Hate Writing Headlines?

141 Free, Proven Steal-Worthy Formulas

to Easily Transform You into Industry Superstar
(Even if You're Not Creative)

It’s the only piece of data readers have when they decide whether to read your article,
and it’s the most ignored part of most articles. We’re talking about headlines – those 9
to 20 words that make or break the conversion rates of the hard work you put into
your article.

Headlines are hard. It sometimes takes just as much time to come up with a solid
headline that will bring in readers as it is to come up with the hundreds or thousands
of words that will keep them reading all the way to your CTA.

To make it a easier on you, we’ve created this swipe file – filled with 141 formulas you can
use to quickly increase click through rates and become an industry superstar, even if
you’re not creative or don’t have time.

Teach Them How to Achieve Their Goals

If readers are coming to your website, it means they have a problem achieving their
goals. They’re counting on you to give them the skills, tools and strategies to do that.

Real Life Examples

Source: Unbounce
 Source: Marketing Profs

Source: Buzzsumo

Headline Formulas:

1) The Ultimate Guide to [Reaching Goal] While [Dealing with Challenge]

2) [Number] Proven Ways to [Do Something Incredible/Challenging]
3) Why You Don’t Have [Energy/Money/Time] to [Achieve Goal] (and What to Do
About it)
4) How to [Reach Your Goal]: The Ultimate Guide No one Wants You to Read
5) The Ultimate Guide to Surviving [Challenge] and [Reaching Incredible Outcome]
6) The Ultimate Guide to Surviving [Challenge] Even if [Something that Makes it
Harder]
7) [Number] Simple [Actions that are Considered Difficult] that Make You [Desired
Result]
8) [Number] Surprising Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do with [Topic]
9) [Number] [Topic] Tips: From Beginner to Expert in [Short Amount of Time]
10) [Number] Easy Steps to the Perfect [Goal] that Will [Cause Major Benefit]
11) [Number] Free, Easy Tricks to [Reach Goal] and [Get Benefits] that No One Talks
About
12) How to Overcome the [Common Excuse] Challenge
13) How to Be [Desired Quality] in a World of [Undesired Quality] [Target Audience]
14) How to Stop [Action] and Start [Alternative Action], so You Can Finally [Achieve
Desired Result]
15) Are You Making these Mistakes that [Cause Undesired Result]?
16) How to Easily [Achieve a Goal] You Can Finally Be [Happy with / Proud of]
17) [Challenge]: [Number] Ways to Overcome it Once and for All (It’s Simpler than
You Think)
18) How to Overcome [Challenge] that’s Keeping You [with Undesired Result]
19) How to [Achieve Your Goal] without [Undesired Result]
20) How to Get Your [Target Audience] Begging for More [of What You Sell]:
[Number] Strategies You Probably Haven’t Tried Yet
21) The [So Called Negative Quality] [Target Audience]’s guide to [Achieving Goal]:
[Number] Strategies that Really Work
22) [Topic]: Your Most Burning Questions Answered [in an Unexpected Way]
23) How to Fast Track Your Way to [Goal] Even if [Challenge]
24) How to Keep [Working on Your Goal] Even When [You Face this Challenge]
25) How to Survive [Challenge] Even if You’re [Challenge]
26) What if You Could [Reach Your Goal] without [Quality / Action]?
27) How to [Do Something You Want, that Feels Challenging] and [Get a Better
Outcome than You’re Getting Right Now]
28) [Resource A] vs. [Resource B]: The Ultimate Smackdown
29) [Number] Ways/Resources to Boost Your [Desired Outcome] that are Worth Your
Time/Money/Energy
30) How to [Do Something]: [Number] Tips for Perfecting [Topic]
31) [Topic]: The Stress-Free Way to Crack the Code
32) [Topic] Explained: (Almost) Everything You Need to Know to [Create Desired
Result]
33) How to [Do Something] that [Creates Desired Outcome]
34) How to Get Over [Challenge] that Leads to [Unpleasant Outcome #1],
[Unpleasant Outcome #2] and [Unpleasant Outcome #3]
Show Them the Impossible is Within Reach
Often, when we set a goal, it feels impossible to reach it at first. We need help
overcoming the overwhelming feeling that it’s beyond our reach, and we need proof
that others – just like us – have been there, done that, and created the outcome we
desire.

