7 Tips on Writing Your Perfect Headline

Headlines are important and we cannot stress this enough. It’s crucial for SEO, social media likeability, conversion, and engagement. Here’s a surprising fact. According to Moz, 8 out of 10 readers will read only your headline but will not continue with the content. And if your headline writing isn’t outstanding, then you have a slim chance of getting them to actually read your article.  

That is why we are here to help you. We will give you the best headline writing tips that you can practice online. 

If you are a ‘newbie online writer,’ writing headlines might be a bit challenging. However, every second counts when it comes to online competition. Publishing relevant content in a timely manner can tremendously improve your blogs or websites. So if you want regular articles to be posted on your page, Content Fuel has a team of professional online writers to help you. Apparently, they know how to write a headline and an even more compelling body content  

7-Step Guide to Writing Effective Headlines 

For those who are eager to understand the best headline writing practices, use the strategies below. By doing so, there is no doubt that you will get more clicks and loyal readers. 

1. Use Odd Numbers 

It is noticeable that number-based headlines are taking the online world by storm. You can see this technique on different blogs and websites. BuzzFeed is actually popular for taking this direction. But why do you think so? 

It is believed that numbers can directly trigger our thoughts instantly, and it gives that sense of urgency. Take a look at our examples below. Which would you rather read? 

• Ways to Pass a Licensure Exam 
• 11 Ways to Pass a Licensure Exam

Most people would prefer and likely to click the second one.  

In addition, you might want to use odd numbers when writing headlines. This tactic has been proven effective. In fact, the number ‘7’ seems to be a popular choice.

2. Words with High Impact

Traditional writers might disagree but superlative words are actually effective for headline writing. With thousands of articles published online, no one would actually click a headline that sounds too trivial. At certain points, you have to exaggerate it. 

Another unorthodox yet one of the most effective headline writing tips is to use negative words. According to reports, negative headlines do better than positive ones. There’s the shock factor and it gives readers the impression of impartial and unbiased reports or articles. Here are a number of great examples:

• 5 Things Your Teacher Will Never Tell You 
• 3 Reasons Why You Should Stop Your Keto Diet  

In both cases, you have to be careful. Don’t go overboard and do not claim things that your articles cannot support. Otherwise, readers will eventually get turned off. 

3. Using a Personal Approach 

It is also recommended that you become more personal with your headline. It’s a different case when you are writing news though. But for most online articles, always think about your readers. Try to talk to them using your headlines. That way, they can easily relate to your subject and that increases the chances of getting clicked and read. 

• How Do You Improve Your Online Sales This Year?
• You Need to Check Out These Impressive Kitchen Gadgets    

4. Don’t Try Too Hard 

We’ve seen this too many times and these headlines are actually borderline annoying. It’s too much of a clickbait and doesn’t provide any value to the readers. As online writers, we should take our responsibility seriously. You can use pun or humor but do it subtly or in moderation. 

5. Use Tools 

What’s good about our technology right now is that there are tools that can help if you are still learning how to write a headline. What are the best ones to use today? We have a quick list for you. 

• BlogAbout 
• Inbound Now 
• TweakYourBiz 

6. Include Keywords 

Perhaps by now you already know that traditional writing and online writing are quite different from each other. The same goes for headline writing as well. If you must know, keywords are important for SEO. Apart from including it in the actual content, your headline must have it too. 

Have an SEO expert identify the right keywords and try to make it brief and direct. Some writers practice the 8-word headline technique. This generally improves the number of clicks as potential visitors can easily read it. From there, they can already decide if your headline is worth clicking or not. With headline writing, it’s all about impression and you have to use this to your advantage.   

7. Be Experimental and Play Around 

What’s good about online writing is that it’s dynamic. That means you can play around and use new techniques. One of the headline writing tips we truly value is that you need to write at least 10 possible headlines for your article. This might take time and it can definitely squeeze out your creative juices. But that’s the point. This particular technique will force you to be creative and to think of different angles for your headline. Chances are, you will find a unique yet effective one that will win your readers. 

Conclusion 

Headline writing isn’t an easy task. In fact, this is much harder than building your online content. It takes a lot of time, effort, and creativity. You can use tools to help you create a good headline for your article. But of course, these tools can only do so much. If you want to know how to write a headline, it is essential that you expose yourself to different things and practice every day. Soon enough, you will get the hang of it and headline writing will be easier than before. 

Yet again, this isn’t an overnight success. It might take you days or months to understand and practice the best headline writing tips. If you need help with your posts and other writing requirements, Content Fuel is here to save the day. Reach out to them right now and start publishing quality content with equally outstanding headlines.