There are over 4.5 billion people who use the internet around the world.
This number continues to grow each year. The internet has brought a global audience to websites no matter where they are hosted.
If you’re creating content to try and drive traffic, you need attention-grabbing headlines. These are the headlines that make people stop scrolling and want to click on your article. The goal of getting more views is to generate more customers or create more ad revenue.
Attention-Grabbing Headlines
Creating a proper attention-grabbing headline is imperative to spread the reach of your articles. People are flooded with content on a daily basis and have to decide what to click on. In addition to implementing a search engine optimization campaign, a strategy which focuses on improving the reach and impact of your content will benefit you.
You may already know the importance of good headlines, so here are some things that you can do to improve the impact that your headlines have.
1. Key Word
Another area in which SEO will help to synergize your efforts is in the use of keywords. Your attention-grabbing headline needs to start with a keyword. This keyword represents what most people who are looking for the content you are providing search for.
A keyword can be found via a research tool, or through a company that offers SEO and marketing services. A good headline will feature a strong keyword so that it shows up when people search for the product or service that you are providing.
2. Simple and Strong Language
If you want your headline to appeal to as many people as possible, don’t make it too complicated. Use as few words as you can, but make sure that those words carry impact. Try to focus on calls to action, like “try this” or “click here”.
When crafting a headline beware of verbosity. Do not use a word like imperative if the word urgent suffices. More people know what urgent means, and therefore it would appeal to more potential readers.
3. Use Power Words
Power words will help you gain more attention because they are words that convey a strong purpose or meaning. Words like “Never” and “Freedom”. These words can invoke emotional responses that are able to draw a reader in.
The key to using power words is not to oversell your content. If you continue to oversell the value of your content, then you risk losing readership. People want good, informative content that isn’t sensationalized.
4. Be Bold and Forthright
You should capture the attention of your audience by starting the right way. For many articles, this can be done by putting in a bold opinion or presenting something controversial. This strategy is something that can backfire, so make sure that you don’t take it too far.
The product or service you are selling also impacts whether or not you can be overly bold or controversial. If you are running a business that sells magic tricks, for instance, you could try something like, “Great Magicians Failed to Embrace this Trick!” Or something that makes people who may not even be interested in your article read it.
5. Be Humorous
One of the best ways to draw people in is to be humorous or amusing. A great attention-grabbing headline can be a funny headline. It also says something about the content and person writing it when they can appeal on a human level to their audience.
Another way in which humour can help is that it can give you a positive brand reputation. This means that your business can be known as witty, charming, amusing, or whatever people associate with your articles.
6. Don’t Settle on the First Headline Idea
If you can, you shouldn’t be the only one deciding on headlines. When we create headlines, they are appealing to us because we created them. Consider showing your headlines to someone you trust, or a group of people that are different than you.
This will help you craft a headline that is more appealing to a broader section of the population. You can also have your team vote on the headline that they think would work best. Respect this vote. It can be difficult for you as a creator to tell what aspect will sell your work the best.
7. Statistics Are a Great Connector
This does depend on what your article is about, but if a statistic would convey to your audience something valuable about your article, use it. Numbers don’t lie, and people can be drawn in by them. You can present a statistic as a fraction, such as “two-thirds of people want this” or as a percentage, “66% of people say they can’t live without this”.
When you present a statistic, remember that the content of the article matters. Try to make sure that the statistic has a source and is in line with the content of the article. As long as the statistic says what you claim it does, you are going to be able to attract more people.
Grab Attention!
There are over 4 million blog posts made each day. Your headline will be what determines whether or not you stand out in the crowded field or are just another number. While content carries the greatest importance, if no one ever reads your content, it doesn’t matter what you said.
A great headline can make an okay article popular. A great article with a terrible headline will never be read by anyone.
Content Marketing for You
If you’re trying to make a splash or increase your revenue, you are going to need a strategy. Bringing together all the aspects of SEO, content marketing and other tools will be the only way to stay ahead of the curve.
If you fail to take advantage of all the tools and services available, you are exposing yourself to incredible risk. Don’t ruin your business. Employ a strategy that works today.
If you need help with attention-grabbing headlines or want to improve your online presence, contact nuBranch Media. We can help bring your business into the modern digital space with focus and sensibility.
