What’s the first thing you notice from a blog post, regardless whether you see it shared on social media or at the actual blog page? It’s the headline. According to the statistics provided by Copyblogger, 8 out of 10 people will read the headline when they see it. However, only 2 out of 10 will proceed reading the content.
The logic is simple: if you want more people to read the content, you need a better headline. This part of the post has to grab the attention of the audience. We’re not talking about getting their attention through click baits. Fortunately, top-level bloggers understand that such deceptive tricks don’t work.
We’re talking about writing powerful headlines that grasp the essence of your post and trigger the reader’s curiosity. Read on; we have the tips that will help you achieve that effect.
Tips for Writing Cool Headlines
1. Use the Right Keywords
Let’s say you’re writing a post that examines the relation between stress and headaches. Here are two examples of the way the headline could look like:
- You Won’t Believe How Last Night’s Fight Affects You
- Studies Prove It: Stress Causes Headaches
Now, let’s imagine a person interested to find out whether there’s a connection between stress and headaches. They will search Google with phrases similar to these:
- Does stress cause headaches?
- Why do I have a headache?
- Stress and headaches connection
Which of those two headlines is related to the common search? Of course it’s the second one; the first one looks like a clickbait and the audience doesn’t know what to expect from a post like that. The second headline is strong because it’s relevant. And, it’s relevant because it uses the right keywords: stress and headaches.
2. The How-to Always Works
If you hit Buzzsumo to find the most popular blog posts related to a keyword you’re focused on, you’ll see several how to headlines featured in the list of results. That’s because this headline format works. When the audience wants answers and solutions, they are highly likely to hit one of the how-to headlines.
Let’s say someone just bought an orchid. They use Google to search with the keyword orchid. The first thing they get is a Wikipedia page, but the How to Care for Orchids article is also among the first results.
3. Lists!
- Tips for Writing Better Headlines
- 11 Tips for Writing Better Headlines
The second version of this headline is better, since it gives you a specific expectation: a clear list of tips you can immediately use. The first version, the one without a number, may contain a single tip. It may be presented as a huge chunk of text that no one would read. Thus, it’s safer for a reader to choose the headline that leads to a clear expectation.
In addition, the number means that you’ll present your post in the form of a list. A listicle is great because it gives the reader a chance to skim through the post and check out the subheads. This also means that you’ll have to make the subheadings really cool, since they will attract the visitor to read the whole thing.
4. Don’t Lie
- Here’s What Mozart Had for Breakfast on the Day of His Wedding
Wow, that headline seemed intriguing, didn’t it? Unfortunately, when a potential reader clicks on a headline such as this one, they find an article that has nothing to do with it. Can you get tons of visits with this strategy? Probably. Will you get tons of readers who would like and share the content? No! Do you remember the fake news that flooded the web during the campaigns for U.S. elections? You can’t see those blogs being popular now, right?
If you intend to make a blog successful and popular, you mustn’t write deceiving headlines. Accuracy is an important element of a good headline, since this part of the post tells the readers what information they are going to get if they read the whole article. If you don’t give them the info you promised to give, you’ll only end up with frustrated readers, who won’t be nice to you in the comments.
5. Promise Solutions
- You Have to Try this Meditation Technique
- 3 Meditation Techniques that Will Calm You Down
The first headline seems too forced. It’s like you’re persuading the reader to do something they are not sure they want to do. The second headline, however, seems like you’re promising solutions. If someone has troubles with stress and anxiety, they will definitely be interested to read your article.
When you’re thinking about the headline of your post, take this approach: what do you usually read online? Do you fall for click baits? Do you understand that the content is original or written by essay writing websites? Do you like arrogant headlines that are convincing you to do something? No; you probably fall for headlines that help you form precise expectations. You need solutions and truthful information. That’s exactly the kind of headlines you should go for when writing your own blog posts.
The logic is simple: if you want more people to read the content, you need a better headline