bizbuzzcontent

  • WHAT WE DO
  • WHO WE ARE
    • MEET THE TEAM
  • BLOG
  • CONTACT
You are here:   Home Blog How to Create Headlines That Make Your Readers Want More

How to Create Headlines That Make Your Readers Want More

November 2, 2018 by Katie Mitchell Leave a Comment

 

One thing I love about content marketing is that it’s a quality over quantity effort. This focus on the quality of our content includes everything from the big picture of a website down to, say, the headline of one little blog post.

Earlier this year we shared data on how to easily create clickable titles. I’m going to build on that today with a refresher on creating quality titles that are both captivating and honest.

Clickable, Not Clickbait

Let’s quickly revisit the main takeaways of Carrie’s post on writing clickable titles (link in the intro):

  • Headlines often have opening and closing phrases, such as “X Reasons Why …” and “… In the World.” Look at the data on which phrases get the most social media engagement to create catchy title templates like “X Reasons Why You Need to Do Y Right Now” and “A is the Best B in the World.”
  • Articles with numbered lists (listicles) should be titled accordingly. Multiples of five are well received, though once the list is longer than 20 items engagement declines significantly.
  • Titles with between 60 and 100 characters (about 17 words) get the most engagement.
  • Happy stories and headlines that give a sense of surprise, anticipation, joy and trust fare better on social media than do fear-inducing stories and headlines that give a sense of anger, fear, disgust or sadness.

Clickable titles do not equal clickbait. As Carrie said, if you provide what the title promises, you’re not baiting anyone. And good content always does what it says it’s going to.

The truth is, the most formulaic headlines containing the trendiest buzzwords can certainly be delivered on within the body of the content. And they get the clicks that lead to that great content. But maybe you don’t want to sound formulaic or trendy because it doesn’t suit your brand’s voice or tone or speak to your target market. If this is the case, your headlines are going to take a little more work.

Next, I’ll expand on the ideas of clickable headlines and think about how to make those titles even more captivating.

Up Your Headline Game

A good, honest headline comes down to one thing: Clearly telling specific readers how they’ll benefit from the content. Bonus points if you can make it concise and compelling.

Really though, those are bonus points you can’t afford to pass up. Millions of blog posts are written every day, and tens of thousands of links are shared on Facebook alone every 60 seconds. The competition is fierce.

To help you up your headline game, we like these tips from Sprout Social and Authority Labs:

  • Be open to some hype and hyperbole. Sprout Social gives the example of a title promising “The Greatest Marketing Growth Hack of All Time (Hint: Cupcakes).” Assuming the tips are stellar, it’s alright to use such strong language and add the allure of cupcakes.
  • Incorporate “power” words. In addition to the must-read vibe a “How To …” or “Why You Need…” can add, throw in some extremes like always, never, tragic or fortune. Exclusive, secret or new are compelling but should only be used if they’re undoubtedly true.
  • Make a personal connection. Speak to readers directly with a second person “you” or make a firm statement of experience with the first-person “I.”
  • Use controversial topics or causes to fuel a headline. Of course, the point isn’t to pick a fight or name-call, but if your audience likes to rally this can be a way to grab attention.
  • Keep keywords second to clarity (stuffing them into headline is both awkward and bad for SEO). When you do include them, do so near the beginning of a title to support SEO.
  • Consider how tweetable your headlines are. I mentioned earlier that 17 words can make a great headline. Just be mindful that Twitter has a 280 character limit for tweets, and you want to leave room for @ mentions, hashtags, etc.

We’ll add a few of our own to that list:

  • Hold off on the title until you’ve written the meat of the content. Some articles shift during writing, and the main points change. Also, the headline is sure to reflect what’s in the content, and you don’t spend time clinging to a title that isn’t the best direction for the topic.
  • Search your keywords on Answer the Public. You might find a question of phrase that makes the perfect headline on its own.
  • Create more than one headline and have your colleagues weigh in on them (or use a headline analyzing tool) during the editing process. If possible, test more than one headline with A/B testing on your site and in your email campaigns.

When to Write Your Headlines

In the spirit of walking the talk of the above list, I’ll tell you that I didn’t even consider creating the title for this blog until reaching this point of the content body. And the one I wrote then isn’t the one you see up top – a proof point of the importance of having colleagues weigh in when you can.

Most likely, your first title idea won’t be the best one. Make sure those editing your content include the headline in the editing process and let you know if it’s vague, boring, too long, too short … Then look at the content you wrote and distill what is says to your audience into an informative and appealing phrase.

As an example, I’m remembering the story of Julia Child and the editor of her famous first cookbook:

Child and her editor long debated the title of her French cookbook for the American market. Potential titles included “French Cooking for the American Kitchen” and “Method in Cuisine Madness.” While that first one is clear enough, it isn’t nearly as compelling as “Mastering the Art of French Cooking.” The two women finally agreed on a title that truly described the now timeless collection of recipes.

