Love them or hate them – headlines could make or break your online content.
Headlines are critical to making that first impression on your audience. They are the most tantamount part of any written article as they summarize the main gists of your content. Moreover, they catch your readers’ attention and keep your writing on point. Compelling titles could earn you more organic clicks.
More importantly, headlines could make or break your rankings. Optimizing your headlines with the right keywords could actually improve your ranking on Google. Furthermore, writing SEO-friendly titles could optimize your content.
Luckily for you, we’ve crafted 7 tips to guide you towards that killer headline.
1. Include a Keyword
Every piece of SEO-friendly content needs keywords. After all, keywords are the foundation of SEO. Do your keyword research and narrow down one or two keywords you can use to optimize your headline.
Including a keyword or two in the main heading of your article (otherwise known as H1) could work wonders for your ranking. It informs users of the main subject of your article but also helps your work gets picked up by Google. This could help drive more organic traffic.
Here’s an example of a catchy headline using the keyword “Cupcake Singapore”:
5 Well-Known and Convenient Cupcake Bakeries in Singapore
2. Add a Number
Next, according to Neil Patel, numbers promise substance, organization, and structure. Interestingly, adding numerical digits to your headlines also gives your readers an indication of your content length and also keeps your content organized in a logical manner.
Numerical digits give your readers a brief outline of what they can expect when they click on your website. Here’s one example:
21 Alternative Workouts That Can Get You Ripped in No Time
3. Use an Active Voice
Third, an active voice denotes the act of a subject performing a particular action. In contrast to passive tones, active voices are more readable and also put greater emphasis on the subject at hand.
Yoast strongly recommends the active voice over a passive voice. Passive tones involve more cognitive evaluation compared to active ones. Moreover, headlines with active voices are more engaging and succinct.
Here’s the difference between passive and active voices
Passive Voice: 7 Interesting Updates That Have been Released by Google
Active Voice: 7 Interesting Google Updates
Here’s a passive voice checker you could try using.
4. Utilize Trigger Words
Back in school, you might have learned about the five W’s and one H – Who, What, When, Where, Why and How. Thankfully, these words are useful in digital marketing too.
Using trigger words could pique your readers’ interests but also keep your content streamlined prevent it from going out of point. In addition, it also gives your readers a direct answer to any questions related to your topic of discussion. Best of all, the persuasive element in trigger words could also increase organic traffic.
For instance, try including a trigger word in the second half of the title to give your readers a sneak peak about your content. Here’s one of ours,
Tip: Try to avoid adding more than one trigger word in your heading – as it might come across pushy.
5. Use Engaging Adjectives
Next, use powerful adjectives that tap on the emotional consciousness of your readers. Emotive adjectives help reach out and connect with your audience. They give your readers a lowdown of what your content can offer. Furthermore, they make your headlines more eye-catching when they show up on Google Searches.
Here are some examples of titles with compelling adjectives.
7 Mind-Blowing Ways You Can Jazz Up Your Website
10 Effortless Hairdos for Second-Day Hair
21 Cheap and Convenient Cafes You Should Try in Tampines
6. Include a CTA
Also, a Call To Action (CTA) prompts a reader to click on your website. It engages with your readers and creates a sense of urgency to read further. Moreover, CTAs motivate and inspire your audience to take real action that could help you expand your brand awareness, improve, customer engagement to help you generate more web traffic and seal the deal on sales.
Here are some catchy headlines and CTAs you could consider using:
Want to Learn More about GrabAds? Click Here!
Are You Guilty of Skipping Breakfast in the Morning? Click Here to Find Out Why Breakfast is Important
Incorporate these 7 Effortless Tips to Make the Most Out of Your Workout
7. Add Some Mystery to Your Headlines
Finally, adding some mystery gives your content an edge. Piquing your audience’s curiosity is a sneaky but effective way to encourage your readers to click on your website to find out more. Make sure you avoid divulging the critical takeaways in your content but reveal just enough to intrigue them.
If you need some inspiration for catchy and click-worthy titles that leave an air of mystery, here are some headlines you can consider:
Are you committing any of these 8 SEO crimes?
Does “Thick” Content Really Matter in SEO?
#GoogleUpdate: Here’s the Latest Google Algorithm Update that Could Boost your Ranking
Now that you’ve learned the art of catchy headlines, the next step involves creating persuasive content that will wow your audience. Click here for a helpful guide.
