<!-- SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT -->
<!-- SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025-2026 Marcus Quinn -->

# Headline Formulas

> "On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy." — David Ogilvy

A headline's one job: **get them to read the next line.** 80% read the headline; 20% read the rest. A great headline can increase response 10x. Always write 25+ variations before choosing.

---

## The 4 U's Framework

Score high on at least 3:

| U | Question | Example Upgrade |
|---|----------|-----------------|
| **Useful** | Does it promise a clear benefit? | "Save Money" → "Cut Your Bills by 40%" |
| **Ultra-specific** | Does it use numbers/details? | "Increase Sales" → "Increase Sales 127% in 90 Days" |
| **Urgent** | Is there a reason to act now? | "Learn SEO" → "Stop Losing Traffic: Learn SEO This Week" |
| **Unique** | Is this different from competitors? | "Get Fit" → "Get Fit Without a Gym or Equipment" |

---

## 40 Proven Headline Formulas

### Formulas That Promise a Benefit

1. **How to [Get Desired Outcome]**
   - How to Write Headlines That Convert
   - How to Get More Clients Without Cold Calling

2. **[Number] Ways to [Get Benefit]**
   - 7 Ways to Double Your Email Open Rates
   - 21 Ways to Get More Instagram Followers

3. **The Secret of [Desirable Group]**
   - The Secret of Top-Earning Freelancers
   - The Secret of 7-Figure Coaches

4. **Get [Benefit] Without [Pain/Effort]**
   - Get Fit Without Spending Hours at the Gym
   - Grow Your Email List Without Paid Ads

5. **The [Adjective] Way to [Benefit]**
   - The Lazy Way to a Clean House
   - The Fastest Way to Learn a New Language

6. **[Desired Outcome] in [Time Frame]**
   - Conversational Spanish in 30 Days
   - 10,000 Subscribers in 90 Days

7. **What Everybody Ought to Know About [Topic]**
   - What Everybody Ought to Know About Investing
   - What Every New Parent Needs to Know

8. **Do You Make These [Topic] Mistakes?**
   - Do You Make These SEO Mistakes?
   - Do You Make These Resume Mistakes?

### Formulas That Create Curiosity

9. **Why [Unexpected Claim]**
   - Why Smart People Make Dumb Money Decisions
   - Why Your Best Employees Are About to Quit

10. **What [Authority] Knows That You Don't**
    - What Top Copywriters Know That You Don't
    - What Your Competitors Know About SEO

11. **The [Topic] [Industry] Doesn't Want You to Know**
    - The Weight Loss Secret Big Pharma Doesn't Want You to Know
    - The Investment Banks Don't Want You Making

12. **[Counterintuitive Statement]**
    - Eat More Fat to Lose Weight
    - Work Less to Get More Done

13. **The Truth About [Topic]**
    - The Truth About Passive Income
    - The Truth About Building Muscle After 40

14. **[Question that triggers curiosity]**
    - Is Your Website Leaking Leads?
    - Are You Making This $10,000 Mistake?

### Formulas That Target a Problem

15. **Warning: [Negative Outcome]**
    - Warning: These Foods Are Destroying Your Gut
    - Warning: Your Passwords Are Already Compromised

16. **Stop [Unwanted Activity/Result]**
    - Stop Wasting Money on Ads That Don't Convert
    - Stop Losing Clients to Competitors

17. **Tired of [Problem]?**
    - Tired of Diets That Don't Work?
    - Tired of Software That Crashes?

18. **[Problem]? Here's the Fix**
    - High Bounce Rate? Here's the Fix
    - Landing Pages Not Converting? Here's the Fix

19. **Why [Common Practice] Doesn't Work**
    - Why Cold Emailing Doesn't Work Anymore
    - Why More Content Won't Save Your Blog

20. **The [Number] [Topic] Lies You've Been Told**
    - The 5 Fitness Lies You've Been Told
    - The 7 Marketing Lies That Are Killing Your Business

### Formulas That Use Social Proof

21. **How [Person/Company] [Achieved Result]**
    - How Apple Became the Most Valuable Company in the World
    - How This Mom Built a $1M Business in Her Spare Time

22. **[Number] [People] Can't Be Wrong**
    - 10,000 Marketers Can't Be Wrong
    - 50,000 Happy Customers Can't Be Wrong

