Headlines are the cornerstone of your web marketing. Whether for the hero section of your website, social media campaign, PPC campaign, or just your blog, the headline is the copy that can make or break your business. It’s that one piece of the puzzle that will either convince someone to learn more or instantly discourage them from getting involved with your company.

So, obviously, it’s extremely important for anyone to be able to write a captivating, persuasive, and alluring headline that will push people to click on the provided link. It’s like a CTA but with much less explanation involved. Thus writing a proper, effective headline is anything but easy. So, to help you attract an even bigger audience to your website, we composed a comprehensive guide on how to write a winning headline. But before we get started, let’s discuss why headlines matter.

Why do headlines matter?

The most obvious reason why headlines are crucial to your website’s success is that they attract the audience. You can’t persuade someone to click on an article if it doesn’t have an appealing enough headline. Even in social media, while people may notice your content because of the picture, they will click on it because of the headline. Thus the most significant benefit of having a winning headline is the traffic it generates.

Organic traffic relies predominantly on search engine results, though. As you know, search engines share the headline with a short description. Still, what gets the user’s attention is definitely the headline. So, a better headline means higher traffic, better results, more conversions, and, ultimately, better revenues.

However, a headline should be much more than that. About 8 out of 10 people will only read the headlines, while only 20% will actually invest the time to read the entire article. Thus, the headline should give enough information and exude enough appeal to increase this percentage. Or at least push readers to share your page with someone interested.

Of course, to manage all that, you must be above average. With about 7 million blog posts published daily and about 97% of them boosting their results via social media, standing out is genuinely one of the most challenging parts of your marketing. Still, if you want your post to be shared, you must do better than 90% of the internet. Only about 1% of all posts receive more than 1000 shares. 10% will get over 100 shares, while the rest will enjoy less. So, how do you get in the top 10%? Well, you write one outstanding headline, of course, and here is how you start.

Headline Foundations

Any headline has some mandatory features that it must cover. These are the cornerstones of your headline. Without them, none of the subsequent tips and tricks will help you reach your desired potential. They are the flesh and blood of your headline. Thus, adding them will not necessarily bring you any benefits. On the other hand, disregard them, and no matter how you adorn your headline after, it will inevitably fail.

Consider the length

When writing a headline, you should strive for simplicity. Reserve the lengthy explanations for the content after the user clicks on the headline. Moreover, studies have suggested that a seven-word headline would receive the most clicks. It will receive about 30% more clicks than an eight or 12-word headline.

Also, you should avoid way-too-long or way-too-short headlines. Both are not performing well. Any headline with less than 4 words can’t relay enough information while using 14 words or more will lose focus.

Moreover, you need to follow the guidelines of the channel you are using for distribution. For example, since most websites strive to end up in Google, you must follow their guidelines for creating a title. Since January 3, 2023, the search engine King has removed its headline limit of 110 characters, but that doesn’t mean you can write as long as you want. Google will cut your title short after approximately 60 characters. Why approximately? Well, Google has predetermined a 600-pixel limit for your headline, and not all characters take the same space. So going for 50-55 characters with your headline is probably for the best. Statistically, the most effective headlines will be 7 words and 55 characters. Still, what you put inside these seven words is far more important.

Make it on point

People have options. They don’t have time. So when writing a headline, you shouldn’t waste the reader’s time while highlighting why you offer the best option. This means you need to stick to the point. Yes, your title should summarize the content beneath it, but that’s not all. It should also highlight how reading this content will benefit the user.

It’s not a coincidence searching on the internet is called browsing. Users are not ready to give everyone the same amount of attention. So to capture it, you need to address a problem they face or its solution. For example, the title, “Why is your bounce rate so damn high?” addresses the issue (high bounce rate) and implies the featured content has the solution. This type of headline states precisely what the user can expect to learn if they click on the title. It’s straightforward, short, and enticing. For this headline to work, however, targeting is crucial.

Make it targeted

As you can imagine, a user looking for a swimsuit won’t click on this title. Neither will someone who has a perfect bounce rate. The headline offers a solution to a tightly targeted audience with a common problem. Thus, almost everyone who clicks on the article will be interested in our solution. That’s what makes it work. Therefore targeting is instrumental for your success. You need to know what audience you need to address. Not only which segment of the population will be interested in your problem, but also what’s the entire point of your content, where is the targeted audience in the marketing funnel, and how knowledgeable are they on the issue at hand.

For example, if we were targeting people with experience, we would have made our headline “Utilize Google Search Console to improve your bounce rate.” This headline accents the solution, which assumes the user already knows all aspects of the problem and only needs a quick solution.

Moreover, this headline is much more sharable, as it can act as a direct answer. Still, the user needs to know what GSC is, how it works, and its implementations. For beginners, the original title is much better as it focuses on the problem, and the content not only explains the ins and outs of the problem but gives a solution after carefully explaining the processes.

So, when you write a headline, know your audience. Otherwise, you risk patronizing the more knowledgeable or scaring away the less knowledgeable.

Use Active Voice

Using active voice is not something new in presentations. It has massive benefits to your entire content, not just the headline, but as the title is practically your text’s ad, it’s good to start using active voice there as well.

