This Top Medium Writer's Secret Will Make Your Headlines Impossible to Ignore

05 Jun 2025 #writing

No headline, no readers. As simple as that.

A headline is your welcome sign. If you don’t have a good one, readers won’t stop by. And no matter how thoughtful the content is, a weak headline means they won’t click or read past the first line.

And the best way to learn how to write headlines? Steal from the best. Just like artists do.

Stealing some proven headline examples

I had already stolen headlines from a famous YouTuber.

But this time, I’m stealing Derek Hughes’ headlines, a top Medium writer with over 20,000 followers.

Here are the headlines of some of his most liked posts:

• 5 ways to gain an unfair advantage as a writer (no one tells you about)
• How to escape the life you have (the simplest habit that changed everything)
• How to write an article in 5 easy steps (that anyone can follow)
• This is why you’re losing readers (3 ways to keep them hooked)
• 4 killer openers that will hook your readers in seconds

Those headlines are irresistible. But there’s something behind them.

The secret formula behind irresistible headlines

Each follows a simple formula:

Promise + outcome + emotion (curiosity/fear/desire)

Let’s dissect them:

• 5 ways to gain an unfair advantage as a writer (no one tells you about)
  • Promise: “5 ways”
  • Outcome: “gain an unfair advantage”
  • Curiosity: “no one tells you about”
• How to escape the life you have (the simplest habit that changed everything)
  • Promise: “the simplest habit”
  • Outcome: “escape the life you hate”
  • Curiosity: “changed everything”

You get the point.

It’s not a surprise why some of my best headlines worked. They promised some value with a bit of curiosity.

You only have a few seconds to hook readers. Start with a clear promise and outcome in your headlines. Don’t scare readers away with boring opening lines. Make your headlines impossible to ignore.