10 Simple Tips to Craft Compelling Headlines

By Emily E. Steck

If content is king, then headlines are the keys to the kingdom. No matter how good the content publishers make is, the reality is that a reader’s first assumption about the content is its headline. And with so much content out there, a good, tweaked headline can reap benefits.

• Write 25 Headlines for Every Article

  Not only does a headline make a first impression for your reader, but it's also the gatekeeper for your content. A bad headline can keep people out; a good headline can let people in. [Twenty-five is the magic number for headline success](https://blog.quiet.ly/industry/why-25-is-the-magic-number-for-headline-success/) and this principle is known as the"Upworthy Effect." For every post Upworthy publishes, the editorial team writes a minimum of 25 headlines before choosing the best one. It's a great exercise to develop new concepts and ideas and also to work through multiple drafts of your headlines.

• Offer Help and Solutions

  Content is supposed to inform, educate and entertain, but often the best content helps a user. If you type in "headline writing" into Google, the highest results will offer _solutions_ to headline writing. (Not unlike this embed.) Focus your headlines, then, on helping solve a problem rather than telling about something. So spin a news item into what to do about it. Instead of "Here's What You Need to Know About X", frame it as "What to Do Now That This Happened".

• Share Experiences

  Both B2B and B2C brands can benefit from the "What we/I learned" headline framework. By speaking to your readers from your experience, you instantly create trust, authority and a promising solution with your headline. Think articles like "We Overhauled Our Email Strategy and Gained 10,000 Subscribers in 6 months" or "What I Learned from Contouring my Face Everyday". They instantly make the articles more personal.

• Promises and Calls to Action

  What will happen to your reader if they read this piece of content and not others? Where's the promise that their life will be better/different/easier? Make promises in your headlines that call your readers to action—just as long as you can keep them. Instead of something like "Building Your Personal Brand", frame it with a promise like, "How to Build Your Personal Brand and Score Your Dream Job".

• Include Data and Quotes

  Include information that makes them want to read more. Usually, this is in the form of data (like numbers and facts) or quotes (like those from a celebrity or well-regarded expert). Statistics and quotes are even better used when they seem difficult to believe. B2B brands love to employ this tactic, as it furthers their case for credibility. Something like "How We Boosted Our Traffic by 40% in Just Three Months!" can do the trick.

• Listify Content

  Lists offer structure within your content and your headlines. Lists give an idea of what an article is about, how long it is, etc. Really, they’re perfect for headlines. The good headline of “How To Build Your Personal Brand & Score Your Dream Job In The Digital Age” can shift to “10 Steps To Build Your Personal Brand & Score Your Dream Job In The Digital Age.” We now know how long the article is and what to expect.

• Consider Your Audience

  A headline has to fulfill a promise to your audience, not trick them into reading something. After all, you don’t want to lose their trust. Think to yourself: Does this answer a question my readership might have? Am I speaking in their language? Craft your headline for an audience of just one person so that the content resonates with them.

• Align it with Your Content

  Content should always have a purpose, otherwise it's just content for content's sake. Your headline should reflect the angle of your content and why you are creating content. Always ask yourself: What’s the point of this content? Better yet, ask what is _the most important_ point of this content?

• Lean Positive or Negative

  Statistically, readers like superlative words in their content aka either extremely positive (best, easiest, greatest, ultimate) or extremely negative words (never, don't, stop, avoid). If you want your content to get attention, your headline must be on either end of the spectrum; otherwise, it won’t catch anyone’s attention.

• Avoid Clickbait and Headline Fatigue

  We all know what clickbait is and we've all been guilty of clicking on it. Don't be guilty of creating it. Avoid creating headlines like “One Tweet Perfectly Explains Life” or anything that sounds misleading, desperate or falsified.