Good and Bad Headlines: What You Need to Know in 10 Minutes

When writing the headlines of the various contents for blogs and social networks, there is no magic or exact formula that works for everyone. This has been complicated even for experts since they have realized that many articles that seem only one more, become very successful in terms of visits, and others that are composed of more detailed and complex information can go unnoticed. And although there is no rule for every post to be successful, if there is any crucial key to get them to attract attention this is through the appeal that good headlines can have, since this is the first thing our readers will see.

To avoid falling into mistakes that limit our articles to capture the attention of first impression to readers through a good headline we will give you some suggestions to achieve it.

1. Tips for writing good headlines

The first thing you should do is write a headline in which you are specific. Employing precise words about the idea of what you are going to write in your post is essential. The idea is to offer a “promise” of what they will find in the content of the article. Including numbers is an indication of a good headline, as they manage to capture attention. Another important point is to add those words that answer the doubts of the readers: how, where, when, and why they are perfect to capture attention.

Another hook for good headlines is to include powerful adjectives: mystery, strange, amazing. Those that provoke positive feelings are also valid.

2. Good headlines = Short and concise

• When the headlines are brief they are much more attractive. The ideal length of the title is between 6 and 10 words. Remember that if you’re creating content for social media, you need something short and eye-catching.
• Sometimes there are headlines so long that it’s hard to include the title and link in a tweet. On the other hand, a very short title doesn’t say much about the content. Within the recommendations to improve the SEO of a page or blog, it is said that you should think more about readers.
• Search and ranking engines don’t know what your article is about, so make it easy for them to work with using keywords to capture interest. But be careful, never write in a headline something that will not be included in the content of the text, since you will not meet the expectations of the readers and you will lose them.

3. Never write the first one that comes to mind

Spend some time carefully thinking about the title of the article for your blog or social network. Think about it based on what you have developed so that you have a clearer idea of how you want to make an impact on your readers at first glance. Headlines are important, so take your time, if you write them down in a minute, it may not be good enough.

4. Examples of bad headlines

• Too vague or fanciful

Generating vague or fanciful headlines is one of the main problems that bloggers face. One thing is to create curiosity as mentioned in previous points and the other is not to cause uncertainty because the result will be lukewarm. Sometimes there is a risk you have to take, especially if you want to differentiate yourself from others.

• Melted or fake

One of the main characteristics of bad headlines is that they are flat and unattractive. A good exercise is to place your title on a list of other titles that belong to your competition. Then analyze and ask yourself the following question: Will this title make me stand out or is it similar to those I have already compared myself to?

5. Examples of good headlines

• Direct headlines: they go straight to the subject, without trying to be creative. These are very effective when it comes to selling a product, for example, White sneakers of all brands with a 30% discount.
• A hook headline: these headlines make more subtle proposals. They take advantage of curiosity to throw questions at readers, which will have answers in the content of the article. In these headlines, baits are usually used, in the sense of attracting the reader.
• The news headline: they are very evident since the news by itself is a fact. A product presentation, an improved version, or even a scoop can be the basis of a compelling news headline.
• The headline how it is everywhere, on and off the grid, for one reason only: it works wonders.
• The titular question must ask more than just ask a question, it must be a question with which the reader feels identified or from which an answer is wanted. To give an example: Do you close the closet door at night? Or do you want to make fortunes work online?
• The imperative headline: Boldly tell the prospect what they need to do. Example: Subscribe to our Blog today!

Headlines are the cover letter of the articles on our page or blog. These should be chosen carefully depending on what we want to sell whether it is a product, an idea, or capturing the attention of our readers to delight them with a fascinating read.

Would you like to put these tips into practice? Let us know with your comments.