This One Simple Headline Trick Will Change Your Dog's Life
Just kidding. But it might stop your articles from sinking to the bottom of the digital ocean in under 24 hours.
A few weeks ago, we talked about how to write an opening hook that grabs your reader by the collar in the first ten seconds—and why a coffin strapped to my roof racks was the perfect tool for the job.
But there is a cruel reality of the digital world that we still need to address: your brilliant opening line is completely useless if nobody ever clicks to read it.
Before a reader can get to your hook, they have to get through the door. And that is where your title and subtitle come in.
And this isn’t just a matter of creative flair, either: there’s some hard data on this, and it’s pretty sobering. Industry metrics show that while eight out of ten people will read your headline, only two will bother to click through and read the rest.
On Substack and Medium, that first impression is pretty much your only shot. Your title and subtitle aren’t just decorative headers; they are the packaging. They function as your email subject line and preview text—the very things that decide whether you get a healthy open rate or get sent straight to the virtual trash folder. In the physical apps, they’re even more important, because they dictate whether or not people stop scrolling for your piece.
If the opening line is the "shop front" window display we discussed last time, the title is the sign on the street that makes people walk over in the first place.
So if you want people to read your words, you have to invite them in properly. Let’s look at how to do that without selling your soul to the great god of clickbait.
Stop Trying to Be Clever.
We all want to write titles that sound like literary masterpieces; with mystery, metaphor, and poetic depth.
But the hard truth is that cleverness is a luxury reserved for writers who are already famous. If Stephen King writes a vague, one-word title, millions will buy the book. If you or I do it on Substack, people will just keep scrolling. One of my favourite Stephen King books, by the way, is literally just a date: “11/22/63”. Crazy!
Your title has one primary job: to tell the reader exactly what they are going to get if they give you five minutes of their life.
For example:
Weak: “Finding My Way Back”
Better: “How Recovery Helped Me Rebuild My Life After Gambling”
Strongest: “671 Days Without a Bet: What Recovery Actually Looks Like”
Instead of hiding the point of your article behind a veil of mystery, put it right out in the open. If your piece is about how to recover from burnout, don’t title it “Big Dave Sleeps on the Couch Again!”. Title it “How to Rebuild Your Creative Energy When You’re Completely Burned Out”.
It might feel a bit more clinical to write, but it gives the reader a reason to click.
Treat the Subtitle as Your Wingman
If the title is the “What”, the subtitle is the “Why you should care”.
Too many writers leave the subtitle blank, or worse, they just repeat the title in a different way. That is wasted real estate. Remember, on Substack, this subtitle becomes the preview text in your subscriber’s inbox. It’s the snippet of text they scan to decide if your email is worth opening.
Think of your subtitle as the contract of your article. If your title makes a promise, your subtitle should explain how you plan to deliver on it.
Weak Combo:
Title: Why I Quit Social Media
Subtitle: It was a really hard decision, but I had to do it, and my Mum agrees.
Strong Combo:
Title: I Quit Social Media, My Writing Improved.
Subtitle: Three months after deleting my accounts, my focus returned, my anxiety dropped, and my blogging finally got better.
The second version gives the reader immediate, tangible reasons to open the email.
Respect the Cut-Off (Keep It Short)
There is a technical reality we have to deal with here: screens are small, and email clients are ruthless.
If you write a beautiful, sixty-word title, Google, Medium, and Gmail are going to chop it in half with an ugly ellipsis (...).
Keep your titles as short as possible. If you have extra context you need to add, save it for the subtitle, which has a bit more breathing room (aim for under 120 characters there).
Put your most important, high-impact words at the very beginning of the title. If the reader’s eye only catches the first three words as they scroll, make sure those three words do some heavy lifting.
Never Make a Promise Your Article Can’t Keep
The easiest way to get clicks in the short term is to use clickbait. We all know the formulas: “This One Simple Trick Will Change Your Dog’s Life!” or “The Shocking Truth About Writing With A Pen”.
And yes, it works—but usually just once.
Clickbait is a short-sighted strategy. When you use a sensationalised title that doesn’t match the quality of the content inside, you break trust with your reader. They might click, but they will most likely leave within ten seconds, and they probably won’t subscribe.
A good title is an honest promise. It creates tension or curiosity, but it only promises what the article can actually deliver. If you promise “five practical steps,” make sure those steps are actually practical. And—I can’t believe I have to say this—but make sure there’s actually five.
Trust is one of the only currencies that matter in long-term blogging; don’t trade it away for a few cheap clicks.
The Bottom Line
Writing a good title and subtitle isn’t about tricking people into clicking. It’s about respect—looking at your readers drowning in a sea of emails and notifications, and saying, “I know your time is valuable, and I promise not to waste it if you step inside.”
When you align a clear, honest title with a compelling subtitle, you aren’t just boosting your open rates or satisfying an algorithm. You are building a relationship. And in the long run, that relationship is what turns casual scrollers into loyal, long-term subscribers.
So, before you hit “publish” on your next draft, take a hard look at your shop front. Ask yourself:
Can a stranger tell what this article is about in five seconds?
Does the subtitle explain why someone should care?
Will the title fit on a mobile screen?
Does the article actually deliver what the headline promises?
Would I click this if somebody else wrote it?
If you can say yes to most of these, chances are that readers will walk through the door. And that’s when your writing will finally get the chance to talk.
I actually agonise over my headlines for ages 😂
This is excellent