For more on keeping quality at the center of every aspect of your content marketing, sign up for our email list and get instant access to your content marketing blueprint.

Do you love or hate creating headlines? What are your best tactics? Tell me about it in the comments!

Katie Mitchell
Katie Mitchell is a content writer for bizbuzzcontent. When she’s not writing, you can find her cooking, traveling, doing yoga, and relaxing with friends and family.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Email

Filed Under: Writing

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Testimonials

Professional content agency

Jessica leads one of the most professional content agencies I’ve ever worked with. We target a very niche industry, and Jessica and her team were very thoughtful in their approach. From planning thoughtful pieces, to researching and interviewing SMEs, to brainstorming promotion strategies, Jessica and her team maintain a high degree of professionalism and efficiency.

Steven S., Senior Manager, Demand Generation, Rentlytics

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:22:53-04:00

Steven S., Senior Manager, Demand Generation, Rentlytics

Jessica leads one of the most professional content agencies I’ve ever worked with. We target a very niche industry, and Jessica and her team were very thoughtful in their approach. From planning thoughtful pieces, to researching and interviewing SMEs, to brainstorming promotion strategies, Jessica and her team maintain a high degree of professionalism and efficiency.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/professional-content-agency/

Tailor-made content strategies

Jessica dedicated her time as a pro-bono volunteer with VolunteerMatch to help us with some key content marketing needs. What impressed me most about working with Jessica was the way she tailored her approach to accommodate the needs of our nonprofit with the resource constraints of our team. Jessica developed personas, one-pagers, case studies and website content that has resulted in an increase in traffic to our site and improved our ability to communicate to our key audiences.

Bree v.F., Director of Marketing and Engagement, VolunteerMatch

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:22:20-04:00

Bree v.F., Director of Marketing and Engagement, VolunteerMatch

Jessica dedicated her time as a pro-bono volunteer with VolunteerMatch to help us with some key content marketing needs. What impressed me most about working with Jessica was the way she tailored her approach to accommodate the needs of our nonprofit with the resource constraints of our team. Jessica developed personas, one-pagers, case studies and website content that has resulted in an increase in traffic to our site and improved our ability to communicate to our key audiences.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/tailor-made-content-strategies/

Highly targeted and relevant content

I've worked with Jessica at her company bizbuzzcontent for years. It's my go-to provider whenever my team is looking for high-quality content. What differentiates bizbuzzcontent is that they not only have superior writing skills but a rare ability to completely understand our industry, our company positioning, brand voice and tone, and customers. This just makes the content highly targeted and relevant, and goes a long way in achieving our marketing goals.

Nag P., Sr. Manager, Product Marketing, Salesforce

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:22:31-04:00

Nag P., Sr. Manager, Product Marketing, Salesforce

I've worked with Jessica at her company bizbuzzcontent for years. It's my go-to provider whenever my team is looking for high-quality content. What differentiates bizbuzzcontent is that they not only have superior writing skills but a rare ability to completely understand our industry, our company positioning, brand voice and tone, and customers. This just makes the content highly targeted and relevant, and goes a long way in achieving our marketing goals.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/highly-targeted-and-relevant-content/

Compelling content that drives results

I love Jessica and the team over at bizbuzzcontent. Within just a matter of a few interactions, she was able to understand, in depth, our complex solution and business model. Since then, she's been critical to us in driving compelling, engaging content via our blogs and white papers. She's a wonderful, thoughtful person to work with, and the work she's done has been a key factor in increasing our conversion rates.

Collin S., Angel Investor and Technology Executive

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:22:41-04:00

Collin S., Angel Investor and Technology Executive

I love Jessica and the team over at bizbuzzcontent. Within just a matter of a few interactions, she was able to understand, in depth, our complex solution and business model. Since then, she's been critical to us in driving compelling, engaging content via our blogs and white papers. She's a wonderful, thoughtful person to work with, and the work she's done has been a key factor in increasing our conversion rates.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/compelling-content-that-drives-results/

Outstanding process

bizbuzzcontent helps me efficiently leverage my own subject-matter expertise to create original content on timely topics. Together, we are able to distill complex topics into client-friendly articles that I can use across multiple platforms. I especially appreciate bizzbuzz’s super-efficient process because it keeps me on track for timely production of new content. Jessica Lee is a pleasure to work with, and I rely on her to bring a strategic eye to my publication efforts.

Priya H., Partner, Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:23:04-04:00

Priya H., Partner, Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.

bizbuzzcontent helps me efficiently leverage my own subject-matter expertise to create original content on timely topics. Together, we are able to distill complex topics into client-friendly articles that I can use across multiple platforms. I especially appreciate bizzbuzz’s super-efficient process because it keeps me on track for timely production of new content. Jessica Lee is a pleasure to work with, and I rely on her to bring a strategic eye to my publication efforts.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/outstanding-process/

Strong content values

Jessica is a great content creator, writer, reporter and partner to work with. Highly articulate with strong content values and work ethos, Jessica adds great value to all projects she works on. I would happily recommend Jessica to people who wish to scale their content marketing efforts.

