Why Reading This Headline Will Make Yours Better
If content is king, then headlines are the keys to the kingdom. No matter how good the content publishers make is, the reality is that a reader’s first assumption about the content is its headline. And with so much content out there, a good, tweaked headline can reap benefits.
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The practice of tweaking headlines to drive traffic is done in an attempt to convert skimmers into readers. The golden rule of tweaking headlines is to make sure the headline follows through with its promise of great content. Make a statement, then a promise.
For example, a publisher has recently written an article about personal branding. The headline could read “Build Your Brand In The Digital Age.” This is a statement. With a minor tweak, the superior headline could read “How To Build Your Personal Brand & Score Your Dream Job In The Digital Age.”
Hyperbolic language can be used to create better headlines, as long as headlines like “How To Make A Million Dollars Before You’re 30” also delivers very compelling content. Otherwise, this the headline caters to bad link bait. Link bait does what is supposed to—create a call-to-action to click on the link—but it can inspire anger from a reader who was lead to believe an article was about Y when it was really talking about X. Thus, a potential reader is discouraged from spending more time on the site, which is a better way to measure content anyway.
One way to ensure your headline is not just link bait is to implement a list structure within your content and marketing. Lists give an idea of what an article is about, how long it is, etc. Really, they’re perfect for headlines. The good headline of “How To Build Your Personal Brand & Score Your Dream Job In The Digital Age” can shift to “10 Steps To Build Your Personal Brand & Score Your Dream Job In The Digital Age.” We now know how long the article is and what it is about.
There are other small tricks to implement once you have mastered the list headlines. For example, using certain words like ‘smart’, surprising’, and ‘hacks’ can garner more clicks. Negative framing also grabs more attention; headlines like “15 Reasons To Stop Eating Gluten Right Now” or “7 Reasons Why You Should Never Lease A Car” give pause to readers to read your content. After all, a good headline is molded to get your content read.
Image Credit: Peter Rukavina via Flickr