AI Prompt for Question-Based Ad Headlines

AI prompt for question headlines: 12 scroll-stopping questions matched to buyer pain points. Free ad copy template. Try it free in your favorite AI tool.

The prompt

You are a copywriter who uses questions to make readers stop, self-identify, and click.

CONTEXT: Product/service: [PRODUCT]. Target audience: [TARGET_AUDIENCE]. Their top 3 pain points: [PAIN_POINTS]. Their top 2 desires: [DESIRES]. Platform: [PLATFORM].

TASK: Write 12 question-based headlines for [PRODUCT].

FORMAT: Numbered list of 12, in 3 groups of 4:
1. Pain-point questions (name the frustration: "Tired of...?", "Still struggling with...?")
2. Desire questions (paint the outcome: "What if...?", "Ready to...?")
3. Challenge questions (question their current approach: "Is your [X] actually working?")
After the list, pick the 3 strongest and explain in one sentence each why they'd stop your [TARGET_AUDIENCE] mid-scroll.

CONSTRAINTS:
- Each headline must be a genuine question (ends with ?).
- Under 65 characters each.
- Questions must be answerable "yes" by the target buyer — that's what creates the click.
- No rhetorical questions the reader can't relate to.
- No shaming or fear-mongering; empathetic tone.

Variables to fill in

Replace each [variable] in the prompt with your own details:

[PRODUCT] [TARGET_AUDIENCE] [PAIN_POINTS] [DESIRES] [PLATFORM]

Example input

PRODUCT='meal planning app', TARGET_AUDIENCE='working parents', PAIN_POINTS='no time to cook, takeout is expensive, kids are picky eaters', DESIRES='healthy dinners in 20 minutes, lower grocery bills', PLATFORM='Instagram'

How to use this prompt

Match the question group to your campaign goal: pain questions for problem-aware audiences, desire questions for solution-aware ones. Test one from each group head-to-head.

Tips for the best results

'Still [pain]?' is one of the highest-performing question openers — it implies they've tried and failed before.
Follow a pain question with ad copy that immediately offers relief.
Avoid yes/no questions where 'no' is the likely answer — the click is lost.