Top headlines capture the reader’s interest, pique curiosity, spark emotion or offer a solution to an issue. Headlines are one of the most important aspects of any piece of content and should be considered carefully before publishing. Creating an effective headline takes skill and can be a challenge, but the rewards are substantial.
Writing a great headline may happen anywhere, in the shower, on a run, while at work or even when you’re eating. That’s why it helps to have a process for generating ideas and capturing them, like emailing yourself or even using voice notes on your phone. It also helps to have a list of top headlines that you can refer back to when writing your own.
This article from Flodesk uses a strong benefit in the headline to drive clicks: “How to design email templates without the coding knowledge”. Getting people to open the content is a key step in converting them into customers and retaining existing ones.
A headline that makes people do a double-take is always attention-grabbing. The National Enquirer does this often, as do countless blogs.
Using power words like ultimate, secret, guaranteed et cetera is another way to generate buzz and make your headline more interesting.
Including numbers and lists in your headlines can be very effective because they promise a structured, organized read for skimmers who are looking for value. It’s important to avoid overusing these types of headlines or you might end up sounding like clickbait, but they can be extremely effective when used sparingly.
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