23. **Join [Number] [People] Who [Desired Action]**
    - Join 25,000 Entrepreneurs Getting Weekly Tips
    - Join the 5,000 Agencies Using This Tool

24. **What [Specific Person] Taught Me About [Topic]**
    - What Warren Buffett Taught Me About Risk
    - What My First Client Taught Me About Pricing

### Formulas That Create Urgency

25. **[Time-Sensitive] [Benefit]**
    - Last Chance: 50% Off Ends Tonight
    - 24 Hours Left to Claim Your Bonus

26. **Before You [Action], Read This**
    - Before You Hire an Agency, Read This
    - Before You Buy Another Course, Read This

27. **Don't [Action] Until You [Condition]**
    - Don't Launch Your Course Until You Read This
    - Don't Sign That Contract Until You Check These 5 Things

### Formulas That Use Numbers

28. **[Number] [Things] Every [Person] Needs**
    - 5 Tools Every Marketer Needs
    - 10 Skills Every Entrepreneur Must Master

29. **[Number] Reasons Why [Claim]**
    - 7 Reasons Why Your Ads Aren't Converting
    - 12 Reasons Why Your Best Employees Leave

30. **The Top [Number] [Things] for [Year/Situation]**
    - The Top 10 SaaS Tools for 2024
    - The Top 5 Strategies for Scaling a Service Business

### Formulas for Specific Situations

31. **For [Specific Audience]: [Benefit]**
    - For Freelance Writers: How to Charge 3x More
    - For SaaS Founders: The Exact Playbook to Hit $1M ARR

32. **The [Adjective] Guide to [Topic]**
    - The Complete Guide to Facebook Ads
    - The No-BS Guide to Landing Page Optimization

33. **[Topic]: A Step-by-Step Guide**
    - Email Marketing: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners
    - SEO in 2024: A Step-by-Step Guide

34. **Introducing [Product/Feature]**
    - Introducing the New [Product Name]
    - Announcing: [Major Feature]

35. **Finally, [Solution to Long-Standing Problem]**
    - Finally, a CRM That Actually Works
    - Finally, Project Management Software for Creative Teams

### Question Headlines

36. **Do You [Desirable Trait]?**
    - Do You Have What It Takes to Be an Entrepreneur?
    - Are You Ready to Scale?

37. **What Would You Do With [Desirable Outcome]?**
    - What Would You Do With 10 Extra Hours Per Week?
    - What Would You Do With Double Your Revenue?

38. **Who Else Wants [Benefit]?**
    - Who Else Wants to Work From Anywhere?
    - Who Else Wants More Clients Without More Work?

### "Reason Why" Headlines

39. **Here's Why [Unexpected Fact]**
    - Here's Why Most Startups Fail (And How to Avoid It)
    - Here's Why Your Content Marketing Isn't Working

40. **The Reason [Problem Exists]**
    - The Real Reason Your Landing Pages Don't Convert
    - The Reason Most Diets Fail

---

## Power Words by Category

**Urgency:** Now, Today, Instant, Fast, Quick, Limited, Deadline, Hurry, Before, Last Chance, Expires, Final, Rush

**Exclusivity:** Secret, Insider, Private, Members-Only, VIP, Exclusive, Hidden, Underground, Classified

**Curiosity:** Surprising, Shocking, Unusual, Strange, Weird, Unexpected, Counterintuitive, Little-Known

**Safety/Trust:** Proven, Guaranteed, Tested, Secure, Safe, Risk-Free, Certified, Official, Authentic

**Value:** Free, Bonus, Save, Discount, Value, Bargain, Reduced, Affordable, Budget

**Results:** Results, Works, Effective, Powerful, Successful, Winning, Breakthrough, Revolutionary

**Emotion:** Amazing, Incredible, Remarkable, Extraordinary, Mind-Blowing, Life-Changing, Transform

---

## Related

- [Headline Testing Checklist](direct-response-copy-checklists-headline-testing.md) -- full pre-publish headline evaluation
- [Headlines by Awareness Level](direct-response-copy.md) -- Schwartz's five levels with headline approach per level
- [Headline Swipe File](direct-response-copy-swipe-file-headlines.md) -- 50+ real-world headlines with analysis and brand examples
- [Landing Page Structure](direct-response-copy-frameworks-landing-page-structure.md) -- where to place headlines
- [Pre-Publish Checklist](direct-response-copy-checklists-pre-publish.md) -- final review steps
