A case study title is not clickbait
Updated August 2024: Potential customers won’t click on case studies with clever or click-bait titles. Prospects and leads will click on a story with a case study title that is results-oriented and believable.
Even if your prospect is on your website and interested in how your solution has helped others, you still need to convince them to click to read a case study.
How?
Your case study title has to grab your prospect’s or lead’s attention and draw them into reading the entire case study. In fact, 80% of people will read a headline when they come across it, but only 20% will read the content that comes with it.
What does this mean for you? Your case study title needs to resonate. Do this by providing results-oriented information your audience cares about.
Here’s what we’re going to cover in this post:
- 3 elements your case study title must contain
- Simple and straightforward case study titles
- Case study title-subtitle combo
- Make sure your case study title resonates
- Role of keywords in case study titles
- Using metrics in case study titles
- Common mistakes to avoid
- Best practices for case study titles for different industries
- A/B testing your titles
This post is part of a series on how to write a B2B case study.
Make sure your case study title includes these 3 elements
1. Name of the customer
Who is the case study about? An anonymous case study will not inspire trust in your organization—there are just too many fake or invented case studies out there. Use the customer’s name in the case study title or, if they’re not well-known, indicate what industry they’re in and make sure the business name is right at the top of the main write-up.
2. Product or service the customer used
Let readers know if the case study is relevant for them. Does the case study discuss a challenge they’re facing or a use case that is top of mind? Is this the service they’re looking for, too?
3. Main benefit or result
Use a hard number if possible. If you don’t have a killer case study metric to put in the title, describe a specific result. Show off! Make an impression.
Case study title needs to be simple and straightforward
Here are 2 examples of simple, straightforward and effective case study titles:
Example 1:
Example 2:
In both cases, the title includes all 3 elements—the name of the customer, the service used and the key result backed by statistics—with no wasted words.
Case study title-subhead combo
Sometimes, a good title-subhead combo is the way to go:
The case study title tells you what happened—fashion revolution. The subhead lays out the details of what main benefit was achieved and how. In this example, the subhead is stronger than the title because of the metric.
Don’t do this in your case study title
Of course, not everyone gets it right. Take a look at this title:
The title is essentially the customer name—that’s not enough information to grab a reader.
Do this with your case study title instead
The title does, however, link to a PDF with another, much improved, title:
Even that could be improved by using a specific benefit or result in place of the vague phrase “new heights.”
Make sure your case study title resonates
If your title doesn’t work, you’ll lose your readers (and potential customers). Take time to craft a title with both impact and key information, though, and you’ll be well on the way to a successful conversion.
Get further inspiration for your case studies by checking out our critique of 3 case study samples from GitLab, Sendoso and Front.
The role of keywords in case study titles
Case studies are not typically an SEO play, but it never hurts to lightly optimize your case studies for keywords that naturally come up in the stories.
While incorporating keywords is important for SEO, it’s crucial to maintain readability. This applies to case study titles as well. If you do include keywords in your case study title, the title needs to remain clear, concise and easily understood by your target audience.
Using metrics in case study titles
Incorporating specific metrics in your case study titles can significantly increase their impact. For instance, instead of saying “Company X Improved Efficiency”, you could say “Company X Reduced Processing Time by 40%”. By presenting quantifiable results in your titles, you’re helping potential clients see the concrete benefits of your solution.
Common mistakes to avoid in case study titles
When crafting case study titles, avoid being vague or using jargon that your audience might not understand. The titles you use should clearly communicate the value and results companies can expect to achieve.
Best practices for case study titles in different industries
B2B case study title examples
When crafting B2B case study titles, focus on specific, measurable outcomes. For example: “Company X Increases Lead Generation by 150% with Company Y Solution” or “How Firm Y Reduced Operational Costs by 30% Using Company Y Platform”.
SaaS case study title examples
For SaaS case studies, emphasize scalability and efficiency. Consider titles like: “Startup Z Scales Customer Support 5x Without Increasing Headcount” or “Company A Automates 70% of Workflow with Company B SaaS Solution”.
E-commerce case study title examples
E-commerce case study titles should highlight revenue growth or improved customer experience. Examples include: “Online Retailer B Boosts Conversion Rates by 40% with Our AI-Powered Recommendations” or “How Fashion Brand C Reduced Cart Abandonment by 25% Using Our Checkout Optimization Tool”.
A/B testing your case study titles
To ensure your case study titles are effective, consider A/B testing different versions. Track metrics such as click-through rates, time spent on page and conversion rates. Treating your case study titles as valuable assets can lead to better performance and engagement.
Find out how 8 customer marketers measure the performance of their case studies.
Need a hand writing your case studies?
We’ve got you covered. We write done-for-you case studies for leading B2B SaaS companies like Okta, LeanData and WalkMe. Check out our case study writing service.
