New data from BuzzSumo analyzed 100,000 headlines to learn about which headlines really draw people in and get results. If your goal is to send people to your blog or website, then this will make you a million times more successful. – ok, maybe not but it is important.
Why Headlines Matter
A headline will make or break whether or not people read your article. While your content matters, people will never get to your content if you don’t draw them in with a great headline. I spoke at an event a few years ago and an agency found that just altering the headline on an article (and slightly changing the copy to match) could make a difference of over 10X on the traffic.
We Write Headlines Wrong
Yet most marketers (and writers) spend more time on the content vs. the headline. The headline is the afterthought.
That’s backwards.
The headline is arguably more important than the copy since the headline determines if people will even give your copy a chance.
Cut to the Chase – What Headlines Work
Ok, so here are the headlines that worked the best:
You Can Try This in Your Post Copy Too…
This may also be food for thought for your Facebook or social media post copy. If you want people to click – are you using the words and phrases that are most likely to drive clicks and action?
What You Can Do
- If you have a blog or content site, really think about your headlines and use this list to get ideas.
- Spend more time on your headline. Rewrite it to make it really POP.
- Think about using these headline ideas for anything that you want to drive action.
- Try not to do it in a way that is too spammy.
To learn more about creating catchy copy, register for the “Communicating in the Age of…Squirrel!” course. I cover the art of clickability and what it means for your digital marketing strategy.
