It’s the first thing your readers see. It’s how you get those readers engaged and reading your posts. It’s how you get them to go ahead and just please click…that…link. It’s your blog post headline. And it’s important.
If you want to write a great blog, with a great big readership, you have to write great blog post headlines. Okay, but how?
Here are a few tips and tricks I use. See how many you can spot in my own blog:
- Link Up The Chain – Remember that even though you should be tucking a few keywords into your blog post headlines, your headline really has one main purpose. And that is to get folks reading the first line of the post itself. That’s it. Ask yourself, when you write your headline, if it does that job passably well. If it’s too clever or too cutesy and self-enclosed – fix it.
- SEO It Goes – As I said above, to not put a keyword or two in your headline is madness. It’s a missed opportunity to pull in new blog readers. So try to sneak one or two in when you can. When it’s natural and when it obeys the guidelines below.
- 7 is a Lucky Number (so is any number, in fact!) – You’ve seen it a million times, and there’s a darn good reason. Studies show that placing a number in your headline ups it’s chances of being clicked upon. What’s more compelling: “Awesome tips for awesome headlines” or “5 Easy Ways to Write Great Headlines”?
- Curiosity Creates Readers – Get your readers wondering. Ask questions that they can’t resist knowing the answer to.
- It’s ALL About Them – You know that copywriting principle that tells you to never put “Welcome To My Site” on your site’s home page? Why? Because it’s not about your site. It’s about your customer’s needs. Same goes for your blog. Pack a lot of You and Yours into your headlines, making them interesting, keyword heavy and clickable.
- Be Timely – If you attach your blog to the latest news event, you’ll not just gather more readers. You’ll brand your blog one with its finger on the pulse of your industry. There’s nothing worse than an out of touch blogger. And, there’s nothing better than one who is cutting edge.
- Don’t Ask How They’re Feeling. Tell Them! – Get in their heads, in other words. Address how they might be feeling. Like “Knockout Your Tension Headaches with These 3 Tricks” or “How to Convert Your Unruly Children Into Angels in Just 48 Hours”
What secrets have you discovered for crafting great headlines? Share them with us by posting a comment below.