headlines350The simple fact of the matter is that headlines matter. They are the first and quite often only chance to hook your reader into what you’re trying to say, and in many cases, sadly, great content gets unread only because the writer wasn’t able to convey quickly and compellingly what follows. Because we use headlines in the form of blog posts, adds, products, salespages, videos and much more, it’s crucial that we learn what we’re doing when it comes to writing headlines.

7 Ways you can write more effective headlines today

  1. Use numbers and lists – People love getting useful posts and emails listing worthwhile and useful information they need. Furthermore if this list is a numbered list, you’ll be amazed at how much more attention you’ll get.
  2. Hit their pain points – Hitting on the pain points your readers will help gain their trust, and they’ll be more open to any solutions you may have to offer.
  3. Be a bit controversial – Be bold. State your opinions, push the edge of the envelope. Once you got their attention, you can show how brilliant you are, but for now, be daring.
  4. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – These questions are frequently the same ones they are asking, and you can be the one to deliver a solution.
  5. Keep your headline under 55 characters – This is so that not only will your entire headline show in Google search results, but also in the email subject line without being shortened.
  6. Test your copy – As with most anything you write for the masses, for the best response you’ll want to test your headlines for effect. Sometimes one word can make a big difference in an email open rate, which can in turn directly affect your income.
  7. Be sure to give value – Don’t write boring or fluff headlines. Promise and deliver a value packed piece of content. Don’t promise something you aren’t going to deliver, but also don’t be afraid to promote it.

Remember that the aim of your headlines is always to get the reader to the next step, whether that be reading the post, opening an email or clicking on your ad!