Probably the most significant benefit of using active over passive voice is the confidence it implies. Using passive voice can sound doubtful. For example, if we were to write, “Bounce rates can be improved with Google Search Console,” the title would give the same information. Yet it lacks the conviction that the method will work. “Utilize Google Search Console to improve your bounce rate” sounds more confident and assertive.

Moreover, the active voice states the point clearly and directly. Passive voice usually allows for interpretations, which is confusing, to say the least.

An active voice is also authoritative and assertive, which shows the users that you are trustworthy.

Most importantly, the active voice uses fewer words to build more momentum, which helps you create anticipation and interest.

Proofread it carefully

Finally, make absolutely sure your headline has perfect grammar and spelling. Headline mistakes kill the entire content long before anyone gets to read it. People may forgive a minor error in 3000-word content, as most are not out to get you. However, mistakes in the headlines are unforgivable. They will instantly destroy your authority, credibility, and reputation. So, take your time, spellcheck, and grammar-check your headline before you publish it, and save yourself the embracement from negligence.

Some DON’Ts when writing a headline

Knowing the mandatory features of a headline, one is always tempted to get a bit overboard with creating a winning title. Well, there are some great ways to do that precisely. But before we get to them, let’s discuss the don’ts that instantly kill your headline.

Don’t use clickbait

Only a handful of things can irritate your audience quite, like clickbait. This is the lowest copy form, instantly destroying a company’s reputation. Usually, such headlines are reserved for third-grade tabloids, gossip factories, and some get-rich-quick schemes. Clickbait purposely misleads the audience into thinking they will receive much more than they actually do. This hype usually plays for cheap clicks and is used by shady affiliate marketers, who count on high traffic to get the numbers they’ve promised. Still, the quality of these leads is atrocious, and as a business owner, you shouldn’t be interested in the quantity but the quality of your audience. Thus, stay away from clickbait, as they will crush your image as almost nothing else can.

Don’t make it boring.

Boring headlines are another bane of content creation you should strive to leave behind. Boring headlines are also known as generic. Yes, they give the users the intended information, but at the same time, they snuff out any emotion and abandon any sign of creativity. This blends the headline with the background making people blind to it. Take this article’s headline, for example: “The art of creating an effective headline.” It represents the task at hand as an artwork. You don’t write the headline. You create it. The title is dynamic and exudes emotion and care. Now imagine if we put “Writing headline guide.” It basically gives the same information without the extra layers of benefits, dynamics, and emotions.

Don’t assume knowledge

The knowledge level of your targeted audience is crucial when creating a headline. Still, you shouldn’t assume knowledge regardless of whether you’re targeting experts or beginners. As you can see, in our previous example with “Utilize Google Search Console to improve your bounce rate,” we didn’t use the widely spread acronym GSC since not everyone will interpret it right away. Even worse is using business jargon or internal lingo. This will instantly chase away anyone outside the tight circle of people familiar with your terms. Even those that already have some knowledge will be pushed away from using too much jargon. After all, they are looking for a simple solution to specific problems, and terminology, as a definition, complicates communication. Leave the jargon, abbreviations, acronyms, and all tech lingo for the content, where you can explain them in length.

Don’t over-explain

While we are speaking of explanations, don’t ever over-explain in your headline. The headline’s duty is not to sell nor to give solutions. It’s to advertise what users will find in the content. So, keep your headline short, to the point, and without pointlessly getting into details. There are enough things to cramp in your headline without adding an extra layer of complicated reasoning.

Don’t self-promote

Finally, your headline is not the place to introduce yourself. While it’s not as unforgivable as using clickbait, self-promoting in headlines is generally frowned upon. When someone is looking for a solution to a problem, they don’t want to hear how great your company is, how rich your history is, and how much experience you have. That’s what the content is all about. So, titles like “HostArmada’s 5 ways to improve your bounce rate” will always sound pretentious. The only time it’s OK to use a brand name in headlines is when you are talking about the brand specifically or when you are quoting some other more authoritative brand’s ideas. For example, “Coca-Cola’s three tips on starting a successful business.” Still, if Coca-Cola does this in its blog, it will leave a pretty bad taste.

So, avoid self-promoting in headlines and leave this part to the content and the About Us page.

Pro tips for writing a winning headline

Since we’ve already gone through the basics and the don’ts, let’s add some flavor to the headline. After all, the point is to have one truly outstanding and unique title among the millions of headlines that offer solutions to the same problem. So, these pro tips will help you make your headline yours and transform it into an effective marketing tool.

Implement Keywords

This should be obvious. The main point of any website, especially a blog, is to generate as much free traffic as possible. Free traffic, in its vast majority, comes from search engines (Google, to be precise). Thus, for a compelling headline, you need to mirror the way people search for products or services similar to yours. These terms are called keywords. Implementing these into your headline will entice search engines to rank you higher in their search results. They will calculate the relevance of your title compared to a specific search and push you forward in their results list.

For blog posts, since it’s generally a good idea to base your articles on long-tail keywords, adding keywords shouldn’t be much of a problem. Still, for product pages, home pages, and others, this can be a bit tricky.

