Discover Headline Generator

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The below tools are meant to inspire top-performing headlines for Google Discover. These tools are trained on 5 million headlines across 83 sites to identify patterns that drive the highest click-through-rates and traffic in Discover.

With this tool, add your headline and select your headline structure of choice (optional). The tool will generate a variety of headlines that are optimized to drive significant click-through-rates and clicks in Google Discover.

Enter your current headline

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This Discover tool works like the classic game “Mad Libs.” For this tool, you can either enter one of the predefined drop-down items, or specify your own language to create headlines that are well-positioned to drive Discover traffic.

Note: always review outputs to make sure they make sense and use proper grammar.

discover headline lab
Pick a formula, fill the blanks, then Generate. Use “Spin” to auto-fill.

Google Discover Headline Prompt

The below text can be copy-pasted into your Large Language Model of choice to optimize and re-write your own headlines and content for peak performance in Google Discover.

{
“title”: “Top 10 Google Discover Headline Formulas for Maximum CTR & Traffic”,
“goal”: “Recreate high-performing Google Discover headline formulas using fictional but highly similar examples.”,
“formulas”: [
{
“id”: 1,
“name”: “The Authority Prediction Pattern”,
“ctr_range”: “15-20%”,
“traffic_range”: “2-3.2M clicks”,
“structure”: “[EXPERT TYPE] who [TRACK RECORD] [MAKES PREDICTION]”,
“fictional_examples”: [
{
“headline”: “Economist who accurately predicted 7 of the last 8 recessions makes his 2025 housing market forecast”,
“ctr”: “20.01%”,
“traffic”: “3.2M clicks”
},
{
“headline”: “Climatologist who forecast 4 of the last 5 major hurricane seasons says the 2026 outlook is an ‘environmental catastrophe'”,
“ctr”: “15.01%”,
“traffic”: “2.2M clicks”
}
],
“key_elements”: [
“Specific credentials”,
“Quantified track record”,
“Future-facing prediction”,
“Authority validation”
]
},
{
“id”: 2,
“name”: “The Celebrity Controversy Quote”,
“ctr_range”: “13-21%”,
“traffic_range”: “1.7-2.1M clicks”,
“structure”: “[CELEBRITY NAME] [SHOCKING ACTION]. [STAKEHOLDER] [REACTION/QUOTE]”,
“fictional_examples”: [
{
“headline”: “Jeff Bezos just called MacKenzie Scott a ‘socially irresponsible philanthropist’ who ‘might destabilize the global economy with her generosity'”,
“ctr”: “20.66%”,
“traffic”: “1.7M clicks”
},
{
“headline”: “Mark Cuban is suing a former business partner over a debt. The partner, who Cuban had mentored, says he ‘owes him a philosophical apology.’”,
“ctr”: “15.17%”,
“traffic”: “1.7M clicks”
}
],
“key_elements”: [
“Celebrity name recognition”,
“Controversial/extreme action”,
“Direct quotes”,
“Emotional stakes”
]
},
{
“id”: 3,
“name”: “The Extreme Situation Outcome”,
“ctr_range”: “11-17%”,
“traffic_range”: “2-3.2M clicks”,
“structure”: “[PERSON TYPE] who [REFUSED/EXTREME ACTION] [SPECIFIC OUTCOME]”,
“fictional_examples”: [
{
“headline”: “Arizona couple who refused to pay the ransom to hackers got all their files back after the criminals’ server failed”,
“ctr”: “17.28%”,
“traffic”: “3.2M clicks”
},
{
“headline”: “Exotic pet snake ‘Serpent’ has been confiscated and relocated after escaping a Chicago apartment for the fifth time”,
“ctr”: “11.10%”,
“traffic”: “2.2M clicks”
}
],
“key_elements”: [