Real Life Examples

Source: Smart Passive Income

Source: Entrepreneur
 Source: Smart Passive Income

Headline Formulas:

35) How I Did [Something that’s Hard to Do] Even Though [the Odds Were Against
Me]
36) People Who Hate [TOPIC] Can’t Stop Using These Free, Easy Tools (that Actually
Drive Results)
37) [Number] Ways to [Do Something Really Expensive] in Less than [Small Amount
of Money]
38) Why You Don’t Need [to Take Unpleasant Action] to Get to [Desired Result]
39) How I Got [Something that’s Hard to Achieve] Without [Taking Unpleasant
Action]
40) [Number] Surprising Tools that Helped Me [Achieve a Desired Goal]
41) How to [Do Something Scary] so [You’ll Get Unbelievable Outcome]
42) [Number] Guidelines for [Doing Something Complicated So Well], Even [the
Least Likeliest Person] Will [Be Able to Accomplish / Understand / Be Convinced]
43) What I Learned from Doing [Action] About [Topic] (#4 Changed My World
Forever)
44) [Number] Things I Learned from [Resource/Event/Experience/Person], that I
Couldn’t Have Learned Without Doing [Action] First
45) How I [Achieved Goal] Using [Tool/Resource/Strategy]: [Number] Complex, But
Worth It, Strategies
46) How to [Achieve Impossible Goal] in the Next [Very Short Timeframe] / Instantly
Without [the Basic Foundation You Think You Need]
47) Revealed: How [Experts] [Overcame Challenge] and [Got Desired Result] Despite
[Challenge]
48) [Number] [Unlikely Successful People] Reveal How to [Reach Your Goal] Even if
You’re [Major Challenge]
49) [Complicated Topic]: [Number] Easy Steps to [Accomplish it] Even if You’re
[Challenge #1], [Challenge #2] and [Challenge #3]
50) How [Expert] Overcame Her / His [Number] Biggest Failures
51) Why You Don’t Have to [Have Something / Be Something] to [Reach Your Goal]
52) [Number] Examples of [People Who Didn’t Have Something / Were Something]
and [Reached Desired Goal] Anyway
53) [Number] Counterintuitive Ways to [Achieve Goal], and How they Helped
[Experts] [Reach Goal] Even Though [it Was Against the Odds]
54) No One Believed I Would [Reach My Goal], But I [Reached a Higher Goal]
55) [Number] Programs/Tools/Resources that Will Turn You from [Starting Point] to
[Desired Result] in [Short Period of Time]
56) [Number] Examples of [Topic] [Innovation / Simplicity] in [Industry] that Prove
it’s Possible for You to [Reach Your Goal]
57) [Number] Ways that Actually Help You [Reach Your Goal] (Even if You’ve Already
Tried Everything)
58) Why I [Did Something Unthinkable]
59) [Topic] Feels [Impossible / Too Hard / Too Expensive]? [Number] Powerful / Easy
/ Affordable Ways to [Overcome it and Reach Your Goal Anyway]
60) [Number] Shocking/Inspiring Quotes that Will Revolutionize the Way You [Think
About Something]
61) The Fast Tracked, No Stress, Free Way to [Doing Something Challenging, Stressful
and Expensive]
62) Mystery Revealed: How [Unlikely People / Companies] [Do Something Incredible]
and [Get Desired Result]
63) This One Simple Trick Opened the [Goal] Floodgates: How You, Too, Can [Achieve
Goal]

Piggyback on Authority, Social Proof and Research

Sometimes are own words aren’t enough, and we need to borrow from someone else’s
authority to make what we have to say more reliable. Other times, tapping into an
expert, celebrity or research’s orbit provides more than social proof. It provides a unique
perspective that stands out in the crowd.

