Crafting Captivating LinkedIn Headlines for Maximum Clicks

Lads, listen up. If your LinkedIn headline is an absolute snooze-fest, don’t expect anyone to click on your profile. It’s one of the first things that people see – whether it’s above your posts or when scrolling through . We’ve already provided you with a no bullsh*t guide to LinkedIn but we won’t stop there. Whether you’re using LinkedIn for business development, personal branding, or are simply wanting to raise your LinkedIn profile, we got you 🫵

Your LinkedIn headline, that sliver of text sitting right at the top of your profile, is your chance to make your first impression. Think of it as your personal slogan or tagline, a tiny teaser to flaunt your skills, value, and personality. With just a few words, you have the potential to stand out but how? How do you craft a headline that makes people think “f*ck me, that makes me want to know more’ so that they click on your profile? Easier said than done mate. But let us give you a few pointers. From understanding the psychological triggers of your audience, to putting your headlines to the test, we’ll give you a nudge in the right direction. Let’s get you those clicks you so desperately need.

The Psychology Behind Effective Headlines

When it comes to psychology – it’s all about getting into people’s heads. Sounds f*cked up but in a nutshell, that’s it. You want to be top of mind. Marketers leverage psychological principles in all forms of communications in an attempt to tap into the consumer mind – whether it’s through email marketing or social media campaigns – they know what they’re doing. Applying similar strategies to your LinkedIn header can help you with visibility and impact. Using these insights on LinkedIn is key to standing out. So when it comes to using LinkedIn effectively, what do you need to think about?

Ask yourself: what drives human attention and engagement?  Is it a headline that states:

👉SEO Specialist 

or is it ... 

👉Here to spice up your online presence | sh*thot at SEO

A compelling headline means going against the norm. Think about it this way, if someone randomly selected 10 profiles … would your headline stand out?

What should your headline do?

✔️ Make readers curious

✔️ Have a clear story/offer

✔️ Communicate what the f*ck you do

✔️ Be valuable

Your headline should act as a teaser of what you do. The benefit of clicking on your profile needs to be clear to those browsing. Think about how you can play on people’s FOMO (fear of missing out). You know the feeling when you have to stay working when everyone else is out getting pi*sed. Yeah, that one. Psychological triggers like FOMO, exclusivity, and this desire for self-improvement can push people into action. So, make your headline a magnet by literally pulling viewers. Appeal to their interests, needs, and emotions. It’s not rocket science.

To effectively leverage psychological triggers in your LinkedIn headline, consider using approaches like:

👉 Curiosity-Driven: “Cracking Tech's Next Big Thing: What's Really Coming?”

👉 Self-Improvement Appeal: "Get Off Your A*se: Sales Hacks that Actually Work"

👉 Exclusivity: "Inside the Mind of a Mega Marketing Gal "

👉 FOMO: "Join Top Executives in Mastering Leadership Transformation"

👉 Direct Benefit: "Boost Your SEO Skills in 30 Days"

These examples showcase how to tap into curiosity, offer value, and appeal to the viewer’s aspirations, driving more engagement with your profile. Give it a go.

A/B Testing LinkedIn Headlines

There’s no point in selecting one headline and sticking to it, you’re limiting yourself. Choosing just one LinkedIn headline and sticking to it is like only ever eating one type of chocolate without trying any others. What if your first experience of eating chocolate was a Bounty? You’d be living a sh*t life in our opinion. (Sorry Bounty lovers – not that there’s many 😉). The same applies to your LinkedIn headline. The first one won’t be the best. You need to get yourself out there, try different things, see what works, see what doesn’t.

A/B testing for LinkedIn headlines goes beyond just picking what sounds good. It's about scientifically determining what resonates and works with your audience. Start with two different headlines that vary slightly in wording, structure, or content. This might be that one uses a statistic, while the other leads with an emotional appeal. Then, monitor the performance of each—engagement, profile visits, connection requests—to see which headline pulls more interest.

By doing this, you’re not only refining your headline but you’re gaining insights into your audience's preferences, helping you tailor your professional brand more effectively. Continuous testing based on data can do wonders for your LinkedIn presence, making your profile stand out as mega to the right connections and opportunities.

Examples of Headlines that Converted

We’ve handpicked a few headlines to spotlight for the purpose of this blog. Use them for inspiration but don’t be a copycat. It won’t do you any favours and you won’t get very far. Here we take a look at how emojis can be mega for capturing attention, the importance of having a clear value proposition, and the need for your headlines to be clear and straight to the point. You should know our approach by now – no bullsh*t, no fluff. Stick with these principles and you’ll be flying in no time lads.

