designing-headline-variants

name	designing-headline-variants
description	Creates multiple headline options optimized for different purposes and platforms. Use when writing headlines for A/B testing, multi-channel distribution, or when stakeholder input requires options.

Designing Headline Variants

Quick start

Collect or infer:

• Core content or story to headline
• Primary platform (web, email, social, print)
• Character/length constraints per platform
• Purpose (click-through, SEO, brand awareness, engagement)
• A/B testing requirements if any

Then produce output using TEMPLATES.md. Validate with RUBRIC.md.

Workflow

1. Identify the core value proposition or newsworthy angle.
2. Determine platform constraints (character limits, display context).
3. Generate at least one headline per major pattern (benefit, curiosity, specific, emotional).
4. Check each headline against platform constraints.
5. Ensure headlines are distinct — each variant should appeal to different motivations.
6. Add SEO-focused variant if organic search is a goal.
7. Flag any headline that requires specific context to make sense.
8. Run the rubric check. Revise until it passes.

Degrees of freedom

• Low freedom: Character limits, factual accuracy, brand guidelines
• Medium freedom: Emotional tone, specificity level, angle selection
• High freedom: Creative approach, rhetorical device, hook type

Default: Generate 4-6 headlines minimum, with clear rationale for each variant's use case.

References

• Templates: TEMPLATES.md
• Rubric: RUBRIC.md
• Examples: EXAMPLES.md
• Headline patterns: reference/headline-patterns.md