55 H.O.T.

HEADLINE
EXAMPLES

FOR MAD
INSPIRATION
& CREATIVITY
The Ultimate Headline Writing Toolkit

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HOOK #1:
Empathy
The goal is to address the pain or problem your prospect is
feeling. Not by putting salt in the wound, but showcasing
empathy.

You want them to know that you understand what they’re

going through, that they are not alone and that you’re here
to help.

Here are some examples…

How To Fight Loneliness With Wisdom, According To A

Neuropsychiatrist (Mindbodygreen)
Guiding Your Kids Through Spiritually Tough Times
(Numerologist.com)
Here’s What It *Actually* Means To Be Codependent
(Cosmopolitan)
Black People Are Three Times More Likely to Die In
Childbirth, and Serena Williams’ Own Experience Give A
Stark Insight Into How This Happens (BuzzFeed)
Why Airbnb Cleaning Fees Cost So Much Now (The Wall
Street Journal)

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HOOK #2:
Social Proof (FOMO)
This hook uses social proof to create the sentiment that your
prospect is missing out on a certain benefit or secret. It’s the
good ol’ "Everyone knows and uses this. Why don’t you?!”

Here are some examples…

7 Netflix Shows and Films That Everyone Is Talking About

Right Now (Hello Magazine)
Everyone Is Obsessed With One Moment From The Brit
Awards And For Once It's Not Adele (Cosmopolitan)
100 Best Companies To Work For (Fortune)
Why Is Everyone So Mad At Gabbie Hanna? (BuzzFeed)
The 125 Best YA Books Everyone Should Read, Regardless
of Their Age (Cosmopolitan)

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HOOK #3:
Belonging
Everyone wants to feel like they belong to a specific group or
community. So in this hook, speak to your prospects' values
and sense of identity to help them rally behind your
message.

Here are some examples…

13 Awkward Moments Only Harry Potter Fans Will

Understand (BuzzFeed)
Hey, Hi, Hello, Download These LGBTQ+ Dating Apps
(Cosmopolitan)
How Quitting Coffee Brought Back My Dreams
(MudWater)
Do You Actually Prefer Sweet or Savory? (BuzzFeed)
Binged Bridgerton? 10 More Period Dramas to Look
Forward To This Year (Vogue)

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HOOK #4:
Benefit
Unlike in hook #1, this hook is about moving towards
pleasure as opposed to away from pain. Share a benefit in
your headline or title that the reader can expect to receive
after consuming your content.

Here are some examples…

4 Grounding Techniques To Relieve Stress & Tension

When The Universe Is Telling You To Stop!
(Numerologist.com)
How to Pay Less for Your Meds (Consumer Reports)
Meditation Can Be Used To Calm Your Mind and Help
You Sleep. Here’s How. (BuzzFeed)
How to Get Rid of Strawberry Legs, According to
Dermatologists (Prevention)
A 2-Minute Meditation To Find Your Confidence (It Could
Be Tested This Week) (mindbodygreen)

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HOOK #5:
Mechanism
In this hook, you want to hint at a novel or unique
mechanism, secret, or discovery that your audience doesn’t
know yet.

This hook should pique curiosity and suggest you’re about to

reveal something that can help your readers solve a major
problem.

Here are some examples…

I'm A Nutritional Psychiatrist & This Is My No. 1 Food For

Brain Health (mindbodygreen)
Whoa, Chrishell Stause From ‘Selling Sunset’ Makes SO
Much Money (Cosmopolitan)
Want 2021 To Be Your Most Spiritually Balanced Year
Ever? You Need This Crystal (Numerologist.com)
8 Air Purifiers That Help Get Rid of Dust, Smoke,
Allergens, and More (BuzzFeed)
40 Health Myths That Every Woman Should Know Are
Bogus (Prevention)

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OPEN LOOP #1:
Specificity
Have you ever noticed that a lot of viral content includes
numbers? That’s because people love to learn steps. So by
including numbers, the odds of people clicking on your
content increases.

