A better headline uses a number, a strong adjective, or a question that sparks curiosity, promises the reader something, and sounds different from everyone else's. Those 5 tips are easy to apply to any article.
Writing good content is not even half the battle. You need a catchy headline to draw people into your content. If you can't get people's attention with a headline worth clicking, very few of them will ever read your masterpiece.
Many people find what they read through search engines, so writing catchy headlines is a skill worth mastering. Dull headlines don't get the clicks.
Here are 5 easy tips for writing better headlines. For the basics, also read everything you should know about headlines.
Use numbers
Numbers in headlines work well in every medium. Magazines and newspapers have used them for years, and you see them all over the internet. It simply works.
If you write tips or how-tos, a number in the headline comes naturally. When you can, avoid overused numbers like 10 or 3: there are already far too many "top 10" and "top 3" articles. Try a less common number, like 17 or 8. It sets you apart from all the other headlines with numbers.
Use adjectives
You need to appeal to your potential readers' emotions, and adjectives in your headlines are a great way to do that. To make it easier, here are 17 powerful adjectives you can use:
- Best
- easy
- effortless
- epic
- essential
- excellent
- fantastic
- free
- kick-ass
- killer
- mind-blowing
- ridiculous
- simple
- unbelievable
- Ultimate
- useful
- valuable
There are many more adjectives you can use, of course, but these 17 are a great starting point.
Ask questions
Never ask a question with an obvious answer, or one that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no". Instead, ask questions that provoke your readers and pique their curiosity. Here are some examples.
Avoid questions like these:
- Can eating too much sugar make you fat?
- Is smoking bad for your health?
Ask questions like these instead:
- Where are the best places to propose?
- How does an air purifier clean the air?
Promise something
What will your readers get from your article? Will they learn the secret of eternal youth? Will they be able to save $5,000 on their mortgage? State your promise up front, where no one can miss it.
Be different
It is always a good idea to look at what everyone else in your industry is doing, and then try to be different. Say you work in life insurance, and everyone seems to use scare tactics like these:
Are you dying of cancer?
Could your children manage if you died tomorrow?
Then try headlines with a more positive tone, like these:
What is the best life insurance for parents of two?
Where can you get $100,000 of life insurance for 60 cents a day?
Before you publish
Those are 5 easy tips to make your headlines catchier. Put them to work in your next article, and when you want more ideas, look at these 40 examples for the perfect headline.
One more thing: check your article thoroughly before you publish it, for example with the Spell Checker. If it is full of spelling mistakes, it will not convince your readers, however good the headline is.