I like to think of catchy headlines as books in a bookstore. If the cover doesn’t grab my attention, I won’t bother to read the back.
That’s why headlines of any kind need to make a solid first impression and tell potential readers what value they’ll get right away.
So, how important are catchy headlines, and how do you write them?
Keep reading to find out.
What Is a Catchy Headline?
A catchy headline is persuasive copy with a traceable impact on user interaction. This means that if you spend some time working on crafting the perfect headline for your project, you can cut through all the noise out there and stand out.
A strong headline is, more often than not, the catalyst for a project’s success. For that reason, a great piece of content needs an equally great headline.
To prove my point, advertisers need copywriters to create eye-catching copy that sells; marketing teams need content writers to come up with great blog post titles to drive blog traffic; podcasters and YouTubers need attention-grabbing titles to drive views; authors need thought-provoking titles to sell their books; and the list goes on and on.
After all, headlines are the first interaction people have with your project.
Why Catchy Headlines Matter
According to recent data from YouGov, strong headlines impact a website by up to 500%.
From a creative standpoint, crafting a catchy headline is essential to getting your hard work noticed. There’s a lot involved in the writing process, including research, interviews, brainstorming, outlining, writing, and editing. It wouldn’t be fair to let your piece go to waste because the headline isn’t enticing enough.
From a business’ perspective, the headlines, subheaders, and titles you use to promote your content and products affect user interaction and click-through rate (CTR).
In essence, catchy headlines matter because they engage your audience, give you more visibility, and increase sales.
How To Write Catchy Headlines
Writing catchy headlines takes practice and time. Depending on factors like audience, project, distribution channel, and brand voice, the perfect headline looks different for everyone.
I recommend sticking to the general rules in the beginning, and as you grow and develop your technique, personalize these rules and make them your own. Below are the basic rules for creating catchy headlines, and if you scroll down a bit, you’ll find some tips to help you get started.
Know Your Audience
Understanding your audience is the first step to writing a great headline. Doing the opposite will negatively impact engagement rates.
Let’s say you’re writing a blog about “the best at-home ice cream makers” for a small ice cream shop with a nationwide audience. If you don’t know the audience, you might think that writing about best-selling ice cream makers and creating a title that emphasizes that is the way to go.
However, since the blog belongs to a local ice cream shop with a strong brand reputation, it’s safe to assume that people follow them for the quality of their ice cream. Therefore, creating a headline that lets people know that there’s a way for them to recreate the shop’s ice cream at home by using certain ice cream makers is a much better angle than the first.
In short, knowing who you’re writing to will help you determine the easiest way to reach them.
Choose the Right Keywords
This is not SEO; this is common sense. If you don’t choose the right keywords for your headline, your chances of being found will decrease. Whether you’re writing for digital or print, keywords help your target audience find your project.
For example, if you’re writing a travel guide to the Bahamas for a digital publication, you can’t use a title like “Let’s Travel,” “Come Visit the Caribbean With Me,” or “Travel Itinerary to a Beautiful Island Country.” The second title has potential, but the others don’t because they’re not specific or appealing.
On the other hand, something like “A Locals-Approved 3-Day Guide To The Bahamas For Your Dream Vacation” works because it:
- Targets people who are planning to go to the Bahamas.
- Uses the term “local-approved” to signal the uniqueness of the guide, as opposed to too-touristy generic guides.
- Let readers know right away what to expect from the guide.
Use the Woo Factor
Headlines without a woo factor aren’t engaging. You can follow all the best practices and use the right keywords for your audience, but if your headline lacks soul—that woo factor—it will repel people.
Now, what is that woo factor I’m talking about?
The woo factor is engagement, and depending on your audience, grabbing their attention and keeping them engaged means different things. It may sound complicated, but all you have to do is identify what keeps your audience engaged and use that to your advantage.
Then, choose the type of headline you want to use and make your keywords work for that type of headline. There are over 15 types you can use, but here are the five most common:
- How-To Headlines are by far the most used format, and they address a reader’s problem.
- Reason-Why and Top-X Headlines are listicles that inform readers about the choices available to them in a particular situation.
- Direct Headlines don’t beat around the bush and tell readers right away what the content is about and what it can do for them.
- Indirect Headlines are all about intriguing readers without giving too much away.
- News Headlines expand on a piece of news.
Tips To Write Catchy Headlines
Again, great headlines look different to everyone. The following tips are a generalization of headline writing best practices. Don’t feel obligated to follow them if they don’t fit your brand’s voice or style guide.
Use Numbers
It’s no coincidence that copywriters often use numbers in their headlines. Listicles work, and people love them for their conciseness, so there’s no harm in using this format for your headlines.
However, avoid using numbers in headlines that are already compelling. In other words, don’t use them recklessly; leave them out if the headline doesn’t read right.
Consider Using the 3Ws and 1H
People consume content to either learn something new, be entertained, or solve a problem. Using what, why, when, and how in your headlines is an easy way to grab their attention.
Be aware, though, that sometimes mixing numbers with this headline format isn’t ideal.
Use Emotional, Power, or Unique Words
These words trigger strong reactions in people, so it’s best practice to include them in your headlines.
If you’ve ever used a headline analyzer, one of the requirements to get a high score is to use one of these words in your title. Examples include outstanding, easily, download, mind-blowing, the best, really, and ways.
As you can see, writing catchy headlines is all about honing your craft, being persistent, and conveying how awesome the content is in a few words. Good luck, and here’s to attention-grabbing headlines.