Remington Begg
According to David Ogilvy, whom many consider to be the “Father of Advertising”, five times as many people read the headline as the body of your copy. That was true during the reign of traditional outbound marketing and it remains true in today’s world of blogging. Crafting a perfect headline is important! Too often the headline is the most neglected part of the article. Marketers just gloss over it without much consideration. In their minds, it’s the cherry on top of their remarkable content. This is not the case! The headline is the sundae that brings readers in; your content is the cherry they are rewarded with for clicking to read the article. While creating a quality headline is important, it doesn’t have to be daunting. Here are a few simple tricks you can use if you need help:
Use Numbers
There’s a reason you see so many bloggers use numbers in their headlines- it works! While there aren’t really any concrete rules regarding what numbers work best, people typically like an easily digestible amount of information in a blog post. For this reason, three to five points often works well. However, sometimes a really obscure number like 9 or 21 can catch people’s attention.
Example: 5 Reasons to Start Eating Greek Yogurt Today
Use Adjectives
You want the headline to entice people to click to read the full article, so try using adjectives that elicit a strong feeling. It’s especially productive if you can incorporate words that describe how they WANT to feel, like:
- Fun
- Free
- Daring
- Shocking
- Funny
Example: Free (and Fun!) Activities For Kids in San Francisco
Stay Away from “Things”
Every middle school teacher in America tells their students to stay away from the word “things”, so don’t forget that lesson. There are plenty of other words to use instead. If you are describing workout techniques to lose weight, you could substitute the word “Ways” or even “Lessons”. A blog offering helpful financial advice could use the word “Tricks” or “Tips” instead. Make your headline verbiage pop, and have fun with it.
Example: 7 Secrets You Probably Didn’t Know about McDonald’s
Make an Audacious Promise
Make a bold claim by promising to deliver something fantastic to those who read the article. What you want to do is dare your reader to open the article. Without over-promising, be bold. Be forward, and then deliver what you promised. People don’t want to be tricked into reading something boring; they want to be drawn into something exciting. Make it worth their while.
Example: Never Count Calories Again!
Ask a Poignant Question
Asking a question is a great way to get someone to click to read the rest of the blog. They want the answer to your question! People often search online to educate themselves or learn more about a particular topic. A shocking or scary question can also grab a person’s attention as they scroll through countless headlines on social media and news sources.
Example: Is Your Doctor Lying to You About Your Risk for a Heart Attack?
When crafting your blog headline, take an extra long time to consider what headline will grab people’s attention the most. Make sure that it describes your content in an honest, but attractive, way. You won’t regret spending the time to perfect it, and your increased blog views are sure to make it worth your time. For more inbound marketing tips, download our free eBook:
