Headline A/B Test Prompt

What this prompt does

A headline is doing three jobs simultaneously: it needs to signal what the content is about, match the reader's search intent, and make them want to click. Most headline generators produce variations that look different but use the same angle. This prompt generates options across genuinely different formulas — curiosity, specificity, urgency, controversy, empathy — so you can pick what fits your content and audience best.

Output: 10 headline variations, organized by formula type, with a note on what each is optimizing for.

The prompt

Generate 10 headline variations for this content:

**Content topic:** [WHAT THE ARTICLE/PAGE/EMAIL IS ABOUT]
**Primary keyword (must appear in at least 3 versions):** [YOUR TARGET KEYWORD]
**Target audience:** [WHO IS READING THIS — specific]
**Content type:** [Blog post / Email subject / Landing page H1 / Ad headline]
**One thing the content promises:** [THE CORE BENEFIT OR INSIGHT — e.g., "readers will learn the 3-step process for X," "saves 2 hours per week," "most people get this wrong"]

Write 10 variations using these headline formulas (2 each for the first 5, labeled):

1. **How-to** — leads with "How to" + specific outcome
2. **Number list** — uses a specific number + concrete benefit
3. **Surprising or counterintuitive** — challenges an assumption the audience holds
4. **Empathy/problem** — names the pain before the solution
5. **Specificity** — uses a specific number, timeframe, or result instead of vague language

For each headline:
- Keep under 65 characters for SEO use cases (or specify a different limit)
- Note what it's optimizing for (clicks, SEO, emotional resonance, etc.)
- Flag any that are too clickbait-y to use seriously

Also suggest: which one would you lead with, and why?

How to use it

1. Give the "one thing it promises" field real thought — this is your headline's north star. Vague benefit → vague headlines. "Saves time" is vague; "shave 45 minutes off your weekly planning" is specific.
2. Run it twice — the second run often produces better variations because the AI has "thought through" the topic more. Ask it to avoid any overlap with the first run.
3. Use the "would you lead with" suggestion as a starting point, not a final answer — test it against two others.
4. Check the character count — the prompt asks for under 65, but email subjects can go longer (30–60 is ideal). Match to your channel.

Example output

Topic: How to write cold emails that get replies
Keyword: cold email tips
Audience: B2B sales reps
Promise: A 5-step research framework that beats templates

1. How-to: How to Write Cold Emails That Actually Get Replies (62 chars) — optimizes for SEO + clear intent
2. How-to (alt): How to Stop Getting Ignored in Your Prospects' Inboxes (58 chars) — empathy hook variant
3. Number list: 5 Cold Email Fixes That Doubled My Reply Rate (49 chars) — social proof + curiosity
4. Number list (alt): 7 Cold Email Mistakes Killing Your Response Rate (50 chars) — loss aversion angle
5. Counterintuitive: Why Cold Email Templates Are Your Biggest Problem (52 chars) — challenges conventional wisdom
6. Counterintuitive (alt): Stop Personalizing Your Cold Emails This Way (46 chars) — strong pattern interrupt
7. Empathy/problem: Still Getting Ghosted After Cold Outreach? Read This (54 chars) — directly addresses the pain
8. Empathy/problem (alt): If No One Is Replying to Your Cold Emails, Here's Why (57 chars) — validation + curiosity
9. Specificity: The 5-Minute Research Process That Gets 3x More Replies (57 chars) — specific time + result
10. Specificity (alt): Cold Email Tips That Generated 47 Replies in 30 Days (55 chars) — concrete result, credibility risk

Recommended: #9 — specific outcome (3x more replies), specific process (5 minutes), keyword present. Avoid #10 unless you have real data to back the claim.

Variations

For email subject lines

Add:

"Format these as email subject lines. Prioritize open rate over SEO. Don't use square brackets or cliffhanger formats that look like spam."

For landing page H1

"This is a product landing page H1. It needs to be a statement, not a question. Lead with the transformation, not the feature."

For ad headlines (Google/Meta)

"Format as ad headlines under 30 characters for Google Ads, or under 40 for Meta. These need to work without body copy context."

Common pitfalls

• Don't: Use all 10 variations as-is — some will be wrong for your audience or context. The point is to generate options for selection, not to use all of them.

• Try instead: Pick 2–3 genuine candidates and test them. A/B subject lines are easy to set up in any email tool.

• Don't: Use the counterintuitive formulas if you can't back up the claim. "Why [conventional wisdom] is wrong" headlines build distrust if the content doesn't deliver.

Who uses this prompt

• Marketers: Email subject lines, ad copy, landing pages, blog titles
• Freelance writers: Client deliverables when headline options are requested
• Small business owners: Website copy, promotional emails, social post openers