Writing website content can seem overwhelming yet the worst feeling is taking all that time writing content, which nobody reads. You need something to grab your readers’ attention or all that writing is for naught. You need an exciting, attention getting headline to entice your visitors to read everything!
Headlines are one of the most important pieces of copy you’ll write, yet many people treat them as an afterthought. Just think of the headlines online in SEO searches that you have clicked on because it seemed so interesting or was what you were looking for while searching. So how do you write effective headlines for your blogs and website? Below are some steps to take for your next writing activity:
Step 1: Know your audience
Think about who you are writing for and what they like to read. Your headline might not be exactly what your reader is trying to find if you don’t know how your audience thinks. Get a clear idea of your target reader and create headlines that elicit clicks and time digesting your content.
Step 2: Be honest in what the article is about
Make sure you aren’t creating clickbait. I’m sure you have clicked on articles before that you were really interested in reading only to find out that the article wasn’t really about that topic. Be clear and concise about what your visitor will read if they take the time to click through. You can pique interest while being truthful.
Step 3: Use emotion
Most people turn to the internet to solve some problem they have and likely are looking for articles or videos on how to help. One way they can get to your website is addressing a pain point in your headline. After they discover your headline and click through, make sure you deliver valuable content that assists their needs. Use words that appeal to the emotions they are feeling about their problem which addresses how angry, confused or frustrated they are.
Step 4: Write your headline last
It’s tempting to make your headline before you even write your first sentence but this may hinder the actual problem solving, content writing process. Write your headline last so you will precisely know what you want to extract from your content to include in your headline that will not actually be clickbait.
Helping small businesses with their website content is what we love to do! If you need help writing for SEO or putting together a new website, give us a quick call. We’ll be happy to share with you how we can help solve your content problems.