--- title: The Fine Art of Crafting a Not-Quite-Clickbait Headline description: Your blog post, LinkedIn article, YouTube video, press release, or webpage will get more attention when it includes a well-crafted headline. image: https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hubfs/write%20compelling%20headlines.jpg --- [Skip to main content](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/the-fine-art-of-crafting-a-not-quite-clickbait-headline#maincontent) [ «  View All Posts ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog) # The Fine Art of Crafting a Not-Quite-Clickbait Headline August 1st, 2025 2 min read By [David Meerman Scott](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott) ![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/write%20compelling%20headlines.jpg?width=2248&height=1506&name=write%20compelling%20headlines.jpg) Headlines are super important. Your blog post, LinkedIn article, YouTube video, press release, or webpage will get more attention when it includes a well-crafted headline. However, there is a fine line between a clickbait headline and one that delivers on its promise. I’m currently reading *When the Going Was Good: An Editor's Adventures During the Last Golden Age of Magazines* by Graydon Carter, founder of *Spy* magazine and long-time editor of *Vanity Fair*. I was an avid reader of *Vanity Fair* during the Carter era and loved the magazine. In his book, Carter talks about a lunch he had with Don Hewitt, who created the TV news program *60 Minutes *for CBS and ran it for three decades. Hewitt told Carter that *Vanity Fair *headlines were lacking, pulling out the September 2005 issue. ![Vanity Fair](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Vanity%20Fair.jpg?width=450&height=289&name=Vanity%20Fair.jpg)Hewitt pointed to a story about a 1938 boxing match between Joe Lewis, a Black American and Max Schmeling, a German fighting on the eve of World War II. The Vanity Fair headline was [“War of the Worlds”](https://archive.vanityfair.com/article/2005/9/war-of-the-worlds). Hewitt said that wasn’t catchy enough and suggested “How did a Fistfight in the Bronx Make the Front Pages of Every Newspaper in the World?” Carter admitted that was indeed catchier. I’m okay at writing headlines, but not great. I struggle over what best describes what my article is about but also provides a bit of intrigue so more people might check it out. ## Using AI to write headlines Recently I’ve been heading over to one of the AI chatbots to help out. I drop my nearly completed article with a prompt asking it to suggest a compelling headline. ChatGPT often suggests good headlines, but they frequently seem over the top, designed more for a tabloid newspaper. Therefore, I usually end up modifying one of those suggestions. My placeholder headline for this article was “Your Headline Goes Here”. I knew it wasn’t great, but I like having something – anything – as a starting point. I asked ChatGPT about a headline for this post. The one that I chose was adapted from a ChatGPT suggestion, “The Fine Art of the Not-Quite-Clickbait Headline”, which ChatGPT says “highlights your central theme with a wink”. I just added “Crafting” to the ChatGPT suggestion. ### Here are a few other headlines ChatGPT suggested for this article, together with the reasoning: “Why Great Headlines Matter — And What 60 Minutes Taught Vanity Fair” → Taps into authority (60 Minutes, Vanity Fair) and creates intrigue. “Good Writing Doesn’t Matter If Your Headline Doesn’t Work” → A little provocative, invites curiosity. “What a TV Legend Taught a Magazine Icon About Headlines” → Teases the Don Hewitt–Graydon Carter anecdote. “Your Headline Is More Important Than You Think—Just Ask Graydon Carter” → Adds a personal angle and namedrop appeal. “From Vanity Fair to 60 Minutes: The Secret to a Headline That Hooks” → Implies an insider’s view on effective media strategy. “Crafting Headlines That Work: Lessons from Editors Who Knew How to Sell a Story” → Classic and informative with historical weight. “How One Boxing Match (and a Better Headline) Made History” → Anchored in your Joe Louis anecdote, this leads with story. “Don’t Bury the Lead: Headlines That Actually Get Read” → Playful, direct, and actionable. “When a Fistfight Beat a Magazine Headline—and What You Can Learn from It” → Echoes the anecdote, creating curiosity and contrast. ### What about you? How do you craft headlines? [![New call-to-action](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/413105/3ccc7bbb-51d3-436c-9374-f749af16ae9b.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/413105/3ccc7bbb-51d3-436c-9374-f749af16ae9b) [ David Meerman Scott ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/author/david-meerman-scott) David Meerman Scott is a business growth strategist, advisor to clever entrepreneurs who are building emerging companies, and the international bestselling author of a dozen books published in 30 languages. David’s high-energy keynote presentations, masterclasses, and virtual events educate, energize, and inspire. Connect: [mailto:david@freshspot.com](mailto:david@freshspot.com) Topics: [ Case Studies ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/case-studies) [ writing ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/writing) [ Marketing ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/marketing) [ Brand Journalism ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/brand-journalism) [ Best Practices ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/best-practices) [ Artificial Intelligence ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/topic/artificial-intelligence) Don't forget to share this post: ## Related Articles [![](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/hs-fs/hubfs/HubSpot%2020th.jpeg?width=800&height=448&name=HubSpot%2020th.jpeg) ### Congratulations Team HubSpot for 20 Years of Helping Organizations Grow June 12th, 2026|2 min read ](https://www.davidmeermanscott.com/blog/congratulations-team-hubspot-for-20-years-of-helping-organizations-grow) 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