How to Quickly Write Titles That Actually Get Opened

That actually get opened

Let’s be honest:
Most people aren’t ignoring your post because your writing’s bad.
They’re ignoring it because your title didn’t give them a reason to care.

Sad, but true.

Your headline is your billboard, your elevator pitch, your “Should I open this?” moment.
If you’re treating it like an afterthought—or going with the first thing that pops into your head—you’re missing a huge opportunity.

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✨ Titles Are Tiny Sales Pages

Successful Substack creators don’t just name their posts—they frame them.

A great title does at least one of these things:

• Promises value: How to grow your Substack without selling your soul

• Sparks curiosity: I’m trying something new (so simple, but my most viewed post)

• Hits a pain point: Tired of being ignored? Here’s what finally worked

• Sounds like a real human wrote it: (bonus points for consistency with your voice)

Don't be afraid to go bold and take risks. I was genuinely nervous about “I’m trying something new”.

Wes Pearce, someone whose advice I pay for, recommends: -

“Clarity over Cleverness, unless it’s just for your subscribers.”

He’s probably right but there are always exceptions.

Remember, you're not writing for a panel of judges.
You're writing for tired people skimming their inbox at 10pm.

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🔥 Numbers, Power Words, Reader-Focus

Want to quickly up your title game?

• Use numbers: 5 things I did differently this month

• Use trigger words: proven, secret, behind-the-scenes, fast …

• Focus on the reader: Hit a pain point, so you can relieve it

And yes, a little cheek can help.
Don't be afraid to sound like yourself.

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🧪 Proof in the Pudding

My post [“I’m Trying Something New ,and it might help you too”, wasn’t even supposed to be a title.
It started as an email subject line, meant to get around the dreaded Promotions tab.

But when I saw the results? I left it as-is.

• 39% open rate — my highest so far

• Strong performance with non-subscribers too

• Simple, clear, casual — like something a friend might say

It teased a story.
It made a promise.
And it felt like a human wrote it.

Even though (confession) it’s a title mostly written by ChatGPT.

🤖 How I Use AI to Pitch My Titles

I’ve never used complex prompts.

Here’s how I’m doing it:

I start with a working title — whatever idea is buzzing in my brain.
Then I bring in Bitsy (my ChatGPT).

I don’t just insert the post and say, “Give me 5 titles.”
I make it a back-and-forth conversation.

Here’s an example from this post:
I pasted in the post then I pasted in this simple prompt: Create 5 possible viral headlines. Focus on making them emotionally resonant, curiosity-driven, and matching my casual, lightly sassy voice.

Bitsy’s (yeah, I got it to name itself 🙄) Response:

• Your Title Is the Problem (Not Your Writing)

• If They’re Not Clicking, It’s Not the Algorithm — It’s Your Headline

• The Tiny Writing Habit That Can 10x Your Substack Growth

• What Your Top-Performing Posts Are Trying to Tell You

• Steal This One Trick From Viral Substacks (I Did, and It Worked)

Pretty good, right?

But none of them thrilled me so I said:

Give me a few titles beginning with “How.” (I remembered I had success with a “How to” post)

Bitsy delivered again:

• How I Finally Got People to Click (Without Changing My Writing)

• How to Write Titles That Actually Get Opened

• How One Tiny Title Change Made My Best Post Blow Up

• How to Make Your Substack Posts Irresistible (Without Selling Out)

• How I Use AI to Write Better Titles (And Still Sound Like Me)

I ran with its second suggestion and added the power word quickly because everyone’s short on time. Then I dropped the second half of the suggestion and made it a subtitle.

The result? “How to Quickly Write Titles - That actually get opened.

A strong title, created fast.

That’s my goal.
Not to copy-paste AI suggestions mindlessly. But to use them as creative fuel,
to get a better result faster — that still sounds like you.

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👉 Where to Next?

Well, I feel like I’ve nailed the title process. For now, at least.
Next up in the Lab: getting more people to hit that subscribe button.

That’s next week’s post. Stay tuned.

🧪 Deb
Substack Lab — Where Experiments Get Messy Before They Get Good

P.S I’ll be taking another risk this week. It will be happening midweek See if you can pick it and let me know what you think. Is it something you might try? Substack is getting super competitive, I think we have to push some boundaries.😆

P.P.S If you want to be part of this experiment you will have to subscibe. What have you got to lose? Everything’s free in the Substack Lab (for now).