercise Less And Still Lose Weight
• How To Work A 4-Day Week And Get Twice As Much Done

#56. How To Use [Blank] To [Achieve Amazing Outcome] 

Examples:

• How To Use Facebook To Grow Your Business
• How To Use Your Blog To Earn A Six Figure Income
• How To Use Compost To Create Fuel For Your Automobile 

#57. How To [Achieve Highly Desirable Outcome] in [Year]

Examples:

• How To Write A New York Times Bestselling Book In 2017
• How To Meet Your Perfect Date In 2017
• How To Earn $1 Million In 2021

#58. How To [Blank] – The [Blank] Guide 

Examples:

• How To Write Blog Posts That Go Viral – The Authoritative Guide
• How To Conquer Writer’s Block – The Definitive Guide
• How To Make Serious Money Blogging – The Ultimate Guide

#59. How To Be Smart In a World of Dumb [Group] 

Examples:

• How To Be Smart In a World of Dumb Teachers 
• How To Be Smart In a World of Dumb Plumbers 
• How To Be Smart In a World of Dumb Authors 

Part 6 – Mistake Headlines

Here you’re basically attempting to get into your reader’s head. You’re teasing your readers.

What’s so great about these headlines is how they don’t actually say what these mistakes are. They merely allude to them! Your reader is left wondering, “Hmm…could I be making any of these mistakes?” And they end up reading your post to find out.

#60. Which Of These Mistakes Do You Make [Blank]?

Examples:

• Which Of These Mistakes Do You Make On First Dates?
• Which of These Mistakes Do You Make In Job Interviews?
• Which Of These Mistakes Do You Make In Business?

#61. Do You Make These [#] [Blank] Mistakes? 

Examples:

• Do You Make These 10 Investment Mistakes?
• Do You Recognize These 10 Mental Blocks to Creative Thinking?
• Do You Make These 12 Mistakes When You Drive?

#62. [#] [Blank] Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb 

Examples:

• 12 Blogging Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb
• 9 Etiquette Mistakes That Make You Look Dumb at a Fancy Restaurant
• 21 Grammatical Errors That Make You Look Dumb

#63. [#] [Blank] Mistakes That Make You [Look/Sound] Like [Highly Undesirable Outcome] 

Examples:

• 5 CV Mistakes That Make You Look Like A Loser
• 12 Blogging Mistakes That Make You Sound Like An Amateur 
• 10 Overreactions That Make Dads Look Like Morons

#64. [#] [Blank] Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making

Examples:

• 12 Blogging Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making
• 21 Dieting Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making
• 5 Parenting Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making

#65. Don’t Do These [#] Things When [Blank] 

Examples:

• Don’t Do These 12 Things When You’re On Your First Date
• Don’t Do These 21 Things When Writing Sales Copy
• Don’t Do These 7 Things When Passing through Airport Security

Part 7 – Headlines That List Bite-Sized Content

Want to know something? List headlines work: Period!

And that’s why you should use them! But be sure to use your imagination to keep them from being boring. Do your best to keep them fresh!

#66. The Top [#] Reasons Why [Blank]

Examples:

• The Top 10 Reasons Why You Should Sell Your House Now
• The Top 12 Reasons Why You Should By Your Milk Locally
• The Top 10 Reasons Why You Need To Learn First Aid

#67.  [#] Surprising Reasons [Problem Occurs] 

Examples:

• 7 Surprising Reasons Why You Feel Depressed Every Autumn
• 11 Surprising Reasons Why You Live PaycheckTo Paycheck
• 11 Surprising Reasons Why You Can’t Retire At 50

#68.  [#] [Blank] For [An Extremely Important Event/Cause/Process]

Examples:

• 21 Home Remedies For Curing Diabetes 
• 101 Recipe Ideas For Your Next Cocktail Party
• 21 Writing Ideas For Becoming A Bestselling Author  

#69. [#] Killer Resources For [Audience/Process]…

Examples:

• 101 Killer Resources For Modernizing Your Garden
• 52 Killer Resources For New Authors 
• 101 Killer Resources For Making Serious Money Online

#70. The Top 10 [Blank] 

Examples:

• The Top 10 Holiday Destinations In The World 
• The Top 10 Must Have Apps For Writers In 2018
• The Top 10 Anniversary Gifts Your Husband Will Love

#71. [#] [Blank] Secrets Every [Audience] Should Know

Examples:

• 10 Dating Secrets Every Single Girl Should Know
• 10 Bedtime Routines Every Parent Should Know
• 5 Plumbing Secrets Every Homeowner Should Know

#72. Get [Highly Desirable Outcome]![#] Ideas That Really Work

Examples:

• Get More Clients! 12 Ideas That Really Work
• Get The Woman Of Your Dreams! 10 Ideas That Really Work
• Get Rich Online! 7 Ideas That Really Work

#73. [#] [Blank] Ways To [Do Something Amazing] 

Examples:

• 21 Effective Ways To Become An Awesome Blogger
• 12 Simple Ways To Launch Your Blog With A Bang
• 10 Creative Ways To Earn A Six Figure Income Blogging

#74.  [#] [Blank] Tips For Busy/Overwhelmed [Audience]!

Examples:

• 12 Creative Tips For Busy Authors 
• 21 Proven Parenting Tips For Overwhelmed Dads
• 7 Recognized House Cleaning Tips For Busy Homeowners 

Part 8 – The Headlines That Screen Your Readers

Sometimes, for whatever reason, you want to choose specific words that select the exact “tribe” you want to reach. Maybe you’re targeting a specific niche. Or perhaps, you’re seeking to reach a different group. These headlines won’t disappoint. Why? Because they don’t apply to everyone!

#75. What [Blank] [Audience] Do That [Blank] [Audience] Don’t 

Examples:

• What Successful Writers Do That Unsuccessful Writers Don’t 
• What Smart Investors Do That Most Investors Don’t
• What The Top 1% Of Bloggers Do That The Remaining 99% Of Bloggers Don’t 

#76. How A [Audience] Made [Blank] By Building A [Blank]

Examples:

• How A Fiction Writer Made $100,000 By Building A Career Around Her Craft
• How A Stay-At-Home Mom Made $250,000 By Building A Career Around Her Home
• How A Student In Medical School Made $100,000 By Building A Career Around His Studies

#77. The [Blank] [#] For [Audience]

Examples:

• The Top 10 Must Read Books For Affiliate Marketers 
• The Top 10 Apps For Students In Law School 
• The 5 Must Have Gadgets For Serious Bloggers

#78. [#] [Blank] Every [Audience] Must [Blank]

Examples:

• 21 Apps Every Serious Plumber Must Own
• 10 Blogs Every Serious Blogger Must Follow
• 7 Gadgets Every Serious Mechanic Must Have

Headline Hacks : Wrapping Up – Now Your Turn

You’ve probably heard of the 52 headline hacks copyblogger, but this post is epic at 78 headline hacks!! Do you have a formula for writing your headlines?

Would you say you have a list of power words for headlines? How do you determine what to write as a blogger?

What do you think of our 78 headline hacks?

Do you use tools such as the headline analyzer and power words for headlines? Leave a comment and join our conversation. Be sure to tag us on Twitter: @astutecopyblog