Article titles and headlines are arguably the most critical piece of the content equation.
It’s reported that 8 out of 10 people that come across content will at least read the headlines, but only 20% of those will read anything else.
Thus, it’s important that you learn how to write engaging and effective titles and headlines.
The secret to writing better titles and headlines is to start with the basics.
This means focusing on understanding what drive user engagement.
One of the most basic headline-writing techniques is the Five W’s and H principle.
This requires identifying whether your content answers the “who, where, when, what, why, or how” of whatever topic you are covering and emphasizing that in the headline.
Once you’ve identified your topic and clearly set expectations, you can start to optimize the title and headlines for more engagement.
This can include adding distinctive hooks that help to grab the reader’s attention and entice a click. An example of a great hook is to propose resolutions to problems.
For example, if your target audience faces a frequent problem like “needing to write more effective headlines” you can propose a solution to that problem and hook their attention.
Another easy way to use headlines to increase engagement is to use trend jacking, which requires posting content that covers current events and popular topics.
Creating ties between your industry and relevant trends is an excellent way to generate traffic to your website.
Regardless of the technique or style of your headline, it’s important to take your time and research what works the best in your vertical.
Every industry has a target audience, and that audience responds differently to headlines and titles.
Research what topics resonate with your industry, see what article headlines have generated the most engagement in the past, watch what your competitors are doing, and use tools to improve creativity.
For more information about creating effective titles and headlines, see the infographic below! Click on the image.
This was a guest submission: Derek Miller is a content marketing consultant for CopyPress. CopyPress is a leading digital content production company, specializing in articles, infographics, interactives, and videos. For content marketing advice and more information about our capabilities, visit CopyPress.com.
