How To Write Headlines That Work - Copyhackers

Executive overview

Joanna Wiebe of Copyhackers walks through a practical, six-tip framework for writing stronger headlines, anchored in the principle that a headline's only job is to pull the reader into the next line. The central message is that most copywriters settle for the first headline they write, which almost never wins.

Writing a single headline and moving on is the single biggest mistake in conversion copywriting — you need at least 50 options before you can identify a winner.

The video closes with a case study from Justin Blackman, who wrote 100 headlines a day for 100 days and found that sheer volume builds empathy, speed, and voice.

Write volume before you write well

• One-and-done headline writing leaves serious conversion gains on the table
• Aim for 50 headlines minimum; if none land, push to 100
• Brainstorming mode means no bad ideas — dumb options belong on the list
• Volume forces you past safe, stale phrasing into genuinely surprising territory
• Always do voice-of-customer research before putting pen to page

Six tips for stronger headlines

• Add a time limit: "bring your financials into focus by this time next week" beats the flat original
• Ask an open-ended curiosity question; yes/no questions close minds, open questions create a gap the reader wants filled
• Swap lifeless words for vivid ones — "fuzzy financials" is memorable where "financials" is forgettable
• Replace abstract copy with word pictures: "a heart rate monitor for your business finances" creates an image that stops eye-glaze
• Use headline formulas and a swipe file — if you are not referencing formulas, you are not copywriting yet
• Be willing to bin all 50 and start over; sometimes the first draft is right, but you won't know until you've written enough to compare

The three-person exercise

• Visualise three bored people in a parking lot or at a desk, not a faceless mass audience
• Ask whether each headline actually captures their attention or lets their eyes glaze over
• Headlines that fail this test need more iterations, not polish
• The target reaction should match the intended tone — laughter if it's meant to be funny, unease if the stakes are high

Empathy as a writing superpower

• Justin Blackman wrote 10,211 headlines across 100 brands in 100 days
• The biggest takeaway was not speed — it was developing deep consumer empathy
• Closing your eyes and mentally becoming the customer ("Freaky Friday" technique) unlocks authentic line approaches
• Volume practice sharpens instincts and helps writers find a distinct voice faster