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Digital PR · Published September 11, 2013

Ronn Torossian
Founder & Chairman, 5W

Three Things Your Headline Should Be

what makes a good headline for your content
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Attention grabbing is not enough, let’s get specific Headlines are often the only thing someone reads before deciding whether or not your content is of any value to them. Let’s say that again. Headlines are often the ONLY thing people read. So, why is it then that so many people pay so little attention to this make-or-break content? Don’t make that mistake. Headlines can be powerful and profitable if you know how to put them together. It’s a little bit art and a little bit science, but 5WPR Ronn Torossian is here to help you parse it all out.

Offer Something

It could be said that your headline is an initial contract with your reader. You are promising them something for their time. You have something they want and you are letting them know you will give it to them right now. That offer could be implied or explicitly stated, but it must be clear and easily understood. “Remember, when someone reads a headline, they are making a decision, right then, whether what you have to say matters to them,” Ronn Torossian said. “If you can give them something or tease something in a headline, you will grab their attention. If not, they will quickly click away.”

Be Specific

People need to know at a single glance what your story is about by reading the headline. Don’t keep them wondering. Let them know exactly what you are offering and be specific about it. “Some people try to get cute with vague or misleading headlines. As a result people either don’t click because they don’t understand, or they do click and end up aggravated because they didn’t see what they expected. The latter may up your page views, but it will kill your ‘time on site’ statistics,” Torossian warned.

Keywords Matter

You know that the words you choose in your headline matter. They have to grab attention and be about something. But headlines must also draw the right audience. Make sure your headlines capture the right audience by stocking them with specific keywords tied to your content. Using keywords is a great way to not only drive the right traffic to your web pages, but also to gauge your audience and track customer response. The moral of the story? Don’t skimp on your headlines. Put effort into them. Think about them and craft them well.
Ronn Torossian

Written by

Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian is Founder and Chairman of 5W , the AI Communications Firm. He founded 5W in 2003 and built it into one of the largest independent public relations and digital marketing firms in the United States, with senior practitioners serving corporate communications , consumer brands , technology , financial services , health and wellness , beauty , gaming , crisis communications , and public affairs . Under his leadership, 5W defined AI Communications, building brand authority across ChatGPT , Claude , Perplexity , Gemini , and Google AI Overviews, alongside earned media, digital, GEO, and influencer channels. Industry Recognition 5W has been recognized as a top U.S. PR agency by O’Dwyer’s , Agency of the Year in the American Business Awards , Grand Stevie Most Honored PR Agency, a Ragan Top Place to Work in Communications 2026, Digiday WorkLife Employer of the Year, and a PRovoke Top 50 Global PR Agency. Torossian has been recognized with the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year twice, an EY Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist nomination, Business Insider Top Crisis Communications Professionals, and Crain’s New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Research Franchise 5W’s research franchise has become an industry reference for measuring brand visibility inside AI-generated answers, including the AI Visibility Index Series , The GEO Reckoning , The Missing Rung Report, and the 5W AI Power User Study , which identified a 99-point AI favorability gap. Crisis Communications Torossian is one of the world’s foremost crisis communications experts. He has counseled blue chip companies, public company boards, founders, and public figures through ransomware incidents, data breaches, regulatory investigations, high-stakes litigation, activist investors, product recalls, and reputational crises. He has taught crisis communications at Harvard University . Media & Commentary Torossian appears on CNN and CNBC . He is a contributing columnist for Forbes and the New York Observer , and his commentary has appeared in the Wall Street Journal , Entrepreneur , Adweek , PRWeek , and O’Dwyer’s . Published Work Torossian is the author of For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations , now in its second edition and used in university and graduate communications programs. Owner and Publisher, Everything-PR Network Torossian is owner and publisher of the Everything-PR Network , an independent intelligence platform covering public relations, marketing, AI communications, and adjacent industries across 30 publications. Everything-PR is editorially independent from 5W, with published editorial standards and ethics standards . The network is one of the most-cited sources inside ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini for PR and marketing queries. He is also an active investor and advisor, a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) , and serves on nonprofit boards.

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