Headlines have the power to grab the attention of the people. The more attractive they are, the more we are tempted to click on them. Undoubtedly headlines, whether accurate and high-quality or clickbait, have attracted all of us a little at one time or another.
David Ogilvy said, "More than five times more people read headlines than they read the body of the content. When you write a catchy headline, it means you have grabbed the attention of the reader and made your content clickable". This says it all when it comes to headlining. It means the headline communicates what you are going to offer to the audience.
This principle goes for newspapers and magazines (the primary media in his day), as well as in modern times for article and blog post titles as well as ad copy related to promoting content, such as Facebook Ads or Twitter posts.
The Importance Of Headlines In Content Marketing
Headlines are significant, and the writer should spend some more time coming up with a catching and attractive headline.Headlines are one of your biggest opportunities that helps to grab the audience's attention. It also plays an essential role in SEO. There is no specific way to write a headline. It is essential to follow the principles for constructing a headline for your content. In this blog, we have listed tips to write a compelling headline for your blog and everything you need to know about clickbait for ad copy and article or blog post titles.
How To Write A Compelling Headline?
1. Have an original headline. Make sure it is not over-promising for an article that is under-delivering. Do not add a headline that is not related to the topic. It will make your readers feel duped, and the Google algorithm can easily spot these mistakes and penalize your content. Creating quality content and adding headlines that are not promising will help you rank easily on Google.
2. If you want to optimize your content for social media and Google, it is vital to use exact and long-tail keywords, i.e., if you add keywords in your title, it will help you rank higher.
3. Use numbers. They are engaging and concrete takeaway.
4. Describe the reader's problem in one line.
5. Use words such as who, what, why, how, where, or when.
6. Make promises but do not be too promising or over-exaggerating.
7. Try adding some humor to your content if the subject allows.
8. Use search-friendly words without stuffing too many keywords.
And then there are clickbait headlines!
What Is Clickbait?
Clickbait titles have attracted us a few times. It is evident, if you read a title that confuses you, you cannot help but just click and check it out. Clickbait titles are all over the media.
How are these titles so convincing that we cannot do anything rather than just clicking them.
The Importance Of A Clickbait Title
As mentioned earlier, the title is something you shouldn't miss out on. When you write an article or a piece of content, hundreds of similar content are trying to grab the readers' attention. So, how do you stay unique?
The title will help you make a difference. It is what the people will read and will click on your content. If you want people to take any action, you need to write a title that is engaging to the readers, i.e., you should use a clickbait title.
Here are a few tips before you start writing a clickbait title that works:
• Add a keyword that relates to your brand. Google is smart and knows what people are searching for, but exact keywords are still crucial for SEO. So, if you do not add the keyword, then your content might not be seen in search engines.
• Use popular trends that the readers are familiar with.
• Writing on trendy topics and adding them to your title is another way to write a compelling clickbait title. It will increase the traffic to your site when readers, viewers, listeners, or subscribers can relate.
• Write a controversial title. It is not the recommendation to be controversial, but sometimes it works. It is important to note that writing a controversial title helps to gain more attention. Everyone has a different perspective; mention what you think, make sure you provide reasonable reasons for the same. Controversy can be a double-edged sword though so use caution when choosing your clickbaity title headline.
Clickbait Examples
Here are some clickbait title examples:
• 10 Shocking Secrets About SEO You Don't Know.
• 10 Ways to Triple Your Website Traffic Overnight.
• Your Business Will Go Bankrupt If You Don't Use These 5 Tips.
• The Biggest And Best Food Trends In 2021.
• Why You've Never Heard Of These Travel Destinations Yet.
• 5 Reasons Why Your Customers Hate You And How To Fix It.
Some of these are just listicles that aren't so bad, others are a bit more exaggerated and unrealistic.
Why Doesn't Clickbait Work?
While most of us think clickbait is still relatively effective, there are a few things we need to know about them. Using too much clickbait can lead to misinterpretation and lose the interest of people.
Not to deny its uses at times, it does grab the people's attention because it is funny and attractive, but it can also result in distrust and damage to reputation.
When used too often you end up losing credibility. People are also numb to the white noise of clickbait that's been going on for two decades now online and even longer in traditional advertising.
What Can You Do To Hedge Your Bets On Headlines?
Headlines play an essential role, and you cannot compromise on them. You need to focus on growing your brand on digital platforms, and resorting to clickbait can be harmful to your brand. Content is the king, and on Google, only quality wins. Writing the content is not a biggie, but keeping the readers engaged is essential. It is crucial to have a headline that engages and matters the most. You need to be truthful to your customers because trust makes them choose your brand at the end of the day. Clickbaity and spammy article or blog post titles won't grow trust with prospects or customers. Be enticing but accurate!
Utilize Content Scheduling Software To Help Headlines And Clickbait Content
There are many platforms on the internet available to help copywriters and social media marketers manage your content on social media and other digital platforms. There are some platforms created specifically for this to help copywriting professionals handle and manage social media platforms all from one place, saving time and money. These powerful programs are an all-in-one social media tool that enables you to create, schedule, post, and analyze your content's reach.
These software programs will make creating non-clickbaity headlines and titles that much easier. Take advantage of these programs to become a better copywriter with more clicks!
