Headlines are the first impression of your content. They can make or break your chances of getting clicks, shares, and engagement. But how do you write headlines that stand out and entice your audience to read more? In this article, you'll learn some tips and tricks to craft shareable headlines that work for any platform and purpose.
Before you write a headline, you need to know who you're writing for. What are their pain points, interests, and goals? What kind of tone and language do they respond to? How do they consume content online? Use these insights to tailor your headline to your ideal reader and their context. For example, if you're writing for busy professionals who want quick tips, you might use a number format or a how-to statement. If you're writing for curious learners who want in-depth insights, you might use a question or a surprising fact.
At this juncture in a web-driven world, headlines that bring SEO and optimal SER are Priority #1. Phrasing in the form of a question—always helpful. Numbers and lists never fail to draw eyeballs; Top 5 Things You Need to Know About XYZ.
One of the most popular and effective methods to write shareable headlines is to use the 4 U's formula by Copyblogger. The 4 U's stand for unique, useful, urgent, and ultra-specific. A good headline should have at least one or two of these qualities, and a great headline should have all four. For example, a headline like "How to Save Money on Groceries" is useful and specific, but not very unique or urgent. A better headline might be "How to Slash Your Grocery Bill in Half with These 7 Simple Hacks" which adds uniqueness and urgency.
“Top 5 Things You Need to Know Now About XYZ.” Nobody is looking for yesterday’s news in a headline. If the reader didn’t want to know about it now, they wouldn’t be searching for the answer now.
Even if you follow the best practices and formulas, you can't always predict how your headlines will perform. That's why you need to test and optimize your headlines based on data and feedback. You can use tools like CoSchedule's Headline Analyzer or BuzzSumo's Headline Generator to get scores and suggestions for your headlines. You can also use A/B testing or social media polls to see which headlines get more clicks and shares. Keep track of your results and tweak your headlines accordingly.
This has the potential to be self-defeating. You are risking diluting your search results with A/B testing unless… you bring together a focus group that can help guide your options. People want to help. They enjoy have their opinions matter, influence, and make a difference. Check out Morgan Riddle’s advice. She has gazillions of followers.
While you want your headlines to be catchy and compelling, you don't want to resort to clickbait or misleading headlines. Clickbait headlines are those that overpromise, exaggerate, or withhold information to lure readers in. Misleading headlines are those that don't match the content or the expectations of the readers. Both types of headlines can damage your credibility, reputation, and trust with your audience. They can also hurt your SEO and social media algorithms, as they can increase your bounce rate and decrease your engagement. Instead, write headlines that deliver on their promise and provide value to your readers.
Clickbait kills trust for your post and any other post you share. Instead, build intrigue. 'I went from struggling to pay rent to buying my first home from my email list'. Get people thinking about what they're going to learn from it and get them excited about it!
This section’s headline really says it all. Sooner rather than later, readers are going to get wise to your cheap tricks and when they do… there goes your credibility and your audience.
The last tip to write shareable headlines is to keep it short and simple. Ideally, your headline should be no longer than 10 words or 60 characters, as that's the limit for most search engines and social media platforms. You also want to avoid jargon, complex words, or vague terms that might confuse or bore your readers. Use clear, concise, and powerful words that convey your message and your benefit. You can also use punctuation, capitalization, or emojis to add some personality and flair to your headline.
Your headline is there to make people want to click 'see more' and read that post. If it's too long, people won't read it. If it's too short, it won't have the information to make people want to click 'see more'. Here's a few tricks that I use: 1. I often use brackets in my hooks (it makes the hook feel shorter + extra value instead of 1 big hook) 2. I sometime use a hook that leads straight into the next sentence (to keep the reader focused on what's next) 3. I always use things that catch the eye, such a power words, numbers, emotions, target audience, etc. Those things grab attention then the brain wants to know why they're there, and reads it back. (Suddenly they're invested in the post itself)
This is true for the headline and also for the body content. There’s a reason Google My Business limits entries to 1500 characters and it’s not just to keep Google’s costs down. Most readers today have a short attention span. It’s one of the first things writers are taught at the university level: Less is more.