Latest / The Copywriting Podcast with Fexingo: Sales Letters, Headlines, and Persuasive Writing / How One Word Made a Headline 3X More Persuasive
Transcript
- Lucas: So there's this A/B test I came across from a B2B SaaS company — I won't name them because the data was shared under NDA, but the numbers are solid. They ran a headline test on their homepage, and the winning version lifted click-through rate by 200 percent. The only difference? One word. Luna: One word. That's wild. Which word? Lucas: They swapped 'get' for 'discover.' So the control headline was 'Get the ultimate guide to remote team productivity.' The treatment was 'Discover the ultimate guide to remote team productivity.' Everything else identical — same layout, same button, same image. Luna: Okay, I can feel the difference. 'Get' feels a bit — I don't know, demanding? Like I have to do something. Lucas: Exactly. 'Get' is a transactional verb. It implies effort, almost like a chore. 'Discover' is exploratory. It taps into curiosity. It promises that the answer is waiting for you, and you just have to uncover it. That shift in agency is huge. Luna: And it's not just about positivity. 'Discover' also implies novelty — like this is new information, not something I already know. Lucas: Right. And that's backed by research. There's a 2018 study in the Journal of Consumer Psychology where they tested verbs in advertising copy. They found that verbs implying control — like 'try' or 'explore' — outperformed passive verbs like 'get' or 'receive' in low-commitment requests. The effect was strongest when the product was something the consumer hadn't tried before. Luna: So novelty plus agency. That's a powerful combo. Lucas: It is. And what's interesting is that this principle goes way back. Claude Hopkins, in his 1923 book 'Scientific Advertising,' talked about the importance of specific, emotionally resonant language. He said, 'Don't say cheap. Say what it costs, and why it's a bargain.' But the deeper insight was about verbs: he advised using action words that put the reader in control. Luna: I love that. So how do you apply this beyond headlines? Like, say you're writing a call to action button. Lucas: Great question. For CTAs, the same principle holds. 'Start your free trial' versus 'Get your free trial' — 'start' implies an action you control, 'get' feels like you're just receiving something. Or 'Explore our features' versus 'See our features.' 'Explore' invites discovery. 'See' is passive. Luna: Subject lines too, right? 'Discover the secret to better sleep' versus 'Get better sleep tips.' The first one pulls me in. Lucas: Exactly. And you can even apply it to elevator pitches. Instead of 'Our platform helps you get more leads,' try 'Our platform helps you discover hidden opportunities in your sales data.' It reframes the benefit as something the user actively uncovers. Luna: That's much more compelling. So what's the editing trick you mentioned? The one where you read it aloud? Lucas: Oh right. So here's a practical test: read your headline aloud and pay attention to where your voice naturally dips — like where you feel a slight emotional letdown. That dip is often the weak verb. For 'Get the ultimate guide,' the dip hits right after 'get.' It's flat. For 'Discover the ultimate guide,' the energy stays steady or even rises through 'discover' because the word itself sparks curiosity. Luna: So you're listening for the emotional arc of the sentence. That's a really simple heuristic. Lucas: Yeah. And if you can't feel that dip, you can also do the 'skip test': cover the first word and read the rest. If the sentence still feels complete, that first word is probably a weak filler. 'Get' is a classic example — 'Get the guide' could just be 'The guide.' But 'Discover the guide' — without 'discover,' it loses its promise of exploration. Luna: I'm going to try that on my next draft. What about cases where 'get' actually works better? Like a limited-time offer or a discount. Lucas: Good point. 'Get 50 percent off' is probably stronger than 'Discover 50 percent off' because the transaction is immediate and the value is clear. 'Discover' implies a journey, which might delay the decision. So the key is matching the verb to the user's mindset. If they're ready to buy, 'get' is fine. If they're researching, 'discover' invites them in. Luna: Context matters. So it's not a universal rule, it's a tool. Lucas: Exactly. And that's what makes copywriting fun — it's a craft, not a formula. But having a simple swap like this in your toolkit can make a big difference. Luna: I have to ask — you mentioned this is a paid subscription model show, ad-free. How do you keep it going? Lucas: Yeah, the show stays ad-free because of listener support. If today's episode gave you a concrete takeaway you'll actually use — maybe the 'discover' swap or the skip test — a coffee helps keep these conversations coming. You can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: It's a small gesture that lets us focus on the craft instead of selling ads. And honestly, we love putting these episodes together. Lucas: So, back to verbs. Let's talk about another example: a non-profit that tested 'Help us feed hungry children' versus 'Join us in feeding hungry children.' The second one lifted donations by 34 percent. Luna: Because 'join' implies community and shared action, while 'help' feels like you're just a donor. Lucas: Exactly. And that's a different psychological trigger — social identity. 'Join' activates the part of us that wants to belong. 'Help' is more transactional, like you're giving from a distance. Luna: So the verb choice isn't just about emotion, it's about the role you're asking the reader to play. Lucas: That's a great way to put it. And you can test this systematically. Run an A/B test with two versions of your headline or CTA, change only the verb, and see what happens. The sample size doesn't need to be huge — a few hundred visitors can give you a signal. Luna: What are some other high-impact verbs to try? Lucas: I keep a shortlist: discover, unlock, access, explore, start, join, build, create. These all imply agency and a positive outcome. On the flip side, verbs like get, receive, learn, see — they're not bad, but they're often weaker because they're passive or vague. Luna: 'Learn' is interesting. I've heard it's one of the most overused words in online courses. Lucas: Totally. 'Learn how to code' versus 'Build your first app.' 'Build' is active, specific, and gives you a tangible outcome. 'Learn' is a process — it doesn't promise completion. Luna: So the best verbs also imply a result. That makes sense. Lucas: Yeah. And one more thing: don't just think about the verb in isolation. Think about the entire phrase. 'Get your free ebook' could become 'Unlock your free ebook' — that 'unlock' adds a sense of value, like you're accessing something exclusive. Luna: I've seen 'unlock' used a lot in email marketing. Does it ever feel gimmicky? Lucas: It can, if it's overused. But in moderation, it works because it plays on the scarcity of knowledge. The key is authenticity — if the content genuinely provides value, 'unlock' doesn't feel manipulative. Luna: So the verb needs to match the actual experience. Lucas: Always. Copywriting can't fix a bad product. But it can make a good product irresistible. And the verb is the first thing the reader processes, so it's worth getting right. Luna: Alright, I'm going to go through my website headlines with the skip test today. Lucas: Let me know what you find. I bet you'll spot at least one 'get' you can swap. Luna: Probably more. And thanks for the tip on 'discover' — I think that one's going to be my new go-to.