Create a Headline Test

Running a headline experiment in Parse.ly is quick and intuitive. Follow the steps outlined in the video below, starting from the Headline Testing tab in the Parse.ly Dashboard.

1. Visit the Headline Testing tab.
   Access it from the navigation bar in the Dashboard.
2. Click “Create Test.”
   You’ll find this button at the top right of the Headline Testing tab.
3. Select the post to test.
   Choose any published post to start testing different headline options.
4. Set the duration.
   Define how long the test should run, anywhere from 15 minutes up to 7 days.
5. Add headline variants.
   Include up to 10 headlines (1 control + 9 variants). Be bold or subtle — test what matters most.
6. Start the test.
   Launch your experiment. Parse.ly’s system will automatically distribute traffic and begin learning in real time.

Best practices

• Use variety: Try emotional, question-based, and keyword-focused headline variants.
• Short tests (15-30 minutes) work well for breaking news.
• Don’t test too many headlines at once if traffic is low — aim for statistical confidence.

Headline test drafts

When writing headline tests, you can save those that are unfinished as drafts, then return to them to continue editing before launch.

Save a headline test draft

To save a headline test as a draft before launching it:

• Fill in any part of the test (headline variants, duration, etc.).
• Click the “Save as Draft” button at the bottom of the modal.

Drafts are saved to your dashboard and can be edited later. No traffic is directed to a draft, and the test will not run until you click “Start Test.”

Edit a headline test draft

After saving a headline test as a draft, you can continue editing it until it’s ready to be launched:

• Go to the Headline Testing tab.
• Find your draft in the list of headline tests (labeled as Draft).

Click it to open and complete the setup, then click “Start Test” when you’re ready.

Edit the control headline

You can edit the control headline, which is the main headline shown on your site and in your CMS when setting up a Headline Test. This gives you more flexibility to refine your tests and ensure the right version of the headline is used as the foundation for the experiment.

This feature is helpful when:

• You have different headlines depending on the location of the post (news section, homepage, archive, etc.).
• You want to adjust the main headline before launching a test.
• The published headline has changed since the test was created.

AI-generated headlines

Parse.ly offers the ability to generate headline suggestions using AI directly within the Headline Testing interface. This feature is designed to spark creativity, accelerate workflows, and help editorial teams test fresh headline variations that align with their story’s tone and intent.

How AI-generated headlines work

When configuring a new headline test, users with the feature enabled see a Write with AI button.

1. Prompt input
   After clicking the button, you are guided through a short form where you can provide context for the AI to generate relevant suggestions.
   
2. AI suggestions
   A list of suggested headlines is then displayed. You can:
   
   • Pin your favorite suggestions.
   • Discard unwanted options.
   • Request more suggestions.
     
3. Add to variants
   Once satisfied, you can add selected AI-generated headlines to the variant list for testing. Each AI-generated variant is flagged in the system, allowing for future analysis of performance compared to human-written options.