Cosmo isn’t going to change the world nor will they ever put out any sort of content one might describe as “thought-provoking”.

And, at times, they’re going to hug the ultra-fine line that runs between degrading women and being advocates for their sexuality.

However, if there is one thing that Cosmo does right, it’s headlines. They know how to write catchy headlines that get the reader’s attention.

We’ve all fought the temptation.

You’re standing in line at the supermarket.

(Probably with your arms cradling an overflowing pile of groceries because you were too damn stubborn to grab the cart).

As you slowly approach the register, pleading that your fingers won’t give out from the frostbite caused by the gallon of ice cream in your right hand, you look longingly to the front of the line willing it to move faster.

Suddenly, out of the corner of your eye, a bright glossy cover stands out like an exploding highlighter.

You tell yourself not to look.

You tell yourself not to look.

You tell yourself not to look.

Then, the temptation overcomes you and you look.

It’s a Cosmopolitan magazine with a headline probably not all that dissimilar to the ones I’ve curated below.

Moments later, you find yourself thumbing through its pages in your car, looking over your shoulder guarding the titles that tickle every inch of your curiosities, fantasies and insecurities.

Cosmo headlines you wouldn’t want your momma to see.

For the writers and marketers in the audience, Cosmo headlines work because they trigger a fear or insecurity and then hint at having a solution.

They’re a superb example of fear-based marketing, the strategy of marketing and creating advertising around a customer’s fears and insecurities and then offering a solution to said fears and insecurities. To take this a step further, they also understand that sex sells and sells well.

While fear-based marketing and sex isn’t an effective marketing strategy for everyone, for Cosmo (and their headlines) it works well. While stylistically you might be able to pull some inspiration from the Cosmo headlines down below, I would recommend you check out my copywriting guide to learn how to write headlines that sell like hell.

Now, let’s take a look…

1. What massage parlor girls are like (and do to men––perhaps yours).
2. An orgasm almost killed her: we are not kidding.
3. Why most men are still attracted to dumb women, and the incredible things they do to smart women at the office (but times, they are a-changing).
4. When your vagina acts weird after sex.
5. Advice to girls over five feet seven.
6. His butt: what the size, shape, and pinch-ability of those sweet cheeks reveal about his true self.
7. Feel happier in 9 seconds
8. Should you be faithful to somebody else’s husband.
9. Sex sessions that ended in the ER: you’ll thank God it wasn’t you.
10. The undiscovered joys of having a Chinese lover.
11. Killer cocktail: how a popular drink could kill you in your sleep.
12. Little mouth moves that make sex hotter.
13. Pow! Bam! Splat! Men who punch girls.
14. Untamed va-jay-jays: guess what sexy style is back.
15. Want a new nose? Complete information.
16. A secretary tells how a con man took her money.
17. What to do about those secret, enormous binges that lay you low with guilt and girth.
18. The silent way he shows he’s whipped.
19. Hollywood’s physical-fitness wizard tells how to get high on deep breathing.
20. The flight attendant’s diet. Keeping slim isn’t easy even on airline food!
21. 12 ways to make your place look smashing (for less than $100).
22. When threes not a crowd. An alternate love style to some.
23. Flatten your belly: the new water sipping trick that crushes hunger.
24. Getting him back from her. (75% of straying husbands do come home).
25. Girls who are addicted to sex. Why they can’t stop.
26.  His secret sex spots: you know about his G-spot, now be the first to find out about his C-spot and V-spot. Touch both tonight and you’ll peel him off the ceiling.
27. “She caught a rapist with a straw”.
28. The unbelievable spending orgies of the superrich. Is this the fall of Rome?
29. 20,000 readers reveal the main reasons for divorce.
30. 1,000 men confess the squeezes, licks and teases they long for –– and the most important square inch on a man’s body.
31. Who’s that Anorexic girl at the gym?
32. How to climax together, a sure-fire technique that takes you both over the edge simultaneously.
33. News: why wet kisses make men horny.
34. 21 mind blowing sex moves you’ve never tried before.
35. My car turned me on!: hilarious tales of accidental pleasure.
36.  99 sexy ways to touch him: these fresh, frisky tips will thrill every inch of your guy (our favorite requires a glazed donut).
37. A shocking thing 68% of chicks do in bed.

Now, how can Cosmo help you write better headlines?

For one, you can just downright steal them.

Take #37 for example… A shocking thing 68% of chicks do in bed.

Writers and marketers could easily revise this one to… A shocking thing 68% of software engineers do in the office.

Or #30… 1,000 men confess the squeezes, licks and teases they long for –– and the most important square inch on a man’s body.

This could easily be changed to… 1,000 marketers weigh-in on the strategies, tactics and secrets they harness to create striking marketing –– and the most important quality a marketer can possess.

Additionally, one “sure-fire” take-away from Cosmo headlines is the “hinting” they do constantly.

Curiosity is a powerful thing.

From time to time, dangling a solution in front of a reader’s face without giving it away can get them to click. I talk more about that in my copywriting guide.

But, I digress.

By Cole Schafer.