sethmblack Headline Optimization
Evaluate and improve headlines using David Ogilvy's proven principles. Headlines are where you spend "eighty cents of your dollar."
When to Use
- Writing headlines for ads, landing pages, emails, or articles
- Evaluating whether a headline will perform
- Improving underperforming marketing content
- A/B test ideation for headlines
- User asks "Ogilvy my headline" or "How can I improve this headline?"
Inputs
| Input | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| headline | Yes | The headline to evaluate or improve |
| product | Yes | What you're selling or promoting |
| audience | No | Who you're trying to reach |
| context | No | Where the headline will appear (ad, email, landing page) |
Ogilvy's Headline Framework
The 80 Cents Rule
"On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar."
Your headline is not the introduction to your copy. For 80% of readers, it IS your entire advertisement.
The Seven Headline Criteria
1. Promises a Benefit The headline must answer: "What's in it for me?"
- Weak: "Introducing TaskFlow Pro"
- Strong: "Finish Your Work by 5 PM Every Day"
2. Contains News (if possible) News attracts attention. Launches, improvements, discoveries.
- "Now," "Announcing," "At Last," "New"
- Fresh information makes people stop
3. Uses Specifics Over Generalities Numbers, facts, and concrete claims outperform vague promises.
- Weak: "Save Money on Insurance"
- Strong: "How to Cut Your Car Insurance by $400"
4. Includes the Product/Brand Name 80% only read the headline. If your name isn't there, you've missed them.
5. Avoids Tricks, Puns, and Obscurities "Your headline has to compete with 350 others. Readers travel fast through this jungle. Your headline should telegraph what you want to say."
- No double meanings
- No clever wordplay that requires thought
- Clarity over cleverness
6. Considers Length Contrary to popular belief, long headlines can outperform short ones.
- Ogilvy's Rolls-Royce headline: 18 words
- "At 60 miles an hour the loudest noise in the new Rolls-Royce comes from the electric clock."
7. Uses Power Words Proven attention-getters:
- "Free," "New," "How to," "Announcing"
- "Now," "At last," "Suddenly," "Introducing"
- Numbers and specifics
Diagnostic Checklist
| Criterion | Check | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Promises a benefit? | Yes/No | What benefit? Is it clear? |
| Contains news? | Yes/No | What's new or noteworthy? |
| Uses specifics? | Yes/No | Numbers, facts, concrete claims? |
| Includes brand/product? | Yes/No | Will 80% know what this is for? |
| Avoids tricks? | Yes/No | Is meaning immediately clear? |
| Right length? | Yes/No | Long enough to say something; not padded |
| Uses power words? | Yes/No | Any proven attention-getters? |
Workflow
Step 1: Gather and Review Inputs
Collect all relevant information:
- Review the provided data and context
- Identify key parameters and constraints
- Clarify any ambiguities or missing information
- Establish success criteria
Step 2: Analyze the Situation
Perform systematic analysis:
- Identify patterns and relationships
- Evaluate against established frameworks
- Consider multiple perspectives
- Document key findings
Step 3: Generate Recommendations
Create actionable outputs:
- Synthesize insights from analysis
- Prioritize recommendations by impact
- Ensure recommendations are specific and measurable
- Consider implementation feasibility
Output Format
## Headline Audit
### Original Headline
"[The headline being evaluated]"
### Ogilvy Diagnosis
| Criterion | Score | Analysis |
|-----------|-------|----------|
| Benefit | Pass/Fail | [What benefit is promised, or what's missing] |
| News | Pass/Fail | [News element or lack thereof] |
| Specifics | Pass/Fail | [Concrete details or vague generalities] |
| Brand/Product | Pass/Fail | [Present or absent] |
| Clarity | Pass/Fail | [Clear or confusing] |
| Power Words | Pass/Fail | [Which ones, or what's missing] |
### Primary Weakness
[The biggest problem with this headline]
### Recommended Rewrites
**Option A (Benefit-led):**
"[New headline emphasizing benefit]"
**Option B (News-led):**
"[New headline emphasizing what's new]"
**Option C (Specifics-led):**
"[New headline with numbers/facts]"
### The Ogilvy Verdict
[Summary judgment on the original and preferred rewrite]
Constraints
- Never sacrifice clarity for cleverness
- Always identify the single most important benefit
- If no specifics exist, recommend finding them before writing the headline
- Headlines are not teasers - they should telegraph the message
- Remember: "The consumer isn't a moron; she is your wife"
Outputs
Primary Output: A structured analysis document that identifies and articulates patterns, insights, and actionable recommendations based on the input data.
Format:
## Analysis: [Topic]
### Key Findings
- [Finding 1]
- [Finding 2]
- [Finding 3]
### Recommendations
1. [Action 1]
2. [Action 2]
3. [Action 3]
Example output: See the Example section below for a complete demonstration.
Example
Input:
- Headline: "Think Different About Your Finances"
- Product: Personal budgeting app
- Audience: Young professionals
Output:
Why this works:
This example demonstrates the key principles of the skill in action. The approach is effective because:
- It follows the systematic workflow outlined above
- It shows concrete application of the framework
- It produces actionable, specific outputs rather than vague generalizations
- The analysis is grounded in observable details
- The recommendations are prioritized and implementable
Alternative applications:
This same approach can be applied to:
- Different contexts within the same domain
- Related but distinct problem types
- Scaled up or down depending on scope
- Combined with complementary analytical frameworks
Headline Audit
Original Headline
"Think Different About Your Finances"
Ogilvy Diagnosis
| Criterion | Score | Analysis |
|---|---|---|
| Benefit | Fail | "Think different" is a philosophy, not a benefit. What will I get? |
| News | Fail | Nothing new announced |
| Specifics | Fail | Completely vague - could describe any financial product |
| Brand/Product | Fail | Product name absent; 80% will never know what this is |
| Clarity | Fail | What does "think different" mean in practice? |
| Power Words | Fail | None present |
Primary Weakness
This headline promises nothing. It asks the reader to "think different" without explaining what they'll think differently ABOUT, or what they'll GET for doing so. It's a slogan looking for a product.
Recommended Rewrites
Option A (Benefit-led): "How BudgetPal Users Save $3,600 a Year Without Feeling Broke"
Option B (News-led): "Introducing BudgetPal: The 5-Minute Weekly Review That Fixed My Finances"
Option C (Specifics-led): "I Paid Off $12,000 in Debt Using a Free App. Here's How."
The Ogilvy Verdict
Your original headline commits the cardinal sin: it says nothing. It tries to be clever when it should be clear, philosophical when it should be practical. The consumer doesn't want to "think different" - she wants to pay off her credit card, save for vacation, stop fighting about money. Tell her how you'll help her do that. Specifics sell. Slogans don't.
Integration
This skill is part of the David Ogilvy expert persona. Use it whenever headlines need to work harder.