"Headlines must sell benefits, never features." [DEPENDS]

"Headlines must sell benefits, never features." [DEPENDS]

Copywriting 101, repeated until it's reflex: "sell the hole, not the drill."

Why it spread: it's a tidy maxim that makes junior copywriters feel like pros.

The truth: when the visitor already knows the category and is comparing options, a feature is the benefit. "256GB, 5-min charge" beats "Never run out of power" for someone who's already sold on the product and now deciding between vendors. Benefit-speak to an expert reads as evasive marketing fluff.

What the advice skipped: match the headline to awareness stage. Cold traffic needs the benefit. Bottom-of-funnel comparison shoppers want the spec. Selling the hole to someone holding a drill insults them.