Learn How to Write Headlines That Bring Results
The headline is a small, but powerful piece of text. When written right, the headline can significantly increase sales, conversions, and click-through rate. On the other hand, a poor headline can seriously damage your content. If you fail to catch the attention right away, people will keep scrolling for something interesting. Thus, you will lose not only readers but potential customers.
So, we do not exaggerate when we say that the traffic of your article depends on the power of your headline. To make your headline clickable and eye-catching, you have to pay attention to the thinnest details. From using Grammarly for WordPress to carefully choosing words – everything matters. In this article, you will learn how to write headlines that will skyrocket your sales and CTR.
- Make the Headline Unique
- Be Specific Not Generic
- Use Numbers and Data in Your Headline
- Utilize a Unique Rationale
- Call for Attention
- Create a Sense Of Urgency
- Use Interesting Adjectives
- Use Emotional Words
- Opt for as Fewer Words as Possible
- Optimize Headline for Search Engines
- Solve a Specific Problem
- Try Headline Templates
- Don’t forget to Test Headlines
Thousands of articles are being published each hour. This means that you need more than luck to catch the eye. Being unique is essential for standing out. If you want your headline to get noticed make it unique. In a nutshell, your headline has to be different from other headlines in the same niche.
As thousands of articles appear in search results, it’s getting harder to stand out. No matter what platform you use to publish your article, you have to be recognizable. People want to find answers to their questions fast, so you need to make sure your headline is ultra-specific. In other words, you should formulate your headline in a way it has the power to convert people into loyal readers and customers.
When you are specific you are more relevant. In other words, when people know what they can except in your article, they are more likely to give it a chance.
When possible, include numbers in your headlines. Numbers bring relevance and shed a light on specific facts people will want to check out. Thus, numbers help people get interested in your topic. But if you want to use numbers in the headline go one step further and use numbers smart. For instance, if you write a listicle post, use multiples of 5 or 10.
Also, if you write a ‘’how-to” guide or tutorial, don’t include more than nine steps, since people may struggle to process more than nine items at a time.
Give people a reason why they should click on your article, read it, or even share it via social media. When there is a value, useful tip, or great insight that’s exclusively available in your article, you should definitely mention it in your headline. People like to learn something new, solve the issue they have, or get informed about the latest trends. So, take your time and write your headline with a clear rationale.
The inflation of content makes it harder to stay focused. An average human attention span is eight seconds only. This means you have only one chance to catch the eye and spark curiosity. To put this differently, your headline should have the power to make people focused and ready to continue reading. If your headline can capture your attention, people will surely read at least one paragraph of your text.
The endless ocean of high-quality articles makes it hard to get new readers. Even if you write and publish amazing content, you need to motivate people to click your headline. How? By creating a sense of urgency. In other words, people should be aware that they would miss out on something great if they decide to skip your article. So, do goal is to make people click right now, instead of creating another bookmark and forgetting about it.
Adjectives are the essential ingredients of a well-written headline. Thanks to their versatility, you can experiment and play, as you want. Moreover, the right adjective will surely boost your headline and make it attractive. We recommend you skip generic adjectives that have been used thousands of times. Instead, think about more specific solutions that will perfectly fit your niche.
The words are the core of every headline. However, not all words have the same power. Some words can create a sense of urgency, others can evoke pleasant emotions. Some words reaffirm the status quo. Choose your words carefully – don’t blend in, but don’t manipulate readers either. The key is to be spicy but professional at the same time.
Less is more – especially when it comes to headlines. If you want to learn how to write headlines, you have to be able to use fewer words without sacrificing the meaning. Also, as Google displays a 70-character limit in search results for titles, you should bear in mind that most of the headlines contain 6 or fewer words. Also, don’t forget to use header tags so your headline is ready to catch the eye.
Forgetting to optimize your headline is one of the common SEO mistakes. So, make sure your keyword is always included in the headline. This is very important for Google rankings and the long-term results you want to achieve.
Many marketing experts and famous copywriters came up with headline formulas that work for different niches. These so-called templates follow proven structures you can adapt to your own promotions. There are many books and free resources such as Bob Angus’ blog, where you can find perfect examples.
Finally, testing headlines can be a game-changer. If you are just starting your career as a content writer or you want to make sure your headline will bring a result, don’t forget to test your headlines. We recommend you to try Visual Website Optimizer which will let you test different headline versions (A/B testing).
Let’s Sum Up How to Write Headlines
Knowing how to write headlines is useful for marketing and SEO skill. When you do it right, you are more likely to catch the attention and grow the list of your readers. Provide value, use original adjectives, experiment with numbers, and optimize your headline for search engines – it’s easy and really works.
We hope this article was helpful. If you liked it, feel free to check out some of these articles as well!