Jordan Stachini

First up, Jordan. Yeah … we’re a bit biased but ours are mega to be fair. Let’s look at what’s good with this headline:

➡️ Use of Emojis: The use of the 💥 emoji at the beginning can catch the eye of someone scrolling through LinkedIn. It sets the headline apart from others that may not use visual elements, making it more likely to grab attention. We like to be in your face if you didn’t know already.✌️

➡️ Clear Value Proposition: By saying "create ROI driven marketing strategies", it communicates a clear value proposition. It tells the reader exactly what we do and emphasises the results-oriented approach to marketing, focusing on return on investment (ROI), which is mega important for businesses.

➡️ No-Nonsense Approach: By adding "without the fluff," the headline signals a straightforward, no-nonsense approach to marketing. This can be appealing to businesses tired of overly complex or jargon-heavy marketing strategies that don't deliver clear results.

➡️ Position of Authority: Including "Founder: co&co" establishes credibility and authority. It indicates that she is not only experienced in creating effective marketing strategies but also has the entrepreneurial experience of founding and running a company. Enhancing the trust and confidence in their expertise.

➡️ Clarity: The headline is concise yet informative. It packs a lot of information into a short space, making it easy for readers to quickly understand what she does and what makes their approach unique. This is important in a platform like LinkedIn, where users might be browsing through many profiles quickly.

➡️ Focus on Results: The emphasis on "ROI driven" is particularly effective in appealing to businesses and professionals who are outcome-focused. It speaks directly to potential clients' needs for marketing strategies that have a tangible impact on their bottom line.

Sophie Kimmance

Up next, another co&co gal. Trust us, you can learn from us. There’s strategy behind everything we do:

➡️ Visual Appeal:The use of 💥 emojis at both ends draws attention and adds a dynamic flair, making the headline stand out. It’s the co&co way – this helps with brand continuity across all three profiles.

➡️ Clear Expertise: Straight off the bat you know what Sophie specialises in – creating engagement strategies, which showcases her focus and skills within a critical marketing aspect.

➡️ Target Audience Identification: By specifying "for customer centric brands," people know the key segment of potential clients or employers that Sophie is appealing to, making it clear who can benefit most from their services.

➡️ Position of Authority: Pairing the title "Director" along with the company name "co&co" establishes that credibility and authority we all love and trust in. Sophie showcases those leadership qualities and has clear experience in the field.

➡️ Conciseness and Clarity: The headline is concise yet informative, it gives you everything you need from the get go and effectively communicates what she does and her target market, without the fluff.

➡️ Professional Branding: The overall effect of the headline contributes to a strong professional brand, positioning the individual as an expert in engagement strategy for brands that prioritise customer centricity.

Megan Farrow

Next up … co&co’s newbie, it’s me. People might not realise it but my job title is genuinely the ‘Head of Making Sh*t Happen’. It’s what I do. So when it came to writing my headline I wanted to maintain brand consistency with 💥. Here’s what I think is decent about this headline (without meaning to brag or toot my own horn😉):

➡️ Use of Emojis and Strong Language: I kick things off and wrap them up with a 💥 emoji, spotlighting my commitment co&co branding. It’s a signal flare for my style - bold and straightforward. The way I put it out there, "No bull. Just Mega Marketing | Head of Making Sh*t Happen," is designed to catch your eye and set the tone right off the bat. If you’re put off by a few swear words, then we’re probably not a match made in heaven. But, for those who’ve had it up to here with corporate speak and crave something raw, direct, and utterly bullsh*t-free, I’m your woman 🙋🏼‍♀️.

➡️ Clear, Direct Messaging: Saying "No fluff. No bull." is my promise of getting straight to the point and delivering results that matter. This approach resonates with clients who value transparency and effectiveness in marketing, setting me apart from the snooze fest of traditional marketing lingo 😴.

➡️ Mega Job Title: Sure, calling myself "Head of Making Sh*t Happen" might raise a few eyebrows, especially among the LinkedIn Karens. But that’s the whole idea. It underscores my commitment to hands-on, impactful outcomes. It's meant to be memorable and to leave people pondering – what the fu*k does that even mean? Well, that’s exactly what I want. It sparks curiosity.

➡️ Emphasis on "Mega Marketing": "Mega Marketing" is a way of saying I’m fully equipped to tackle ambitious projects, catering to businesses aiming for major growth or to up their marketing game.

➡️ Brand Personality: Here at co&co, we don’t play it safe with our brand personality – we know we’re mega and aren’t shy about broadcasting it. This headline is my way of showing you that I’m bold, straightforward, and a ready for anything. For companies in search of a marketer who’s ready to shatter norms and embrace risk, I'm your gal.

