How to Write a Good Headline: 7 Helpful Tips

Have you ever spent hours crafting the perfect article only to end up slapping on a lackluster headline as an afterthought? You’re not alone. All too often, headlines are treated as mere accessories to the main event, which is the article itself.

But these few words wield immense power in the world of content. They act as the storefront to your article, beckoning passersby to pause, peek, and explore within.

Learning how to write a good headline is crucial for capturing a reader’s attention and keeping them engaged. Statistics show that six out of 10 people decide whether to share a post based solely on its headline without reading the full content.

This blog places headlines at the forefront of the writing process, where they rightfully belong. Discover everything you need to know, from what makes a good headline to practical tips for crafting attention-grabbing and engaging copies.

The Importance of Good Headlines

Before learning practical headline-writing tips, you must understand why they are crucial in the first place.

• First Impressions Matter: The headline is the first thing your audience sees and provides a preview of your article. It sets the initial impression that will help determine whether they’ll engage with your content or scroll past it.
• SEO and Social Sharing: Good search engine rankings and social media shares begin with a well-crafted headline.
• Clear Communication: Craft good headlines to tell your audience why they should invest their time in your article.

What Makes a Good Headline?

• Emotional Appeal: Evoke emotion to capture attention and drive engagement, whether it’s excitement, curiosity, fear, or joy.
• Clarity and Accuracy: Set clear expectations for readers to avoid disappointment.
• Originality: Stand out from the crowd of articles by creating headlines with unique perspectives and angles. Avoid clichés and offer a fresh take on the topic that differentiates your article from others.
• Compelling Language: Great headlines utilize vivid imagery, strong verbs, and enthralling adjectives to draw readers in. You can also deploy power words, such as “comprehensive,” “instantly,” and “best.”
• Relevance: Speak directly to your audience’s needs, concerns, and aspirations so your article is impossible to ignore.

Headline Writing Tips

Use Numbers

Headlines that start with a number are attention-grabbing. Readers are naturally drawn to the digits, compelling them to click and read more. Listicles make information concise and easily digestible, perfect for today’s readers who often skim through content. 

Breaking down information into bite-sized chunks allows for quick scanning and understanding. Plus, the organized structure doesn’t overwhelm with lengthy paragraphs. 

Lastly, indicating the number of items in the list sets clear expectations for readers, helping them decide whether to read the entire blog.

Some effective words to get you started include:

• Reasons
• Ways
• Tips
• Tricks
• Secrets
• Techniques
• Strategies

Clearly Define the Content of the Article

Finding the right balance between sparking curiosity and clarity is key when writing headlines. While it’s great to grab attention, leaving readers totally puzzled can turn them off. Giving a hint of what’s inside keeps them interested. 

It’s also important that headlines match the article’s topic without trying to be too flashy or misleading. This builds trust with the audience. Good headlines sum up articles well, giving just enough info to draw readers in without spoiling the surprise. Here are some examples of headlines that do this:

• The Benefits and Risks of Intermittent Fasting
• The 10 Best European Destinations to Visit this Summer
• 8 Smartphones with the Best Camera Quality in 2024
• Travel Tips To Remember When Visiting the Philippines

Answer Your Audience’s Concerns

When people need to learn something new, they often use the internet. Whether it’s fixing a broken faucet or mastering chicken noodle soup recipes, they’re bound to use a search engine to seek answers.

Ensure your content is valuable from the get-go by providing an answer to your audience’s concerns in the headline. This shows your potential readers that they’ll find useful information in your article.

Educational headlines are perfect for catching attention and igniting curiosity. Focus on intriguing topics, pose questions that make readers think, and offer valuable insights to fulfill their thirst for knowledge.

Here are some examples of effective educational headlines:

• The 5 Most Effective Ways to Study for Your Finals
• 10 Fool-proof Strategies to Win at Chess
• The Beginners Guide to Building a Tree House 
• Teaching Your Dog to Fetch: Canine Training 101
• How to Tie Your Shoelace: 5 Quick and Easy Methods

Remember the Five W’s

Answering the Five Ws—Who, What, When, Where, and Why—is key to crafting compelling headlines and engaging storytelling. By incorporating these elements into your headings, you can provide essential information and context that captivates readers’ curiosity.

• Who: Specify the individuals, groups, or organizations involved. This establishes focus and relevance.
• What: Highlight the main event, action, or topic to ensure clarity.
• When: Include the time frame or timeline to add urgency or relevance.
• Where: Set the location to help readers contextualize the information.
• Why: Provide reasons, motivations, or causes to add depth and intrigue to the story.

Connect with Your Audience

Utilizing second-person language in headlines instantly grabs readers’ attention, pulling them into the conversation with pronouns like “you” and “your.” This personalized approach makes readers feel directly involved and caters the content to their individual interests, needs, or concerns, showcasing an effective method for crafting engaging headlines.

Beyond merely personalizing, second-person language builds connections and heightens receptivity to the message or call to action. Imperatives and inviting questions prompt readers to click, read, share, or engage, fostering interaction and participation with your content.

Here are some examples demonstrating this effective headline-writing technique:

• 3 Local Delicacies to Try in Thailand on Your Next Holiday
• 5 Must-Have Items in Your Emergency Kit
• Are You a Die-Hard Fan of Gossip Girl? Take Our Quiz and Find Out!

Optimize Your Headlines for SEO Success

Incorporate keywords into your headlines to enhance your article’s visibility and relevance. These specific terms or phrases are frequently used by online searchers seeking information. Mastering the art of crafting compelling headlines and employing effective SEO strategies can boost your article’s search engine ranking, resulting in increased clicks and traffic to your website.

Additionally, it’s advisable to keep your headlines under 70 characters. This straightforward yet crucial tip ensures your content appears well on search engine pages. By preventing headlines from being cut off, you provide potential readers with a complete overview of your article.

Pro-tip: Strive for brevity while maintaining clarity by crafting headlines with 6 to 8 words.

Perform A/B Testing

A/B testing, also known as split testing, is a potent method for evaluating the effectiveness of your content writing. It entails creating multiple headline variations and comparing their performance metrics, such as click-through rates, engagement levels, and conversion rates, to determine which resonates best with your target audience.

Crafting headlines involves considering various factors, including wording, tone, length, and formatting. By testing new headline variations against existing ones and iterating based on performance data, you can make informed decisions. A/B testing replaces intuition and guesswork with empirical data, validating assumptions about headline effectiveness.

Here are two examples of headline variations:

Master the Art of Headline Writing

Mastering the art of crafting compelling headlines takes time and practice. As you experiment with different styles, test your copies, and explore creative approaches, you’ll gradually refine your skills and discover the techniques that resonate most with your audience.

Let your headlines introduce captivating content in the digital realm. Learn more about content marketing by visiting the Growth Rocket blog.