Headlines Stink? Try These 8 Power-Ups

One of the best things about the digital world right now is that writers can get their content out on tons of platforms. It’s easier than ever to self-publish, too. The downside of this reality, though, is that you’ve also got much more competition than you would have had in the past. It’s harder to cut through the noise. The key to getting people to pick YOUR books or articles thus is creating fantastic headlines.

1. Ask yourself what people are looking to learn or find out.

For example, people might need to know what’s going to happen with mortgage rates in the upcoming year. Use that question as your headline, complete with a question mark. Alternately, state the question as a statement (e.g., “Here’s What’s Going to Happen…). These two options usually reflect the realistic, conversational phrasing a lot of people are going to type into their search engines. The closer your title is to what they’d ask, the surer they’ll be that you’re going to answer relevantly.

2. Pinpoint your keywords or keyword phrases.

Many people will type their full inquiry into a search engine. Others, however, just hit a single phrase or word that encapsulates the main thesis or data point. For instance, in the mortgage example above, they might search “mortgage rates [year]”. Play around with those words and phrases as anchors. You could write “Mortgage Rates [2022]: Tips for New Homebuyers” or “Experts Say 2022 Mortgage Rates Will…”. A general rule of thumb is that having your SEO keyword or phrase at the front of your title is better for ranking, but balance this with the need to sound natural.

3. State your finding (or make people crave it).

By stating the conclusion of your article very clearly (e.g., “2022 Mortgage Rates Are About to Go Up), you show your reader an answer right away. If that answer is clear enough, they’ll often trust the conclusion and click through to get the details. Curiosity also drives clicks, though. So conversely, try building in a curiosity gap. The direct headline for the mortgage piece, for example, could read, “Here’s How Much 2022 Mortgage Rates Are Going Up” or “The 2022 Mortgage Rate Increase Should Worry Homebuyers”. Your conclusion—that rates are going to rise—is still clear. But now you’re making the reader question exactly what that increase will look like or why the buyers should be concerned.

4. Empower your wording.

Titles that evoke some type of emotion usually encourage more clicks or pick-ups-off-the-shelf. Ask yourself, “Do I have power words that make people feel? Am I creating a sense of urgency about the topic?” Then look at the balance of typical and atypical words. You want some common words to keep the title or headline conversational. But sprinkle in a word or two that’s not as common, too, as these make the headline more unique and will pinpoint more specific connotations for your reader.

5. Check your length.

A trend in article writing is to write bi-sentence headlines. For example, you might see something like, “Mortgage Rates Are Going to Increase. Here’s What You Should Do As a Homebuyer”. But watch that your headline length doesn’t get excessive. Generally, titles shouldn’t be longer than your meta description. Shorter titles also have better clarity, are easier to read on mobile devices, and are fully viewable if someone forwards your piece in an email or other message. Even as you try to empower the title, don’t add words that don’t have a purpose.

6. Be bold in your headlines, but stay grounded.

Readers will not click or pick up a book unless you are promising something of value in your title/headline. You must state your idea boldly for this reason. At the same time, don’t overpromise. Hyping up your piece without delivering will leave your reader feeling duped and disappointed. Similarly, don’t make any claims you can’t substantiate or source. This means that words like “best” generally get axed.

7. Use personalized language in the headlines

Just as with email subject lines, people respond to headlines and titles that use personalized language (e.g., you, your). It makes people feel more seen and valued individually, despite the fact you still might have thousands of readers.

8. Number it up.

Headlines with numbers typically get a lot of clicks. These lend themselves naturally to lists. One trick, though, is to use a number headline even without making the article itself a list. For example, in the mortgage rate article example, one section could identify three interrelated reasons rates will increase. But the article also could have major sections that provide some context or definitions, or that explain the next steps for homebuyers or investors to take. Just make sure that the number part of the article corresponds to what your reader is searching for or wants to know most.

Your headlines are the first chance your readers have to determine whether what you’ve written will matter or be of good quality. So take the time to use the tips above and squeeze out as many options as you can to A/B test. When I wrote for Inc.com, I’d routinely send at least 10 choices to my editors. You don’t necessarily have to go that far, but be open-minded about how you’re expressing yourself. Be willing to see what people respond to on specific platforms for the best results.