5 Tips for Writing Catchy Headlines That Drive Traffic

Some interesting statistics:

• On average, eight out of 10 readers read the headline, but only two out of 10 readers read the full article.
• Your website or blog traffic can vary by as much as 500 percent based on the relevance or quality of your headline.
• More than 90 percent of visitors who will read your headline are highly likely to read your CTA copy.

The point is clear: If you want your website copy or blog posts to perform well, you will have to create a compelling headline.

With so much information available online to consume, writing a catchy headline is vital if you want to cut through this noise and grab your readers’ attention. According to a study, nearly 55 percent of readers pay attention to an article for 15 seconds or less. In addition, eight out of 10 readers look at the article’s headline only. There is science to writing a blog that grabs and holds a reader’s attention, and it all starts with the headline. The headline is the foundation of your blog; the only difference is that it sits at the top.

One of the quickest and the most effective ways to drive traffic to your website or blog post is by writing a great headline. You could be writing the most genuine and relevant content for your target audience, but if your headlines are not catchy enough, then readers may never know how useful your content is. A great headline can be a game changer, whereas a bad headline can cause your content marketing efforts to fail.

In order to make sure your website or blog draws the traffic it deserves, follow these best practices:

1. Keep it Short and Simple: The language you choose will impact the click-worthiness of your headline. Use words that are simple yet powerful. Direct and straightforward headlines will appeal more to readers. Do not try to sound intriguing or play with words. According to research, on average, headlines between eight to 12 words in length get the most Twitter shares. On Facebook, headlines with 12 or 14 words receive the most likes.

2. Include a Relevant Keyword: Every headline should target a specific keyword with the highest search volume. This will ensure that your headline is optimized to drive traffic through organic search. Online tools can help you find high-volume keywords to use in your headlines. However, keep in mind that for keywords with high search volume, the competition is going to be steep and your content must be relevant and engaging to rank on the search engine result pages.

3. Include Numbers: According to a study, headlines with numbers outperform headlines without numbers. You can use a low number to show how crisp your article is, or use a high number to show how detailed it is. Instead of spelling out the number, make sure to use a numeral. This is because numerals stand out better in headlines and appeal more to readers.

4. Highlight Value: Why should readers spend time reading your article? How will your blog content add value to their knowledge? The benefit should be evident in the headline. Experts are of the view that “How-to” headlines always perform well because they are clear in conveying the benefit that readers will get by reading the article.

5. Use Punctuation: A study conducted by Outbrain found that adding a hyphen or a colon to a headline will improve clarity and can increase the click-through rate by as much as 9 percent. You can consider placing your main keyword before the punctuation and add your headline after it.

Writing catchy and effective headlines takes a lot of experience and thought. However, with just a little practice, you can boost your website’s CTR by writing straightforward, yet compelling headlines that sell your story to social networks, search engines and your target audience.