A good headline is like a hook in a sea full of fish. However, each hook is different – no less because of the bait. The same is the case with headings. A good headline peppered with keywords and catchy phrases makes yummy bait. It is easily consumed by the readers whereas a bad heading can turn the visitors away. That’s where writing good headlines comes in.
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So the real question is, “What is a headline?” and how do you write a good one?
A headline is a title you see on top of an article, an essay, or a news feature. It summarises the content and points to the main subject of an article.
We will unlock the secrets to writing headlines with an impact as we move forward.
What Is a Good Headline?
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“Brevity is the soul of wit.”
William Shakespeare
Anything that can be said in a few words has a greater impact on the reader. Here are a few characteristics of effective headlines that you should note before writing a headline.
Easy To Read
Just like the best blog site designs make it easy to find the content of a blog, so does a good headline. Great headlines are easy to read and understand. A person should be able to grasp the content of a blog in one glance. That is why a good headline is written in an active voice and simple words.
Gets Right To the Point
A great headline does not beat around the bush. It gets right to the point by using relevant terms and keywords. These headlines not only save the reader’s time but are also great for SEO. Such headlines are also easily picked up by search bots and displayed in the top slots of Google’s SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages).
Offers A Solution
When you search for something on Google you are looking for a solution to a problem or an answer to a question. For example, you search for “How AI-Generated Website Content is Transforming Marketing” and you will see a list of articles explaining AI-generated content. However, you will pick an article that focuses on website content rather than creative writing, for example.
Speaks To The Audience
A relatable headline speaks directly to the audience. Using second-person pronouns like “You” makes the headline personal and more engaging. That is why effective headlines discuss the pain points as well as aspirations of readers to convince them to open your blog. For example, “Ten Ideas To Help You Become More Organized”.
Piques Interest
The people who write better headlines are always using ways to pique the reader’s interest. Quirky words and turns of phrases convince the reader to click on your blog. Moreover, a headline in the form of a question also increases the interest of a reader. For example, “Did You Know About These Simple Ways to Bake a Cake?” would make you wonder whether you’ve been baking cakes wrong all your life.
Why Is Writing Good Headlines Important?
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Once you start practicing, you can create headlines for all types of blogs including lifestyle blogs, personal blogs, education blogs, and any other type that you can think of.
Writing good headlines makes a huge difference in the way your blog is received. A good headline can improve your blog’s online visibility by 500 percent, says Peter Koechley, cofounder of Upworthy. Each blog post you share on the internet has a higher chance of being read if it has a good headline. The following are a few factors that allow a headline to make or break an article.
Boosts Online Visibility
Since most people simply click on the first three or four search results on Google, you have to make your heading unique. A catchy headline will give your blog a boost and allow it to make it to the top spot in Google’s SERP.
Builds Your Brand
Headings determine your writing style. If you use headings that focus on numbers and stats, you will create an informative blog – much like the best business blogs. Similarly, writing good headlines will attract an audience of people from all walks of life.
Attracts New Visitors
Catchy headlines help you attract new visitors to your website. As soon as a visitor sees a click-worthy heading, they will open your blog and start reading. If the content of your blog matches the quality of your headline, you will soon have a huge online audience.
Keeps You On Top
Most businessmen agree that content creation is a huge factor in the success of their business. Good headlines act as a bridge between SEO and content creation. They keep your blogs on top of search engines, boosting your business and increasing your revenues.
How to Write Good Headlines?
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Writing a good headline requires practice and persistence. If you want to learn how to write good headlines, all you have to do is follow the given headline-writing tips.
1. Be Concise
A headline with six to eight words not only captures the reader’s attention but also boosts your click-through rate by 21%. So, make sure your headlines are short and sweet. Try to use simple words and address the topic directly to keep your headlines concise.
2. Use Fewer Words
Anything that can be said in less than ten words makes for a noteworthy headline. Google only picks up 50 to 60 characters of your headline anyway, so make sure your headline remains within that limit, or else your headline will be cut off on Google’s SERPs.
3. Add Numbers
Writing good headlines means simplifying the content for your readers. You can do that by adding numbers in your headlines, making it easier for visitors to decide whether they want to read your blog.
4. Integrate Keywords
The key to writing good headlines that rank on top of Google is keyword integration. Make sure to add the core keyword at the start of a headline so it can be picked up by the search engine. If the keyword is placed downstream in a headline, it might be cut off in SERPs.
5. Use Current Words And Symbols
Try to use as many current words and symbols in your headline. Adding a hyphen or a word used by Gen Z can make your headline more interesting. Moreover, following such headline hacks will set your headline apart from every other article and improve your blog’s ranking.
10 Examples of Good Headlines
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Writing great headlines is an art. You can create a masterpiece of a headline by learning this art. Take a look at 10 examples of good headlines you can use for your blogs.
1. Titular Headlines
Headlines that directly explain the topic of an article and avoid confusion.
Example: Trending Blogs in 2024
2. Take It Or Leave It Headline
Headlines that give readers an ultimatum and work wonders because they push a visitor into action.
Example: Five Things You Should Not Do If You Want To Be Successful
3. How-To Headlines
Headlines that offer you a step-by-step solution to solve a problem and work because they offer value.
Example: How To Write A Great Headline?
4. Everything Headlines
Headlines that start with “everything” and give readers the satisfaction that they will find all the information they need on your webpage.
Example: Everything You Need To Know About Free Tools For Content Writing
5. Evaluation Headlines
Headlines that compare two or more objects, companies, or even ideas to give readers an overview of the market.
Example: Wix Or Weebly: Which is The Better Hosting Site For Your Blog?
6. Need To Know Headlines
Headlines that tap into people’s fear of missing out and shape the content of the blog accordingly.
Example: 5 Things You Need To Know Before You Start A Blog
7. Countdown Headlines
Headlines that provide a list of products or ideas by counting backward so the reader will read till the end of the article.
Example: Countdown of The 10 Best Hotels In New Jersey
8. Advice Headlines
Headlines that seem like offering advice and are more likely to be received positively by an audience.
Example: Follow These Tips To Increase Your Confidence
9. Guide Headlines
Headlines that provide a complete guide regarding a particular topic to help readers understand it properly
Example: A Guide To The Best Travel Destinations In Turkey
10. Warning Headlines
Headlines that warn readers against a particular habit or action to improve their quality of life.
Example: Stop Doing This If You Want To Live Till 100
Final Thoughts
Writing good headlines is not a one-time gig. You need to practice and learn how to improve headlines by keeping them short and effective. At first, the process may seem difficult, but you can use the headline writing tips we mentioned. If you use a blog post idea generator, you can write titles in seconds and understand the structure of these headlines to write catchy titles for your blog posts.
I am a full-time online marketer, for over a decade now. Helped over 100,000+ people & generated well over $12M in online sales.