➡️ Differentiation: In a platform like LinkedIn, where professionals often use similar phrases and titles, this headline stands out. It’s unconventional … and we love it that way. It’s different. This uniqueness is precisely what you might need to distinguish yourself from the other Megans out there.

➡️ Appeal to Specific Audience: My casual and direct language clues you in on the kind of clients I click with – those who prefer a more relaxed, genuine, and action-oriented approach to both professional relationships and marketing.

Silvia Schweiger

Let’s look at what Silvia does right:

➡️ Use of Emojis: Again, the use of the racing car emoji 🏎️ at both the beginning and end of the headline draws attention and adds a visual element that is likely to stand out in a text-heavy environment like LinkedIn. This use of emojis effectively captures the essence of the service being offered—motorsports marketing.

➡️ Clear Value Proposition: Stating "Putting your brand in front of +1B people" offers a clear and highly ambitious value proposition. Who doesn’t want their brand to be positioned in front of a billion people? It promises extensive visibility for a brand, which is an attractive prospect for businesses aiming to maximise their reach.

➡️ Specificity of the Niche: By mentioning "via motorsports," the headline immediately specifies its niche. This is mega for targeting potential clients who are specifically interested in leveraging motorsports for brand exposure. It differentiates the service from more generic marketing or advertising strategies.

➡️ Sense of Scale and Impact: The mention of "+1B people" suggests a massive scale of impact, showing Silvia has access to high-traffic platforms or events within the motorsports industry. This can be very appealing to large brands or those aiming to dramatically increase their visibility.

➡️ Action-Oriented Language: The use of "Putting" at the start of the headline is action-oriented, which gives people confidence that Silvia is proactive and takes tangible steps to achieve visibility for their clients.

➡️ Appeal to Target Audience: For companies interested in sports marketing or seeking to align their brand with the excitement and global following of motorsports, this headline directly appeals to their marketing goals. It identifies a unique channel for brand exposure that may not be offered by competitors. And that’s what it’s all about … being unique in the LinkedIn space.

Despite how short it is, the headline manages to give a lot of information and makes a strong impression. It’s short enough to be quickly digestible but impactful enough to leave a memorable impression on the reader.

Pascalle Bergmans

Let’s look at what Pascalle’s headline does well:

➡️ Creative and Unique: Describing herself as "Your fairy godmother for public speaking" is imaginative and stands out from the crowd of your usual, generic LinkedIn profiles. It suggests there will be a magical transformation of skills, which is a mega way to market her expertise.

➡️ Clear Value Proposition: "Transforming your presentation into a performance" clearly shows the value being offered. There’s no point having a headline if you have no clear value proposition. You need to make this accessible to your audience straight away so that people know what to expect from you. Don’t make them look for it. This headline promises a significant upgrade from standard presentations, with a promise of entertainment and effectiveness.

➡️ Professional Credibility: Mentioning "Ex West-End" lends professional credibility and suggests a strong background in performance. This experience in a highly respected theatre scene adds weight to the promise of transforming presentations.

➡️ Personal Touches: Adding "Dog Mum" and "Fundamentally ridiculous" brings personality to the profile because well … who doesn’t love dogs? 🐶 It makes Pascalle seem approachable and relatable, encouraging connections on a more personal level.

➡️ Versatility: By including "Keynote speaker," the headline indicates the person's capability and experience in delivering talks, establishing their authority in public speaking and presentation skills.

Overall this headline does a great job of blending professional qualifications with personal flair.. It suggests a unique approach to public speaking coaching, promising not just improvement but a transformative experience.

And there you have it, lads – some direction to crafting a LinkedIn headline that doesn’t bore people, but makes people want to have a cheeky look. People are nosy, play on that. Use and abuse their psychological triggers like FOMO to get ahead of the game. Last thing you want is to be blending in the background. Your headline tells people what you’re about.

It's not just about getting clicks. It's about getting the right clicks. The kind that turn heads, raise eyebrows (in a good or even bad way – attention is attention, right? 😉), and open doors to opportunities that you actually give a fu*k about.

So, take these tips, give them a go, and A/B test your way to a headline that makes people think, “F*ck me, I need to know more about them.” And if you’re sitting there, scratching your head, thinking, “This is all well and good, but I’d rather leave it to the pros,” then we got you, too 🤝.

At co&co, we’re all about making sh*t happen, crafting brand stories that stick, and turning your LinkedIn profile from an absolute bore to a profile worth viewing. We offer LinkedIn management services and LinkedIn training to anyone needing an extra nudge to get going. Get in touch if you fancy working together. We’re mega in case you didn’t already know. co&co – where your brand gets the spotlight it deserves.