2026-06-18 · 6 min read
Why Your Headline Is Not Working (And How to Rewrite It)
The headline is the only piece of copy you can assume everyone reads. If it is vague, the rest of the page never gets a chance. Here is how to diagnose and rewrite one.
The three failure modes
Abstract: it describes a category, not a result. 'Modern workflow automation' tells a visitor nothing they can picture.
Internal: it uses language only your team understands. Product code names and internal jargon belong in the docs, not the hero.
Overloaded: it tries to say everything, so it says nothing. One idea per headline; the subheadline carries the second idea.
A rewrite process that works
Write twenty options without judging them. Volume beats polish at this stage.
For each, ask: could a competitor publish this unchanged? Delete every yes.
Test the survivors against the specificity rule — a real number, a real timeframe or a real outcome beats an adjective every time.
Pair it with the right subheadline
The subheadline earns the click. It should handle the biggest objection: price, effort, or trust.
Keep it under two lines. If it needs three, the headline is doing too little.
Rewrite the headline first, then measure. It is the cheapest change with the largest swing in conversion rate.
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