Headline Hacks: 9 Brilliant Ways to Write Powerful Headlines That Work

Do you know how to write a good headline? If not, you’ve got a problem. You could have the best content in the world, but it would never matter if the headline is lacking.

Why is that? Because the headline is what draws people in. Give people a dull headline and they’ll move right along to the next article.

Luckily, writing a good headline doesn’t have to be hard. You just need to know a few tricks of the trade.

Ready to learn how to do it right? Keep reading for nine brilliant ways to write headlines that will have your readers asking for more.

1. Keep the Language Simple

Do you like complicated words that aren’t used very often? Whether you do or do not, leave them out of your headlines. It’s okay to get into more complicated stuff in your content body, but not in the headline.

Instead, use simple language that’s easy to understand in an instant. You’ve got to grab and keep attention in a very small amount of time, otherwise your potential reader will be moving on. Go with something interesting, but that shows the point of your article in a way that can be understood instantly.

2. Give Them a Reason to Click

If you want passers-by to click on your headline, you’ve got to give them a reason. And that reason can’t just be the topic of your article.

Getting someone to click can be as simple as changing up the format of your content. Instead of writing an essay, write a list of tips. People love tips.

What else do they love? How-to’s, facts, tricks, secrets, and ideas. Whatever you’re writing, include it in the title.

Consider these two options:

• Water Sports are Great for Summer
• 7 Reasons Why You Should Participate in Sports This Summer

Which one makes you feel like you need to read it? The second one, hands down.

People love to find stuff out, but they’re generally not looking for random information. So tell them why they need the info you’re presenting by using words that make them feel like they need it.

3. Use Keywords

You likely use keywords in your content if you’re serious about getting traffic (if not, you need to fix that). Using those keywords in your content body and headings isn’t enough.

Whatever your keywords are for your specific post, make sure you center your headline on them. Your keywords reflect what the article is about, and they’re the words that bring in the traffic you want, so use them!

4. Make it Useful

You shouldn’t be writing content for content’s sake if you’re trying to draw in traffic. So make sure your topics are relevant to your readers.

Relevant topics mean you can write relevant headlines. And your headlines should be relevant, or nobody is going to click on them. At least, your intended audience probably won’t.

5. Go for Unique

Creating a unique headline can be difficult, but it’s far from impossible. You can start by running a search for the topic you’re writing about.

You may find 14 articles with the exact same title of “How to Frost a Cupcake Perfectly”. If so, you certainly don’t need to make another one. A simple change to “Frost Cupcakes Perfectly Every Time with These Tips” will be much more effective.

Why? Because it will stand out!

6. Skip the Timidity

Timid headlines won’t get anybody noticed, so make sure you go for bold! Follow the rest of the rules we’ve already mentioned, and stick it to your reader.

Here are some examples of bold titles:

• This Man Makes $100K per Year and He’s Only 27
• How to Make Your Boss Mad at You
• Why You Shouldn’t Participate in Work Potlucks

Right off the bat, you’re making a bold statement. At the same time, you’re telling readers why they should click, even if it’s simply to answer the question “Why?” or “Why not?”

7. Write Multiple Versions

When trying to find the perfect catchy headline it’s okay to practice a little. Feel free to write out several headlines for the same article. You can even ask other people which one draws their attention the most.

Practicing headlines is great for getting the hang of things. Once you’ve come up with a handful of great headlines it’ll start to come naturally to you.

Don’t forget to ask yourself which headline you’d click on!

8. Use Quotes

Don’t be afraid to use your actual body content in the headline. Feel free to quote yourself, or include a quote said by someone else.

This gives your readers a little taste of what’s to come. It’s also a great way to draw attention.

9. Include Numbers

People like lists, so don’t forget to use them in your content and your headlines. If you’re writing a list of tips or tricks, throw a number in there.

“Ways to Make Apple Pie” isn’t nearly as exciting as “12 Ways to Bake Apple Pie”.

Numbers give people something to look forward to, and they tell them just how much they may be missing out on. Just think of all those ways to bake apple pie you’ve never tried!

The Many Ways to Write Great Headlines

Writing great headlines isn’t difficult. In fact, there are many ways to write great headlines. The secret is knowing how to do it.

Now that you know how it’s done, get out there and try it yourself. Apply these methods and you’ll love your headlines in no time–and your readers will too!

A great headline needs a great body to go with it. Click here for five steps to writing better content.