Headlines are often the first thing people see when they encounter your content. They are your chance to invite readers in and give them an idea of the message that you want to share with them.
However, headlines are also very hard to write – well, at least good ones are. Short in length, they are deceptively simple yet they can take days to come into their final form.
Here are some tips on writing better headlines:
Everyone loves lists
List articles are extremely popular online. They give the reader a clear hint about the structure and what to expect. Listicles can also be very useful and helpful to the readers so they are often quite successful.
Use numbers in your title in order to attract some attention but make sure to only do it if your article is really a listicle.
Keep your promises
One of the worst things you could possibly do is create a clickbait title that either has nothing to do with your content or it tries to play on sensationalism. If you want some credibility and respect from your readers, you should definitely avoid them. While they might drive a lot of traffic, all of that won’t matter as much if your readers stop clicking on your titles.
So, if your article is about business books, make the title all about business books.
Who is the content dedicated to
When creating a title, you need to think about your audience. There are many articles with a similar premise but different uses in terms of who will benefit from them. For example, there could be many articles about best business books. However, you want to attract your target audience and not just the general audience who will not benefit from it or act upon it. If you are aiming at female entrepreneurs you should make your title targeted at them.
So, for example, the title could be “Ten Business Books To Help You Become A Strong She-EO” or something similar.
What makes your content different
Next thing you should think about are the features that make your article different from any other article. These could efficiently transform your plain title into something that jumps from the page and grabs attention. So, for instance, your title could now be “Ten Business Books By Powerful Women for Future She-EOs”
Optimize for SEO
Of course, your title won’t be of much use if your users can’t find it. Research keywords and decide which one you are going to rank for. Optimize your title so the keyword is near the beginning. This is one of the main factors in your article’s findability.
Use trigger words
Just like numbers instantly attract readers, so do many words and phrases. For instance, you can use the famous “How To…”,” Why”, “Introduction to”, “Beginners guide to” or “A complete guide to” at the beginning of your article. You can also use popular phrases like “DIY” or “in 5 minutes” within your title.
Creating headlines may be difficult but if you do it properly, you can reap many benefits from it. Consider these rules when creating a headline and dedicate some time to creating a few versions that can work for your content.