Here are some examples…

19 Best Yoga Apps That’ll Bring Some Much-Needed Zen

To Your Life (Cosmopolitan)
14 Celebs That Award Shows Have Banned, Disinvited, Or
Forgotten To Invite (BuzzFeed)
10 Undeniable Reasons Why You Need To Utilize Copper
As A Spiritual Tool! (Numerologist.com)
6 Notoriously Bad Habits and How To Break Them (For
Good) (Prevention)
6 Signs Your Methylation Cycle Is Operating Suboptimally
(mindbodygreen)

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OPEN LOOP #2:
Preview
This type of open loop offers a little preview of what your
reader will learn. These are often easy to spot because they
start with “here”, “these”, or “this”.

Here are some examples…

Here Are 18 Of The Best Products I Use In My Daily Beauty

Routine (BuzzFeed)
The 17 Best Wedding Day Gift Exchange Presents For
Every Type Of Couple (Cosmopolitan)
Here Are 20 Very Controversial Home Design Trends
Right Now — Where Do You Stand? (BuzzFeed)
Take This Quiz To Reveal The Mind-Blowing Mantra You
Should Be Using Every Morning If You Want To Thrive In
This Life (Numerologist.com)
Here's What Candle to Buy Based on Your Favorite TV
Show (House Beautiful)

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OPEN LOOP #3:
Cliffhanger
This type of open loop is a form of foreshadowing. It’s a
"you’ll never guess what happened next” type of headline.

Here are some examples…

According To This Big-Deal Data, Your Post-Pandemic

Sex Life Is Going Be… Interesting (Cosmopolitan)
Your Food Isn't As Nourishing As You Think: An Award-
Winning Food Journalist Explains (mindbodygreen)
Netflix Just Dropped The “Stranger Things” Season 4
Trailer, And Things Look Like They’ve Gone From Bad To
Worse (BuzzFeed)
If You’re Dreading The IRS Now, Wait Until You Get a
1099-K (Good World News)
Ex Praised For Dumping Boyfriend After Mother-in-Law
Made Them Fly Coach (Newsweek)

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OPEN LOOP #4:
Rhetorical Question
This is when you ask a question designed to evoke
controversy or curiosity. Everyone has an opinion, so asking
a rhetorical question is a great way to spark engagement
(and advice).

Here are some examples…

Does Hand Sanitizer Work? + How To Use It, According To

Doctors (mindbodygreen)
Can COVID Cause Brain Damage? What You Need to
Know (Prevention)
Talking About Climate Change Is Depressing. Does It
Have To Be? (BuzzFeed)
Want to Talk About Mental Health? Try These 4
Conversation Starters (Prevention)
People Are More Captivated By Facial Symmetry Than
Ever, But Is That A Good Thing? (mindbodygreen)

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Calling Out the Reader
Directly
You can call out your audience directly by calling out a very
specific group of people.

Here are some examples…

A Guide To Ageless Makeup For Women Over 50,

According To An Industry Veteran (Vogue)
20 At-Home Date Night Ideas For When You Don’t Want
To Go Out (Cosmopolitan)
19 Pictures You’ll Understand If You’re Always The Only
Person Who Wants Dessert (BuzzFeed)
12 Reasons You Have Swollen Fingers and Hands,
According to Doctors (Prevention)
How to Dress for Coachella in Your 30s: A Style Guide
(Vogue)

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Calling Out the Reader
Indirectly
You can call out your audience indirectly by correctly
identifying the fears, pains, and desires of your customer
avatar.

Here are some examples…

How Do You Know You Love Someone? 43 Signs You're

Falling in Love (Cosmopolitan)
How To Handle Differing Levels Of Maturity In A
Relationship (mindbodygreen)
These 5 Powerful Meditative Tips Will Help You Release
The Negative Emotions That Are Blocking You
(Numerologist.com)
This Kettlebell Flow Will Blow Up Your Biceps (Men’s
Health)
Two of New York’s Most Stylish Moms on Toddler Vintage,
Baby Bumps, and Time Management (Vogue)

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ABOUT
ALEX CATTONI

Alex is a copywriter, marketing strategist, and the founder of The Copy

Posse—a boutique agency, online academy, and now 100,000+ strong
global crew of authentic copywriters with a passion for creating
community, credibility, and conversions with nothing but powerful and
precise wording.

Her goal is to redefine what it means to be a copywriter and marketer

today and share the techniques and strategies she’s used to build a
heart-centered 7-figure business from the ground up.

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