Headlines play a very important part in marketing your blog. Their job is to capture the attention of the online audience and compel them to read the entire article. However, accomplishing both things can be very tricky since headlines are supposed to be only a few words long.
According to research, the most effective headlines are only six words long. The only reason why you do not always see 6-word headlines is that they are extremely difficult to write.
Click-bait headlines? These could work, but only if you are writing about a trending topic. Otherwise, your readers may hate you for misleading them.
So if you want to get the attention of your audience legitimately, below are the types of click-worthy headlines you need to know about:
1. Headlines with Benefits
“What’s in it for me?”
That is the first question that will pop into the minds of your audience the moment they see your headline. That said, one of the best types of headlines focus on the benefits that your readers should expect.
According to KISSmetrics, readers tend to absorb the first and last three wordsof a headline. So when it comes to structuring your headline, make sure the benefits are found at the beginning or end.
It is also a very good idea to combine the benefits with a “tip” that hints the reader on what to expect. For example, “step-by-step guide” can be a tip to the benefit of “increasing blog traffic”.
Put this together and you get A Step-by-Step Guide on Increasing Blog Traffic.
2. Using Power Words
A few marketing works when it comes to crafting click-worthy headlines. With “power words”, you are selling the benefits of your content with terms like “turbo-charge”, “life-changing”, “hack”, “ridiculous”, and so on.
Keep in mind that power words must be used strategically and not be overused. There are specific words that work better than others in certain situations. For example, if you want to increase the value of your content, make sure you use “novelty” power words such as “revolutionary”, “remarkable”, “latest”, or “surprising”.
To learn more about power words and the best times to use them, you can refer to this blog post by SumoMe.
3. Use Lists
Everybody loves listicles. They are easy to write, easier to come up with, and much more useful for readers who need actions fast.
Writing lists also mean you have half of your headline already figured out. For example, if you are writing about the top 10 influencer marketing strategies, then you should include Top 10 Influencer Marketing Strategies somewhere in your headline.
Keep in mind that including a number to denote a list is sometimes more preferable than resorting to a simple tip. About the example above, using “10 Steps for Increasing Blog Traffic” works better than “A Step-by-Step Guide on Increasing Blog Traffic” since the audience have a clearer idea of what to expect.
A tip for this strategy is to make the list as big as you can. If a reader is already partially familiar with the topic, then a bigger number means more things to learn. For example, “10 Steps” is very appealing to readers who already know five or seven steps.
Statistics also show higher clicks in list articles with odd numbers. Although there’s no clear explanation for this, you might as well try and see if it works for you.
4. Highlight Exact Figures
Right off the bat, you want your readers to feel confident with your headline. You need them to see that you are a credible source that can provide them with data-driven information.
A great example would be Brian Dean’s post called “Viral Marketing Case Study: How a Brand New Blog Generated 17,584 Visitors in One Day.”
Many bloggers struggle to reach a thousand views per month—let alone 17,584 in a single day. By putting this number in the headline, Brian Dean is giving those bloggers a wake-up call that they are doing something wrong.
5. Spark a Discussion
Some bloggers use controversial headlines the wrong way and end up getting punished for it. Remember that controversial doesn’t mean going against a set of widely recognized norms so that you could stand out. What you need is to deal with topics that people will want to discuss.
A good strategy is to define two sides by criticizing a popular opinion. Doing so will attract two kinds of people to the discussion: those who agree with you and those who do not.
As a natural reaction, people will try to defend their views through the comments or external shares of your content; regardless if they are with you or against you. Just remember that it is your responsibility to facilitate an intelligent discussion in your blog. Ensure everyone respects each other in your blog.
Conclusion
Bear in mind that writing an excellent blog and promoting it are two very different skills. Although a headline is part of your content, writing an effective one is all about promoting it to the online community. Hopefully, the tips above helped you refine your headline-writing skills and brought you more clicks to your blog posts.
