How to Create Titles and Headings That Sell: My Before and After
Good evening, this is Eustace📚
Last time, I shared actual prompt examples regarding "giving instructions to Claude." Today, I will talk about how to create "titles and headings," which are particularly important among those instructions.
It is no exaggeration to say that 90% of success is determined by the title
To be honest, no matter how good the content you write is, it is meaningless if it is not read because of the title. Whether it is on note or Kindle, it is only after being clicked that the content gets read.
Having published over 120 Kindle books and multiple paid note articles so far, I have seen many times how the reaction changes significantly based on the title alone.
Seeing title changes through before and after
Example 1: Abstract → Concrete
- Before: "How to earn money with a side hustle"
- After: "How a company employee can create an asset-type side hustle in their spare time"
Abstract titles look like "common stories." By writing down "who," "what," and "how," it becomes easier for readers to perceive it as something relevant to them.
Example 2: Explanatory → Emotional Appeal
- Before: "Tips for writing text using AI"
- After: "Letting AI write, writing it myself. The hybrid method I arrived at"
Explanatory titles are accurate as information, but they do not move the heart. By adding a first-person narrative element like "I arrived at," you can attract interest before they even read it.
Example 3: Too long → Narrowing down the main point
- Before: "A concrete step-by-step guide for monetization for note beginners, practical edition"
- After: "note monetization, the first step"
If you pack in too much information, it becomes unclear what you want to convey. Narrowing it down to just the main point you want to convey is more effective in the end.
The framework I use for creating titles
I often use a concept called "HBA."
- H (Hook): Attract interest with the first few characters
- B (Benefit): Show what can be gained by reading
- A (Action): Suggest what actions can be taken after reading
You don't need to include all three, but I try to construct titles with at least one in mind.
Using the same concept for headings (subheadings)
The same concept can be used not only for titles but also for headings within an article.
- Before: "About how to use AI"
- After: "Parts to leave to AI, parts to do yourself"
If headings are concrete, readers can judge just by skimming them that "this article seems worth reading for me." Since many readers on note and Kindle decide whether to continue reading based on the headings alone, you shouldn't cut corners here either.
Checklist for creating titles
These are the check items I actually use.
- [ ] Is it clear "whose" story it is?
- [ ] Does it not end with only abstract words (like "method," "tips," etc.)?
- [ ] Does it include elements of first-person perspective or personal experience?
- [ ] Is it kept to around 20-30 characters? (Keeping note's list display in mind)
Next time preview
Next time, under the theme of "The first piece written in PASONA format," I will explain the procedure for actually assembling an article according to the framework.
Thank you for reading until the end📚