You’re a good writer. You consistently write engaging articles, interesting blog posts, and all around solid copy. But what’s the point of publishing great content if no one’s reading it?
Part of ensuring your writing gets read is sealing the deal with a clickable headline, and the best way to do this is by grabbing your reader’s attention.
Keep reading to learn 5 easy fixes to improve the way you write headlines:
1. Use Keywords
Using keywords seems like an obvious choice, but it really is important to consider what your target audience is searching for. If they want to learn how to write a blog, that’s not the same as wanting to learn how to write great social media content. While a blog can be considered social media content, it’s not specific enough for a reader to click on. Make sure your titles are specific because that’s what makes them searchable.
2. Make Lists
Depending on the type of article you’re writing, lists can make your title that much more appealing. Telling your audience you have 10 key pieces of information they need to learn lets them know that your article will be a quick and straightforward read. This is attractive to many readers because list format articles typically promise to save time!
3. Engage Your Audience
Use trigger words to engage your audience! Words like what, why, how, or when show your reader that your article is going to help them achieve something or teach them something new. Another tactic is to promise them they’ll gain something from reading your article. Choosing how you want to engage your audience ultimately depends on your writing style. For example, a title like “Why People Aren’t Reading Your Writing?” is daring and could also lead you to the same article as a title like “10 Tricks To Improve The Way You Write.” Knowing your brand voice is the best way to help determine your writing style.
4. Consider Perspective
Think about what your audience is actually going to be searching for and the wording they use when they conduct their search. Yes, using keywords is important, but “How To Establish A Presence On Facebook” is completely different from “How To Set Up A Facebook Company Page.” Consider your audience. Are they beginners? Or are they seasoned veterans looking to improve a specific skill? Knowing exactly what they’re looking for and how to market your headline to a target audience can help the right people find your article.
5. Keep It Short And Sweet
Titles shouldn’t be wordy, so keep your headlines short and to the point. This is for two reasons: It lets your reader know exactly what they’ll be reading about, and the length of your title affects how it shows up when you share the post on social media. Titles that are quick and to the point let your audience know what they’ll learn at first impression, and being able to effectively communicate what your article is about will show you’re an efficient writer. Also, long titles will sometimes get cut off when they’re shared on social media. If you want people to read your article, they’re going to need to be able to read your full headline!
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