Real Life Examples

Source: Be a Freelance Blogger

Source: Ayelet Weisz

 Source: Time

Headline Formulas:

64) How to [Achieve Goal]: [Number] Experts Reveal Their [Topic] Success Stories
65) How [Expert] [Takes Action] Even Though [She Has a Big Challenge]
66) [Number] Questions You’re Afraid to Ask About [Topic] (and Research-Based
Answers to Help You Make Decisions)
67) What [Group #1] Really Wants from [Group #2]: Insights from [Number] [Group #1
Members] Who Shared [Number] Posts
68) [Number] Ninja Tips the Experts Won’t Tell You
69) What [Large Number] of [Target Audience] Did When [They Faced the Challenge
Your Audience is Facing Now]
70) What [Expert] [Reads / Eats] to [Get the Result Your Audience Wants]
71) What [Expert / Celeb / TV Character] Can Teach You About [Action] and Getting
[Surprising Outcome]
72) [Number] [Topic] Lessons You Can Learn from [Celebrity / Fictional Character /
Expert] that Will Blow Your Mind
73) [Number] Experts Reveal the [Number] Shortcuts that Helped Them [Reach
Outrageous Goal] and Leave Competitors Behind (Despite [Major Challenges])
74) How to [Take Action] and [Reach Desired Outcome] Like [Expert / Celebrity / Fictional
Character]
75) [Number] Ways to Do [Action] Like [Expert/Celeb] and Get [Hidden Desire]
76) [Number] [Topic] Tools the Pros Can’t Live Without
77) How to [Achieve Goal]: [Number] Research-Backed Tips
78) The Anatomy of [Great Quality #1], [Great Quality #2] and [Great Quality #3] [Topic]:
A Study of Our [Topic]
79) [Number] [Industry] Lessons [Target Audience] Can Learn from [Another Industry /
Celebrity / Expert / Fictional Character]
80) [Number] [Topic] Mistakes that [Expert #1], [Expert #2] and [Expert #3] Make that
Can [Give You an Advantage / Teach You Something / Prove to You You’re Not Alone]

Create Threat and Urgency

Fear is a deep, dark feeling that massively drives our actions, reactions, and the aspects of
life we avoid. Nothing moves you to action like the fear of what you could lose, or the threat
of getting stuck in an unpleasant situation. That’s especially true the threat is immediate.

When it is, we can’t afford to take the action (like educating ourselves by reading an article)
“later” or “one day”, which could easily turn into “never”. We have to act now.

Real Life Examples

Source: Contently
 Source: Harvard Business Review

Source: Copyblogger

Headline Formulas:

81) How to [Achieve Goal] Before [Major Change Happens] in [Year/Month]

82) Can Your [Topic] Survive [Upcoming Change]?
83) How to Master [Tool / Activity / Niche] Before Your Competitors Discover it
84) Warning: Don’t [Do Something that’s Integral to Your Day to Day Life] Before You
Read This
85) The Big Lie [Experts] Tell About [Topic] that Could [Cause You Great Harm]
86) Not [Taking Undesired Action]? Here’s Why You Won’t [Reach Your Goal]
87) If You Skip [Actions], You’ll Regret it [Forever / Next Year / Tomorrow / When X
Happens]
88) [Number] Unexpected Mistakes Killing [Topic / Your Chance to Reach Your Goal]
89) [Number] Little Known Ways to [Achieve Goal] that Your Competitors Haven’t
Heard of… Yet
90) Why [Expert] [Experienced Undesired Result] During / Right Before [Major Event],
and How to Prevent it from Happening to You
91) Why it Took Me [a Long Time] to [Do Something that’s Supposedly Simple / to
Achieve a Goal] and How You Can Keep it from Happening to You
92) [This One Mistake] Cost Me [Something]. Here’s What You Need to Do To Avoid
it.
93) [Number] Ways You’re [Risking Topic]: How to Protect Yourself
94) [Number] Mistakes You Don’t Know You’re Making that are Costing You
[Resources / Desired Outcome]
95) [Number] Strategies Your Smartest Competitors are Already Using (and How to
Beat them at Their Own Game)
96) [Number] Common Misconceptions that are Keeping You [Unpleasant
Outcome]
97) Want [Desired Outcome]? [Number] Key Mistakes to Avoid
98) 10 Things to Never Say / Do While [Taking Action]
99) Why [Target Audience] is Drawing Battle Lines Against [Industry]
100) How to Know if You [Action] too Much
101) [Number] Lessons [Target Audience] Always Forgets (and How it Impacts
[Desired Outcome])
102) Time Sensitive: How to Reach [Outrageous Goals] in [Very Short Time]
103) [Number] Warning Signs that You’re About to [Get Undesired Result] (and How
to Avoid it)
104) [Number] Scary Stats for [Target Audience] – and What You Can Do About Them
Stir their Curiosity
It’s one of the most frustrating things – knowing there is a secret told right in front of
you, but not knowing what it is. It’s like your brain’s peace of mind is disrupted. You want
to restore it. You want to know what the secret is.