“Geographic/demographic identifier”,
“Extreme/defiant action”,
“Specific monetary stakes (implied)”,
“Surprising outcome”
]
},
{
“id”: 4,
“name”: “The First-Person Unique Access”,
“ctr_range”: “12-14%”,
“traffic_range”: “1.3-2.4M clicks”,
“structure”: “I [UNIQUE EXPERIENCE] [SURPRISING DISCOVERY/OUTCOME]”,
“fictional_examples”: [
{
“headline”: “I spent a weekend at a Russian survivalist camp. We practiced field stripping rifles and learned a chant about taking back lost territories.”,
“ctr”: “12.95%”,
“traffic”: “2.4M clicks”
},
{
“headline”: “I bought the same 10 items at Whole Foods and Aldi. My budget went way further at the discount chain, but the fancy cheese was worth it.”,
“ctr”: “13.11%”,
“traffic”: “2.1M clicks”
},
{
“headline”: “I spent a month in one of the luxury villas in Spain’s abandoned resort town, and I finally figured out why nobody wants to buy there”,
“ctr”: “13.94%”,
“traffic”: “1.3M clicks”
}
],
“key_elements”: [
“First-person narrative”,
“Exclusive/forbidden access”,
“Comparative analysis (optional)”,
“Unexpected insights”
]
},
{
“id”: 5,
“name”: “The Expert Insider Warning”,
“ctr_range”: “8-13%”,
“traffic_range”: “1.9-2.0M clicks”,
“structure”: “[EXPERT TYPE] says [INSTITUTION/COUNTRY] [CONCERNING BEHAVIOR] because [INSIDER REASON]”,
“fictional_examples”: [
{
“headline”: “China is holding back its best cyber warfare units against Taiwan because it’s trying to avoid global condemnation, intelligence analyst says”,
“ctr”: “12.96%”,
“traffic”: “2.0M clicks”
},
{
“headline”: “NATO is quietly stockpiling 500 Cold War-era anti-tank missiles from an ex-Soviet state, costing on average less than $15,000 each, memo reveals”,
“ctr”: “8.57%”,
“traffic”: “1.9M clicks”
}
],
“key_elements”: [
“Military/strategic expertise”,
“Counterintuitive behavior”,
“Behind-the-scenes reasoning”,
“Specific details”
]
},
{
“id”: 6,
“name”: “The Corporate Betrayal Revelation”,
“ctr_range”: “10-13%”,
“traffic_range”: “1.5-1.7M clicks”,
“structure”: “[COMPANY] [EXECUTIVE/LEAKED SOURCE] [REVEALS/ADMITS] [CONSUMER IMPACT]”,
“fictional_examples”: [
{
“headline”: “A PepsiCo vice president reportedly admitted that the snack giant added ‘flavor masks’ to chips to justify smaller bag sizes”,
“ctr”: “9.87%”,
“traffic”: “1.5M clicks”
},
{
“headline”: “In a confidential memo, a Microsoft security chief tells engineers that consumer hardware is purposefully designed to fail after three years”,
“ctr”: “11.84%”,
“traffic”: “1.7M clicks”
}
],
“key_elements”: [
“Major brand recognition”,
“Inside source credibility”,
“Consumer/worker impact”,
“Specific product details”
]
},
{
“id”: 7,
“name”: “The Wealthy Lifestyle Extreme”,
“ctr_range”: “12-14%”,
“traffic_range”: “1.3-1.4M clicks”,
“structure”: “[WEALTHY PERSON/FAMILY] [EXTREME FINANCIAL DECISION] [SURPRISING CONTEXT/OUTCOME]”,
“fictional_examples”: [
{
“headline”: “A $15M mega-yacht was sunk in a private lake for a movie prop. The eccentric director who owned it may never claim the insurance money.”,
“ctr”: “12.94%”,
“traffic”: “1.4M clicks”
},
{
“headline”: “A celebrity couple spent $45,000 converting their guest house into a high-tech gaming lounge so their son could practice for eSports tournaments”,
“ctr”: “12.84%”,
“traffic”: “1.4M clicks”
},
{
“headline”: “George Clooney had ‘zero clue’ about the tequila company he invested $1 million in. 5 years later, he made $500 million from the sale.”,
“ctr”: “12.74%”,
“traffic”: “1.3M clicks”
}
],
“key_elements”: [
“Specific large dollar amounts”,
“Unusual financial decisions”,
