120. Listen to This If… You Need a Killer Headline

Struggling to grab your audience’s attention? In this week’s episode, Jen and Michael break down exactly what makes a killer headline - one that cuts through the noise, hooks your reader instantly, and sets up your story for impact.

In just five minutes, you’ll learn:

• Why your headline matters more than you think

• The science of what makes people stop scrolling

• Simple, repeatable headline formulas you can use today

• How to avoid the common traps that make headlines fall flat

• Ways to tailor your headline to different audiences without losing clarity

Whether you’re writing a journal article title, a grant application, or a social media post, these tips will help you craft headlines that are bold, clear, and irresistible.

You can find more great advice here:

• https://www.niemanlab.org/2024/08/readers-prefer-to-click-on-a-clear-simple-headline-like-this-one/

• https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00771-3

• https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2024/06/msu-research-what-makes-a-good-headline

• https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adn2555

Transcript: https://go.unimelb.edu.au/vb62