If the secret is online, you click through and read.

Real Life Examples

Source: Forbes

Source: QuickSprout
 Source: Jacada

Headline Formulas:

105) Here’s What Happened When I [Did Something Unbelievable]

106) You Won’t Believe How [Person] [Achieved Major Goal]
107) [Number] Shocking Habits of Highly Successful [Target Audience]
108) Yes, this [Unbelievable Phenomenon] is Real
109) Revealed: Everything You Wanted to Know About [Topic] and were Too
Embarrassed to Ask
110) What [Your Target Audience] Need to Know When They [Take Common / Scary
Action] (Less than 50% of [this Blog’s Readers] Know This)
Make Predictions
They say it’s best to live in the present, but most human beings always think about the
future. And if they come to your website to get help making decisions and overcoming
challenges, they need to know how to take the big picture – and what’s about to happen
– under consideration.

Real Life Examples

Source: Jacada

Source: New York Times

Source: Social Media Examiner

Headline Formulas:

111) [Number] Crucial [Year] [Industry] Trends for [Audience] Who Want to [Avoid
Unpleasant Outcome]
112) [Number] Crucial [Year] [Industry] Trends for [Audience] Who Want to [Get
Desired Result]
113) [Number] Fascinating/Shocking Stats that Will Revolutionize the Way You [Think
About Something / Do Something] in [Upcoming Year / Decade]
114) How [Industry] is Going to Change in [Year / Next Decade]: [Number] Predictions
from [Industry Leaders]
115) How [Industry] is Going to Change in [Year / Next Decade]: [Number] Predictions
from [Regular People]
116) How [Industry] is Going to Change in [Year / Next Decade]: [Number] Predictions
Based on Contemporary [Books / Shows / Movies / Hip Hop Songs]
117) Why [Topic] is the Next Big Thing in [Industry] (Plus: [Number] Ways to Prepare)
118) [Industry] Scene: A Look Ahead at the Next [Downfall / Recession / etc]
Demystify Myths
Your blog is where you build an ongoing emotional connection with your audience. It’s
where you build trust. The best way to build that trust, and establish yourself as a unique
authority in your industry, is to tell your readers the truth no one else is willing to share.

Real Life Examples

Source: Pipedrive

Source: Harvard Business Review

 Source: NinjaOutreach

Headline Formulas:

