Headline writing: 10 ways to get more eyes on your content

Looking to master the art of headline writing?

Good!

Because conventional wisdom tells us what we already know: most people read and share posts based on titles alone.

Couple that with the fact that we live in an era of clickbait headlines where brands and blogs will say just about anything to score clicks.

Listen: from blog titles to social posts and beyond, knowing how to write a compelling headline is an invaluable skill.

And despite popular belief, doing so means more than just running your titles through a generator.

Don't consider yourself much of a copywriter? Don't sweat it! Our guide breaks down 10 actionable headline writing tips that'll help you score those precious clicks and shares.

1. Put together headlines that promise a payoff

It's no secret that readers today have small attention spans.

Think about it. As we're scrolling through our Twitter or Facebook feeds, we're passing by dozens of headlines in a matter of seconds.

That's why it's so important to answer the question of 'Why bother?' or 'So what?' with a compelling title that stops readers in their tracks.

Remember: your audience's time is valuable. Your headlines should promise a payoff in exchange for their click or tap-through. Below are some awesome examples of benefit-driven headlines from Lauren Pope of G2.

At glance, your headline should highlight why someone should spend their valuable time reading. In short, what do readers get out of your post?

See how that works?

Among our headline writing tips, this is easily one of the most important.

Ask yourself: how can you frame your post's title as benefiting the reader?

Saving time? Maybe money? Relieving some sort of pain point? Either way, strive to put that benefit front-and-center in your headline.

2. When in doubt, ask a question

Question-based headlines are time-tested and remain the go-to for writers for a few reasons.

We're curious creatures, after all. When we take to Google or social media, we already have questions in our head (think 'How do I do _____?' or 'Why is _____ so important?') and such headlines feed into our curiosity. Questions aren't just prime for blog post headlines but also social captions as well.

What’s the goal of content marketing, anyway?

Here, almost 200 marketers agree on the 15 content marketing goals every program should set and achieve: https://t.co/gh0A3IknGY

— Databox (@databoxHQ) March 6, 2020