As a publisher, you have one job – to write catchy content that makes people want to read what you have to say. Even the best writers can struggle with catching the attention of those in the world around them. Why do you ask? Most of the time, the problem lies in the headline. If the headline doesn’t grab someone’s attention and make them want to learn more about what the piece of content has to offer, the piece of content is essentially worthless. So, how do you write a catchy headline that stands up and commands attention? The answer is simple.
Headlines need to be descriptive
Oftentimes, people throw headlines into their post that doesn’t tell anyone what to expect. Your headline needs to provide an overview of what the piece of content is about. If your headline is bland and non-descriptive, people are going to end up heading elsewhere for information. You need something that draws people in and makes them want to continue reading about what it is that you have to say. Think of the headline as a short overview of your article. If your article is about different ways to boost your search engine ranking, a good headline would be ‘5 Ways to Boost Search Engine Rankings’ or something along those lines.
Refrain from a clickbait headline
At some point in time or another, you have probably heard the word clickbait. This tactic is often used by editors and publishers to attract the attention of the visitor using a faulty headline that has nothing to do with what the article is even about. Not only does this end up frustrating the one reading the content, but it can also cause you to lose subscribers and visitors. That’s the last thing you want to do as a publisher. The goal is to increase readership, not lose readers. Make sure your headline is accurate and not full of fluff that is untrue and misleading.
Make adjectives your friends
A good headline should use descriptive and catchy adjectives to describe the content that follows. Words like free, fun, incredible and essential tend to work extremely well when crafting a headline. The key is using words that will draw people in without trying to mislead the reader and make them think you are going to deliver something you aren’t. A headline along the lines of ‘3 Essential Tools Every Camper Should Have’ would work well.
While you want to attract as much attention to the business as possible for your client, you also have to go about it the right way. Otherwise, you are going to end up doing more harm than good. Being upfront, honest and engaging in your headline is the key to attracting people to the content and making them want to continue learning more about the client and what they have to offer. When in doubt, stop and think about what type of headlines would attract you and make you want to continue reading more.