119) Why Most [Common Advice / Strategy] Sucks and How to [Do it Better]
120) Why the Future of [Industry] is Pure [the Opposite of What You Think it is]
121) [Industry / Habit] is Not Dead: How [Industry / Habit] Will Impact You in [Year] and
Beyond
122) What [Target Audience] Really Feels/Does When They [Scenario]
123) [Topic]: The Real Reason Everyone Talks about it
124) [Topic]: What Really Happened/Happens Behind Closed Doors / Behind the Scenes
125) The Story Behind My / an Expert’s [Large Number of Years] ‘Overnight’ Success
126) How I [Reached a Shocking Goal that Sites in My Industry Love to Write About] (and
Other Half-Truths People Tell in [Industry])
127) What [Living Your Dream] Really Looks Like: The Hard Truth About Being [Desired
Result]
128) Don’t [Work on Your Goal] Before You Come to Terms with this Ugly, Messy Truth
About [Living Your Dream]
129) The Essential Item You Need for [Topic] Success that No One Dares to Speak Up
About
130) [Number] Lies [Experts] Tell [Target Audience] and the Truth Behind Them
131) Why [Target Audience that’s Considered Inferior] Gets [Desired Outcome] More /
Better than [Target Audience that’s Considered Superior]
132) The Truth About [Industry / Topic / Trend] Nobody Wants You to Read
133) If Everyone Knew this Secret About [Topic], There Would Be No More [Target
Audience] in the World

Do the Work for Them

Many of us have a mountain of responsibilities and to-do list tasks. We’re out to learn
how to overcome our challenges, then out to implement what we’ve learned, fall flat on
our faces, and get back up on the horse. Hard work is the way to achieve most dreams,
but sometimes it’s nice – really nice – to be handed something on a silver platter.

Real Life Examples

Source: HubSpot

Source: Entrepreneur
 Source: LeadPages

Headline Formulas:

134) [Number] [Topic] Templates Guaranteed to [Desired Outcome #1] & [Desired
Outcome #2]
135) The Ultimate List of Free [Topic] Templates
136) Revealed: The Experts’ Top [Number] [Topic + Desired Results] Tools (Curated
from [Number] Lists that Reviewed [Number] Tools)
137) [Number] Tools / Game Plans / Templates that Will Instantly [Cause Desired
Outcome]
138) [Number] [Topic] Hacks: The Ultimate Checklist to [Reach Your Goal] [Easily /
Quickly / Without Spending a Fortune]
139) [Number] Steal-Worthy [Ideas/Strategies] to Help You [Do Something] and
[Reach Your Goal]
140) [Number] Free Online Tools to Help You [Reach Outrageous Goal]
141) Need a [Topic] Idea? Here are [Large Number]

You Have 141 Awesome Headline Formulas. Now What?

Here’s the truth about headlines: They only work if you put in the work. Therefore, we
recommend keeping these formulas close by and using them every time you write an
article that you want your audience to read.
You can also use these headlines to help you come up with article topics readers can’t
resist.

Or you can use them to practice writing headlines, which will sharpen your awareness
of headlines, and you’ll start noticing them around the web. As you do, pay attention to
which headlines work and which ones don’t, and write it down.

Writing headlines will get easier with practice.

Ready to Share Your Headline with the World? Create Your

First Beautiful Native Ad, and See Conversions Going
Through the Roof
Now that you have headline formulas that get clicks, it’s time to bring them to your
target audience.

Native ads is a quick and easy way to do that, because it’s a form of online advertising
that matches the look and feel of the website that features your article, so visitors get a
more organic, holistic, enjoyable reader experience.

Combine that with smart, accurate targeting, and your get high engagement rates that
make a difference to your business.

Ready To Test These

Babies Out?"
Create a native ads campaign

 About the Author

As NativeAds’ freelance writer, Native Ads, Inc. is a content discovery and

Ayelet Weisz helps performance
marketers get smart about their
content strategies and techniques.
She uses her vast experience
writing for Google-sponsored and
UN-Award winning nonprofits, B2B
companies that serve global
brands, and leading marketing sites
(including Content Marketing
Institute, MarketingProfs and
Unbounce) to bring you practical
tips and guidelines that help you
create content worth viewing,
increase conversion rates and
become your industry’s superstar.
in-stream native advertising platform that
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The recommendation engine analyzes
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thousands of data points building up
millions of in-depth user profiles. By using
the power of big data, these profiles are
used to recommend internal or promoted
content based on relevance, yield and
popularity.

Know someone who can benefit from 141 free headline

formulas? share this document with them, so they, too, can
create content worth viewing.