The document provides 7 tips for writing effective headlines when having a bad day. It suggests avoiding unnecessary punctuation, creating curiosity with questions, using conversational language, targeting specific groups, making the payoff clear and personal, being selective about using names, seeking inspiration from other sites, and keeping language simple and easy to read. The overall message is that headlines should pique readers' interest, address their concerns directly, and promise value to drive clicks and engagement.

1. 7 Things I Try to Think About When I’m
Having a Bad Headline Day
Lindsay Blakely, Features Editor at Inc.
@lindsayblakely

2. 1. Don’t use too much punctuation
Ditch the colons, especially if the lead-in really isn’t doing
any work or interrupts the thought:
Tales of Fright: 5 Ways to Face and Conquer Your Fears
--5 Ways to Face and Conquer Your Fears
Questioning the Tech Bubble: Startups Aren’t as Flush as You Think
--Why Startups Aren’t as Flush as You Think
--What Bubble? Startups Aren’t as Flush as You Think

3. 2. Create a Curiosity Gap...
Simple Way to Prevent Failure: Do a Pre-Mortem
(Why would I click through? I already have the answer)
Better
--Simple Method for Preventing Startup Failure
--This Might Be the Closest Thing to a Formula
for Preventing Failure

4. More -->
The ellipses… with a twist:
Entrepreneurs Vote for Fewer Regulations and…
Higher Taxes?
Other ways to play to readers’ emotions:
• Alleviate boredom
• Connect with a big frustration
• Create fear of missing out

5. 3. Do get more conversational in
tone/language.
(These aren’t Inc. headlines, by the way)
--Scientists Studying the Big Bang Have
Discovered Some Bananas-Crazy Information
--A Kid Stands Up to Literally Everyone in His
Class

6. 4. Do target groups that self-identify
• People share things that reaffirm their identities or
relationships
• Instead of biggest common denominator, try
speaking to a specific audience
--5 Things Smart People Say That Make Them Sound
Dumb
--Why Introverts Now Rule the World
--Another Reason to Encourage Women to Start More
(and Bigger) Businesses

7. 5. Do make the payoff clearer and more
personal
Business Travel Spending Expected to Increase in
2015
(So, what's in it for me?)
BETTER:
--Why You're Going to Pay Much More for a
Business Trip in 2015
--Warning: You Business Trips Are About to Get
Super Expensive

8. Why Leaders Make Cowardly Decisions
Better:
--How to Make Moral Decisions in Sticky
Situations
--How to Make Brave Leadership Decisions

9. 6. Do be discriminating when using an
entrepreneur’s name
NO: Stonyfield Farm's Gary Hirshberg on
Stepping Down as CEO: I Got Bored
YES: What to Do When You're Bored at Your
Own Company

10. 7. If all else fails, seek inspiration
elsewhere:
• Buzzfeed
• Upworthy
• Huffington Post
• Gawker

11. Final thoughts:
• Use uncomplicated words and
phrases
• Make it easy to read
• Over-promise and then over-deliver.