Writing Headlines That Work: Why AI Is Your New Creative Partner

By Mandy Silverberg

Mandy Silverberg explores how communicators can use AI to generate engaging headlines.

As communicators we face the challenge to create content that will drive audience engagement. A catchy headline gives the reader a hint about they can expect from an article but can take time to write. Fortunately, artificial intelligence (AI) can help.

The Art of the Headline

A strong headline is more than an attention-grabber—it’s a promise. It teases the reader with a topic that makes them want to click through and read the article.

Communicators can spend a considerable amount of time brainstorming headline ideas, testing and refining each one to reflect the subject and tone of the article. But for some, writing a headline can be harder than drafting the content.

Below are some tips to writing clear and creative headlines and some examples created with the help of AI.

1. Always be specific so readers know what to expect. A headline should make immediate sense. Wordplay or puns work best when they don’t sacrifice meaning such as:
   • “How to write Headlines That Hook Readers in 5 Seconds” or
   • “The Final Straw: How Plastic Bans Are Changing Fast Food”
2. Use rhythm and sound such as alliteration or contrast, to make headlines more memorable:
   • “Bold, Brief, and Brilliant: The Formula for Killer Headlines”
3. Tap into a reader’s curiosity, or create a sense of urgency:
   • “What You’re Missing by Skipping Great Headlines”
4. Consider the style and tone that you’d like to convey. A headline can be humorous and cheeky, straightforward or factual. It can be provocative and peak a reader’s interest while a formal, informative title conveys authority.
5. Avoid click baiting terms that are misleading and will lose a reader’s trust.

The Benefits of Using AI to Write your Headlines

With a few prompts, AI can generate multiple headline variations within seconds. This can save time for content creators who need to produce large volumes of articles, blog posts or ads. Using AI to generate headlines allows writers to focus on the content itself.

Many AI tools are designed to analyze search engine data ensuring that the generated headlines contain relevant keywords for search engine optimization (SEO). This helps create a headline that may boost the chances an article will rank higher on search engines, driving more organic traffic to the content.

For example, an SEO friendly headline for an article improving sleep habits can read: “10 Proven Tips to Sleep Better Naturally and Wake Up Energized”.

AI and the Human Touch

While using AI to generate headlines has its benefits, it also has its limitations.

Each publication or brand has its own unique voice—whether it’s authoritative, humorous, conversational or edgy. An AI-generated headline may not match the voice of a specific brand and fail to resonate with readers of that publication. Communicators can refine the headline, so it fits the context of the article and the publisher’s tone. They can ensure that the headline aligns to the broader goals of the content strategy and the brand’s identity.

Despite being trained on vast data sets, AI systems don’t understand the ethical implications of their suggestions. Headlines are critical in framing the reader’s perspective on an article.  A poorly crafted or misleading headline can cause reputational damage. For example, AI might generate a headline that misrepresents the content or sensationalizes information in a way that crosses ethical lines. The role of communicators is critical to vet the headline for potential biases, inaccuracies or misleading elements that could harm the credibility of the content.

AI may lack the ability to tap into emotional triggers that resonate deeply with the audience.  It can’t recognize what will make an audience laugh, cry or feel inspired. Human editors can craft headlines that connect with readers on a deeper level and inject that extra layer of creativity that gives a headline the “wow” factor.

Experienced communicators can assess the effectiveness of different headlines based on A/B testing data making adjustments that improve engagement. They can also evaluate the long-term performance of a headline, adjusting the strategy accordingly.

Tips for Effective Prompts

When it comes to writing effective AI prompts for headline writing, the more the detail the better.

Here are 5 tips for creating effective prompts:

1. Define your role: If you’re writing from the perspective of professional, or consultant, letting the AI prompter know more about you and your role can help the tool refine the answers.
2. Define the topic: Let the AI prompter know what your topic is about. Try to be as specific as possible.
3. Set the tone:  You can specify the type of headline you’d like to generate. It can be professional, playful, serious or casual. Or you can generate curiosity by suggesting a surprising fact or benefit. You can experiment with different styles and then refine the best one.
4. Define the audience: Who is the content for? Is it for other communications professionals, or consumers of a product? This helps the AI generate a headline that will resonate with your audience.
5. Define the outcome: Specify what you want your reader to take away from the headline.
6. Review and refine: You can review each headline and see what works best for your article.

As an example, the following prompt:

Write a playful headline written by a travel expert on best places to visit during the fall

Generated the following headline:

“Fall for These Autumn Escapes”.

This title can be refined to specify the location of the travel destinations or be expanded to include the themes of travel.

The future of headline creation lies in a collaborative approach where AI and human editors work together to craft compelling, relevant and ethical headlines that drive engagement and resonate with audiences.

I used AI to refine my grammar and language. The original content was drafted by me, and the AI tool was used to improve the clarity and flow of the text and generate a headline suitable to the content. This content has been reviewed by a human.