Source
According to research, the most effective headlines are only six words long. The only reason why you do not always see 6-word headlines is that they are extremely difficult to write.
Click-bait headlines? These could work, but only if you are writing about a trending topic. Otherwise, your readers may hate you for misleading them.
So if you want to get the attention of your audience legitimately, below are the types of click-worthy headlines you need to know about:
1. Headlines with Benefits
“What’s in it for me?”
That is the first question that will pop into the minds of your audience the moment they see your headline. That said, one of the best types of headlines focus on the benefits that your readers should expect.
According to KISSmetrics, readers tend to absorb the first and last three wordsof a headline. So when it comes to structuring your headline, make sure the benefits are found at the beginning or end.
It is also a very good idea to combine the benefits with a “tip” that hints the reader on what to expect. For example, “step-by-step guide” can be a tip to the benefit of “increasing blog traffic”.
Put this together and you get A Step-by-Step Guide on Increasing Blog Traffic.
2. Using Power Words
A few marketing works when it comes to crafting click-worthy headlines. With “power words”, you are selling the benefits of your content with terms like “turbo-charge”, “life-changing”, “hack”, “ridiculous”, and so on.
Keep in mind that power words must be used strategically and not be overused. There are specific words that work better than others in certain situations. For example, if you want to increase the value of your content, make sure you use “novelty” power words such as “revolutionary”, “remarkable”, “latest”, or “surprising”.
To learn more about power words and the best times to use them, you can refer to this blog post by SumoMe.
3. Use Lists
Everybody loves listicles. They are easy to write, easier to come up with, and much more useful for readers who need actions fast.
Writing lists also mean you have half of your headline already figured out. For example, if you are writing about the top 10 influencer marketing strategies, then you should include Top 10 Influencer Marketing Strategies somewhere in your headline.
Keep in mind that including a number to denote a list is sometimes more preferable than resorting to a simple tip. About the example above, using “10 Steps for Increasing Blog Traffic” works better than “A Step-by-Step Guide on Increasing Blog Traffic” since the audience have a clearer idea of what to expect.
A tip for this strategy is to make the list as big as you can. If a reader is already partially familiar with the topic, then a bigger number means more things to learn. For example, “10 Steps” is very appealing to readers who already know five or seven steps.
Statistics also show higher clicks in list articles with odd numbers. Although there’s no clear explanation for this, you might as well try and see if it works for you.
4. Highlight Exact Figures
Right off the bat, you want your readers to feel confident with your headline. You need them to see that you are a credible source that can provide them with data-driven information.
A great example would be Brian Dean’s post called “Viral Marketing Case Study: How a Brand New Blog Generated 17,584 Visitors in One Day.”
Many bloggers struggle to reach a thousand views per month—let alone 17,584 in a single day. By putting this number in the headline, Brian Dean is giving those bloggers a wake-up call that they are doing something wrong.
5. Spark a Discussion
Some bloggers use controversial headlines the wrong way and end up getting punished for it. Remember that controversial doesn’t mean going against a set of widely recognized norms so that you could stand out. What you need is to deal with topics that people will want to discuss.
A good strategy is to define two sides by criticizing a popular opinion. Doing so will attract two kinds of people to the discussion: those who agree with you and those who do not.
As a natural reaction, people will try to defend their views through the comments or external shares of your content; regardless if they are with you or against you. Just remember that it is your responsibility to facilitate an intelligent discussion in your blog. Ensure everyone respects each other in your blog.
Conclusion
Bear in mind that writing an excellent blog and promoting it are two very different skills. Although a headline is part of your content, writing an effective one is all about promoting it to the online community. Hopefully, the tips above helped you refine your headline-writing skills and brought you more clicks to your blog posts.
Source
Diyyan Mehboob, Professional blogger in Pakistan. Started blog to complete my passion about blogging, Helping readers all around the world to solve problems about Wordpress, SEO and Online Earnings.
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