Andy B., C-Level Marketing and Strategy Consultant

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:23:14-04:00

Andy B., C-Level Marketing and Strategy Consultant

Jessica is a great content creator, writer, reporter and partner to work with. Highly articulate with strong content values and work ethos, Jessica adds great value to all projects she works on. I would happily recommend Jessica to people who wish to scale their content marketing efforts.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/strong-content-values-highly-recommended/

Added value

Jessica is a guest speaker of Microsoft internal training program. She made an awesome presentation of how to create marketable web ages to Microsoft Bing Ads product team and services team. Attendees found Jessica very engaging during the presentation. Microsoft Bing Ads is eager to apply the learning in our daily works, and look forward to partnering with Jessica to bring more value to digital advertising community.

Ping J., Product Manager, Microsoft Bing Ads

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:21:44-04:00

Ping J., Product Manager, Microsoft Bing Ads

Jessica is a guest speaker of Microsoft internal training program. She made an awesome presentation of how to create marketable web ages to Microsoft Bing Ads product team and services team. Attendees found Jessica very engaging during the presentation. Microsoft Bing Ads is eager to apply the learning in our daily works, and look forward to partnering with Jessica to bring more value to digital advertising community.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/added-value/

Critical extension of the marketing team

Jessica has been instrumental in building our content strategy from ground up, educating our stakeholders and increasing our exposure across all lines of insurance. I can say with confidence that she has been a critical extension of the marketing team, always producing timely deliverable. She has always been enthusiastic about creating new formats for us and new vehicles of information to help the marketing team raise awareness and drive internal adoption. Her most impressive feat from my perspective is how quickly and seamlessly she dived into our 12 lines of insurance. The dexterity and the level of expertise she demonstrated although she had never worked with insurance B2B client was absolutely incredible.

Stephanie M., VP Marketing Communications, Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:21:33-04:00

Stephanie M., VP Marketing Communications, Woodruff-Sawyer & Co.

Jessica has been instrumental in building our content strategy from ground up, educating our stakeholders and increasing our exposure across all lines of insurance. I can say with confidence that she has been a critical extension of the marketing team, always producing timely deliverable. She has always been enthusiastic about creating new formats for us and new vehicles of information to help the marketing team raise awareness and drive internal adoption. Her most impressive feat from my perspective is how quickly and seamlessly she dived into our 12 lines of insurance. The dexterity and the level of expertise she demonstrated although she had never worked with insurance B2B client was absolutely incredible.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/critical-extension-of-the-marketing-team/

Excellent content program

We can't imagine how we managed without bizbuzzcontent before! Working with Jessica Lee is a dream. She is very creative and understands new concepts quickly. The content creation process at bizbuzzcontent is the most efficient we have come across in our many years of working with other writers and agencies. If you want an excellent content program and a company that goes above and beyond, hire bizbuzzcontent today!

Pauline J., CEO, Group Twenty Seven

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:21:10-04:00

Pauline J., CEO, Group Twenty Seven

We can't imagine how we managed without bizbuzzcontent before! Working with Jessica Lee is a dream. She is very creative and understands new concepts quickly. The content creation process at bizbuzzcontent is the most efficient we have come across in our many years of working with other writers and agencies. If you want an excellent content program and a company that goes above and beyond, hire bizbuzzcontent today!
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/excellent-content-program/

Trusted partner for years

Jessica and her team at bizbuzzcontent have been a trusted partner for years, and have helped us with our blog, web copy and email marketing, in addition to providing lots of guidance on other content projects. The team is able to quickly get up to speed on any content project's requirements and create quality content that's on target. Over the years, they've helped us educate, drive brand awareness and website traffic. I would definitely recommend bizbuzzcontent for content services.

Ashley G., Digital Ad Management, SearchForce

bizbuzzcontent
2018-07-31T17:18:31-04:00

Ashley G., Digital Ad Management, SearchForce

Jessica and her team at bizbuzzcontent have been a trusted partner for years, and have helped us with our blog, web copy and email marketing, in addition to providing lots of guidance on other content projects. The team is able to quickly get up to speed on any content project's requirements and create quality content that's on target. Over the years, they've helped us educate, drive brand awareness and website traffic. I would definitely recommend bizbuzzcontent for content services.
https://www.bizbuzzcontent.com/blog/testimonials/trusted-partner-for-years/
0
0
bizbuzzcontent

Recent Posts

  • How to Create Article Introductions That Do Their One and Only Job
  • B2B Content Marketing in 2019: The Audience Is King
  • How to Create Headlines That Make Your Readers Want More
  • Writing Advice from Six Famous Horror Authors
  • How to Create and Market an E-Book

Wordsmith LLC

Copyright © 2023   bizbuzzcontent   All rights reserved

Copyright © 2023 · Agency Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in