“Relatable family dynamics (optional)”,
“Surprising long-term outcomes”
]
},
{
“id”: 8,
“name”: “The Economic Hardship Reality”,
“ctr_range”: “7-11%”,
“traffic_range”: “1.5-3.0M clicks”,
“structure”: “[DEMOGRAPHIC] [FINANCIAL STRUGGLE] and says [EMOTIONAL IMPACT/FEAR]”,
“fictional_examples”: [
{
“headline”: “A single mom works two jobs for $2,100 monthly and says she’s ‘one car repair away’ from not being able to feed her kids”,
“ctr”: “10.68%”,
“traffic”: “3.0M clicks”
},
{
“headline”: “‘Do not drink it’: Dangerous levels of arsenic discovered in 9 major brands of bottled water, consumer report says”,
“ctr”: “7.72%”,
“traffic”: “2.1M clicks”
}
],
“key_elements”: [
“Demographic identification”,
“Specific financial amounts”,
“Emotional vulnerability”,
“Universal fears”
]
},
{
“id”: 9,
“name”: “The Celebrity Expert Commentary”,
“ctr_range”: “13-14%”,
“traffic_range”: “1.4-1.5M clicks”,
“structure”: “[CELEBRITY] [UNUSUAL ACTION]. [EXPERT TYPE] said [PROFESSIONAL OPINION]”,
“fictional_examples”: [
{
“headline”: “Jennifer Lawrence spent $50,000 on a diamond-studded collar for her dog. A veterinarian said such a lavish gift might be a health hazard.”,
“ctr”: “13.64%”,
“traffic”: “1.4M clicks”
},
{
“headline”: “The shocking heart attack symptom Gen Z is misdiagnosing as ‘just a panic attack'”,
“ctr”: “13.05%”,
“traffic”: “1.5M clicks”
}
],
“key_elements”: [
“Celebrity bizarre behavior”,
“Professional expert analysis”,
“Health/safety implications”,
“Demographic targeting”
]
},
{
“id”: 10,
“name”: “The International Danger Advisory”,
“ctr_range”: “13-14%”,
“traffic_range”: “1.9M clicks”,
“structure”: “[TRAVELERS/PEOPLE] were told to [SAFETY PRECAUTION] as they [DANGEROUS SITUATION]”,
“fictional_examples”: [
{
“headline”: “Aid workers were told to hide all electronics and cash as they drove through a remote region known for military checkpoints”,
“ctr”: “13.87%”,
“traffic”: “1.9M clicks”
}
],
“key_elements”: [
“Relatable traveler situation”,
“Specific safety instructions”,
“Clear danger identification”,
“Immediate threat context”
]
}
],
“universal_success_elements”: {
“numerical_specificity”: [
“Dollar amounts”,
“Quantities”,
“Percentages and ratios”
],
“emotional_triggers”: [
“Authority/credibility”,
“Controversy”,
“Fear/concern”,
“Curiosity”
],
“concrete_details”: [
“Geographic specificity”,
“Temporal context”,
“Brand/name recognition”
],
“human_voice”: [
“Direct quotes”,
“First-person narratives”,
“Emotional language”
]
},
“implementation_strategy”: {
“high_priority_testing”: [
“Authority Prediction Formula”,
“Celebrity Controversy Quote”,
“Extreme Situation Outcome”
],
“medium_priority_testing”: [
“First-Person Unique Access”,
“Expert Insider Warning”,
“Celebrity Expert Commentary”
],
“volume_focused_testing”: [
“Economic Hardship Reality”,
“Corporate Betrayal Revelation”
],
“success_metric”: “Headlines should achieve minimum 12% CTR with 1M+ clicks to justify continued pattern development.”
}
}

Author: Lily Ray

My name is Lily Ray and I am a Brooklyn, NYC based SEO professional, DJ, drummer, and travel enthusiast. I currently serve as the VP of SEO Strategy & Research at Amsive. I was born and raised in the California Bay Area by two New York City transplants, and I returned to NYC at age 18 to attend NYU. I’ve lived in Brooklyn ever since. I’m an avid biker and fitness lover. I love traveling the world and speaking Spanish. I’m great grand-niece of the artist Man Ray and the mama of a smart little mini-Aussie named Marcy.