LeadMagnetGeniusWriting headlines is a bit of an art, but you get better with practice. The more you write (and see the response), the more you develop an instinct for what works with your audience.
A fun exercise: when you’re reading news sites or browsing social media, pay attention to which headlines grab you and which you skip. Ask yourself why. Build a mental (or literal) swipe file of headlines that you think are brilliant. You can even try to rewrite existing headlines to make them better – just as practice.
Also, consider context. A headline that works in an email subject line might differ from one on a blog post for SEO. For example, email subject can be more personalized or teaser-y because the audience already knows you to some degree. A blog headline on your site might need more keywords for SEO. Adapt your approach to the medium.
A Quick Case Study Example
Let’s do a quick before-and-after to cement the ideas:
Imagine you have an article about the benefits of morning exercise.
A weak headline might be: “Morning Exercise” – (too vague and boring).
Better attempt: “Benefits of Morning Exercise” – (okay, but still not very compelling).
Stronger: “5 Benefits of Morning Exercise (And How to Build the Habit)” – now we have a number and a promise of also how to do it.
Or: “How a 10-Minute Morning Workout Can Transform Your Day” – uses “How”, is specific (10-minute, morning workout), implies a big benefit (transform your day).
Both of those are likely to “convert” more readers than the basic ones.
Another Example:
Topic: losing weight by drinking water.
Weak: “Drinking Water and Weight Loss”. Better: “Water and Weight Loss: What to Know”. Stronger: “Does Drinking Water Help You Lose Weight? Here’s What the Science Says” – poses a question the reader might have and promises an answer based on science (credibility). Or list style: “7 Ways Drinking Water Can Help You Lose Weight (Backed by Science)”.
Notice in the final strong versions we’ve added specificity (“science”, “7 ways”), reader interest (“help you lose weight” – clear benefit or question they want answered).