Utilize rare adjectives

It’s a good idea to utilize adjectives to your advantage. To do so, use some rarely used adjectives that instantly grab people’s attention. Those are words seldom used in everyday conversations. For example, instead of “easy,” go for “effortless.” Yes, it has a bit more characters, but it also adds exclusivity to your headline. Other such words are “astonishing,” “exquisite,” “essential,” “masterful,” and many more.

Such rare adjectives are precisely the way to relay your intended emotion to the readers. But more importantly, they will separate your content from the pack and make it stand out.

Make it for people

The emotional value of your headline will determine whether it will attract people or not. For better or worse, people are highly driven by their emotions and will always choose someone who sympathizes with their struggles. So, manipulating the emotional output of your headline will make it sound more human. This can be done in several ways. The most commonly used one is to address the reader directly. However, you may also use some powerful words.

“Why is Your Bounce Rate so Damn High” is a perfect example of implementing both. The headline addresses the reader as if we are starting a conversation in a bar. The reader feels involved thanks to the possessive determiner “your.” At the same time, the powerful and rarely used (in headlines) “Damn” instantly attracts attention. Note that shock value is not always a good idea. In fact, most times, using curses and slang is counterproductive in writing any content, especially headlines. However, in this case, “Damn” works since it refers to a popular meme, which makes it instantly recognizable and stands out from the pack. Moreover, this word makes the entire headline much more human, as it introduces a dose of frustration anyone who has battled with improving their bounce rate is familiar with.

A great way to make your headline human-friendly is using a question. Utilize the 5Ws – Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How. This pushes the user’s brain to make the next step independently. So they either answer the question to themselves or wonder. If they wonder, they are ready to start a conversation. If they have the answer, then they might check if they are correct. Adding personalization to your question with the personal pronoun “you” will add a layer of humanity to your headline.

Never start with a negative

Speaking of emotions, it’s essential to avoid relaying negative emotions and sub-messages to your audience. This is constantly done by using negatives at the beginning of the headline. It’s a good idea to avoid negatives altogether, but if you have to address some don’ts, at least don’t put them at the very start of your headline. Negative terms such as “Don’t,” “Never,” “Can’t,” “Won’t,” and others affect the readers’ demeanor. Thus they are far less likely to fulfill the predetermined goal of the content. Many would tell you that using negatives is an effective way to get more traffic. This is based on the notion that people are far more interested in bed news. However, while that may be, the negative impact on the user’s subconscious will affect their behavior on your website. And your goal is not simply to have many visitors but to enact a particular goal.

So, avoid headlines like “Don’t be afraid of high bounce rates,” despite their positive demeanor. The negative word in front will hinder this perceived benefit. Instead, focus on positive words for your headlines.

Underline its goal

Content usually has three main goals: to entertain, inform, or solve a problem. Whichever one is your content’s goal, you need to address it in your headline. The title should leave no surprises when the user opens the content. Imagine how disappointing it would be if you were looking for a solution, yet the article only describes the problem and doesn’t offer a solution. Yes, defining the issue is important, but as we said earlier, users have options but no time. So if you waste their time, they will be understandably frustrated. Thus make sure to word your headline in a manner that makes it clear if you are offering a solution, informing, or entertaining.

For example, “What is web cache and how to use it to your advantage” clearly states that the article inside will be informative and offer a solution. On the other hand, “Twenty years of changing the world for the better. Happy Birthday WordPress” is an informative article about an event. It offers no solutions.

So, make sure you underline your content goals in your headline, so you won’t mislead anyone by wasting time on something they are not interested in.

Use numbers

Many would tell you that numbers are so 2017. But they still work perfectly well. By introducing a number, you not only add a specific symbol that differs from the letters all around and thus attracts attention, but it also specifies what the user will get by reading your content. Moreover, people prefer scannable texts, and introducing a number guarantees them a list, which is much more scalable than plain text.

So, it’s very important not only to use a number but to write it with a number. For example, instead of writing, “The ten most common mistakes to avoid when creating a website,” go for “The 10 most common mistakes to avoid when creating a website.” We bet even now, your attention was instantly drawn toward the second headline with the number.

Interestingly, research by the Content Marketing Institute has determined that people are far more responsive to odd numbers. So much so that click-through rates have increased by 20% by merely including an odd number in the headline. Naturally, these numbers get the most average engagements. Only 10, a nice round number, gets more engagements than the odd single-digit numbers.

However, when you are making a list, make sure to keep it relatively short. Stick to a maximum of ten items and make a second article if needed. Otherwise, people will lose interest.

Conclusion

Of course, it’s not mandatory to use every tip in this article at the same time. Feel your audience and try out what will work best for you. Most importantly, however, always use all of the headline foundations. Without them, any additional tweaks will be pointless. Just like it would be pointless to have the perfect headline when your website is loading slowly or is constantly down. Thankfully we have a solution—our high-speed, heavily-secured, and extremely reliable hosting. We guarantee your audience access to your website 99.9% of the time with a secure and fast connection. And while your headlines attract the masses, we will ensure they have as comfortable an experience getting to your content as possible. Contact our team, and they will help you choose the best hosting plan for your needs.