TL;DR: I audited 50 seed-stage startups and found a recurring mistake:** “Clever” headlines that say nothing.** If a stranger can’t tell what you sell within 5 seconds, you’re losing customers. Stop trying to sound smart and just say what you do and who it’s for.
I audited 50 seed-stage startup websites last month.
On every website, the first thing I did was to read the headline (like any user would).
It surprised me how bad these titles were. Objectively.
Most titles said nothing at all.
Two ways founders mess this up
- They put zero thought into it. The headline is just… there. A sentence that exists because the template had a headline field.
- Or they overthink it. They try to sound smart. They end up with something clever that means nothing. Both fail the same way: a VC or prospect reads them and instead of being interested, they become confused.
Real headlines I saw last month
- “Move fast when you break things”
- “Evolving work. Improving life.”
- “Redefining Hospitality through intelligence and integration”
- “World-leading visibility and flexibility” Can you tell me what these companies do? I doubt it.
These titles could belong to almost any company in any industry. That means they belong to no one.
Some founders just use their company name as the headline. That’s worse. You just raised seed. Your name means nothing to a stranger.
Bad headlines cost money
The famous 5-second rule states that users decide within 5 seconds if they should read more or leave.
Most users will just read the headline in these 5 seconds. If you don’t give them a reason to stay, they’ll leave. That’s the default.
Not putting real effort into writing a headline, will cost you your best customers.
What actually works
Compare previous headlines to these:
- “Real Estate’s Biggest Personalities, Under One Roof”
- “The AI hiring infrastructure layer for regulated enterprises” These are not perfect, but they are so much better.
Why? They are just clear. They don’t try to be smart.
- First one: I know it’s real estate media or content. I get the vibe.
- Second one: AI hiring. For regulated enterprises. Done. I know if this is for me or not. That’s the bar: A stranger should read your headline and immediately know if he should start scrolling.
Does your headline pass this test?
Read your headline out loud. Then ask:
- Could this describe any other company?
- Would a stranger know what I sell?
- Am I trying to sound clever? If yes, no, yes: rewrite it.
Here is the simple fix
- Say what you do.
- Say who it’s for. (Optional #3: Handle an objection)
You’re not writing poetry. You’re not winning an ad award.
You’re trying to make a stranger understand your company in 3 seconds.
You are qualifying him and moving him one step closer to clicking on your CTA.