The headline is the most important element of your blog. If it’s not interesting enough, people won’t bother to read, and if it isn’t search engine friendly, your post will get lost in the crowd. Knowing how to write a clickable headline is therefore crucial!
So, how do you write a great headline? Most SEO services professionals would suggest the following best practices:
Add a Keyword to The Headline
Adding a keyword to the headline can make a great difference. The question to ask before researching any keyword is, what can I do for people when they visit my website? When we offer our SEO services to clients, keywords play a great role. But it’s not enough to add keyword(s) to your headline, it must be relevant. It must be meaningful.
Most long-tail keywords aren’t meaningful. Such key phrases might not flow naturally on your content. Google only rewards keywords that flow naturally. So, add a keyword, but be careful not to stuff the headline.
Don’t forget to optimize your headlines for SEO too.
Ask a Simple Question
When last did you answer a question? Was it few minutes ago or yesterday?
The truth is, we’re faced with questions at all times. Answering questions has almost become a part of our lives.
And Google is working towards making a friendlier search engine, so that everyone can benefit. They will benefit from advertising fees, while web users (you and I) would benefit from getting the most relevant and valuable information.
So, when you write your headline, ask a simple question. Yes, make the question as simple as possible. Complicated questions won’t yield the best answers and you’ll leave the reader hanging.
You’d also create an impression about your website through the question you ask. So, make it simple – concentrate on building a simple brand.
Arouse Curiosity
Most webmasters are yet to realize the full potentials of their website. When you’re marketing online, you’ve the great opportunity of your lifetime to pique people’s mind. You can control the minds of people in a positive way. And there is nothing wrong with that, provided you’ve the right solution for them.
When you write a headline that causes people to be curious, you’ll not only get clicks, but your entire article will be read. And because you’re keeping the secret behind closed doors, your optin rates can be high.
Add a Figure or Percentage
Make your headline specific. Let’s assume you want to show people how to install a WordPress blog. Now, don’t complicate the process by writing a 20-step guide.
A task that takes 20 minutes to complete is difficult, at least to your audience’s mind. You should reduce it to 7 steps or less. For instance, 6 steps to install a wordpress blog.
The example above is specific. When you add a figure to your headline, it can attract more eyeballs to your website. Also, don’t forget to use percentages in your headline. It works in a similar manner as figures.
Do a Famous Name Drop
What does it mean?
It’s simple actually. There are famous personalities in every niche. Now, most of these industry experts and celebrities already have their biographies at Wikipedia.
Their names are already on Google’s index pages. If you search for it, it’d appear. For instance, if you search for Abraham Lincoln, the first result you’ll get is a Wikipedia page.
Can you imagine what would happen to your headline if you add such names? No, I’m not asking you to just do it, it must be relevant and ideal at the time you’re using it. You could use name drops to share lessons that you’ve learnt from such celebrities and experts.
Sound Controversial
Controversy is another powerful way to write your headline. Of course, you’ve to back up your claims. If you say that what people hold dear to their hearts are myths, then you’ve to back it up.
Failure to do this can result in a dent on your credibility. A controversial headline must first undergo intensive market research. Before you push the publish button, make sure you’ve figured it out.
But in all, learn to use controversy to boost your click-through rates on Google result pages. A lot of people take interest in such contents. People would share it, and cite the resource page on their posts.
Challenge The Status Que
Have you ever challenged the status quo?
This is quite similar to a controversial headline. Both headline-writing-strategies need thorough market research. Most of what we implement into our business is myths.
Only few people were able to debunk lifelong ideas and theories. Take for instance; people have always said that the “money is in the list.” But that’s not the complete truth.
The money is not in the list, but in the relationship you’ve with the list. Why? Because, some people have 10k subscribers on their email lists, but they’re broke. Whereas, a savvy email marketer have 550 active subscribers and he earns at least $1000/month with it. What’s the difference? Relationship!
How do you write a good headline for your article? Please share your comments below.
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