The last time you stood in line at the supermarket, did the National Enquirer or another similar magazine catch your eye? Have you ever wondered why these tabloids are so popular? Why do people grab them off the shelf as soon as they come out?
It can’t be the quality of the content, right? Do you really think there’s a two-headed alien cow on the loose in Manhattan?
Do you know what his secret is? They are the headlines. The tabloids have made an art of composing headlines that are short, catchy, and driven by curiosity.
And you can learn a lot from them. You can use the same tactics and learn how to write effective headlines for the web. If you do this, you will see results like you have never experienced before.
Without a doubt, the headline is the most important part of any article. It will motivate people to read your article or ignore it.
Your title is also one of the main factors search engines use to determine which word or phrase your page should rank for. People familiar with SEO (search engine optimization) call these words or phrases “keywords.”
Articles serve two purposes: to get backlinks and to generate traffic. If you just want backlinks, the reality is that aside from having keywords in your title, the way it reads doesn’t really matter.
However, if you want to drive traffic to your site, well, it’s plain and simple. The title of your article will determine whether it is a hit or a flop.
Why not get the best of both worlds with every article you write? You can get backlinks and traffic with every headline you write and this is how.
When you’re writing your headline, keep in mind that while you’re targeting your readers, you also want to get search engine attention.
Therefore, you should always use your keyword in the title. Sometimes you can even use the same keyword twice, or you can use two different keywords and get even more for your money.
As for your readers, you are competing with millions of articles on the Internet. Therefore, the title of your article must be eye-catching if you want it to stand out. Bland, boring copy has no place here (or anywhere else, for that matter).
When you write copy, one of the best things you can do is put yourself in your reader’s shoes. Ask yourself what kind of headline would grab your attention and compel you to read the article. What would make you want to know more?
Here are five tricks for writing effective headlines for the web. They have worked wonders for others, so they should work exceptionally well for you too.
1. Ask a question. Start your title with “You”, “It’s you”, “It’s yours”, “How can I”, “How can I”, etc.
For example, “Are you getting the search engine rankings you want? Try these article marketing tips and watch your page rankings skyrocket.”
2. Offer “how to” tips.
For example, “How to Write Effective Headlines in Five Easy Steps – Do This, and You’ll Get More Traffic Than You Can Handle.”
3. Be specific and use numbers.
For example, “Find out how to write compelling headlines in 20 minutes or less.”
4. Use secret words, tips, tricks in your headlines.
For example, “Secrets of how to write effective headlines for the web”
5. Use the word “you” as much as you can. Remember, people don’t care about you or what you want. They are only interested in “what’s in it for me?”
When you use the word “you”, you are telling them exactly why they should read what you wrote.
For example, “Discover 5 secret tips that will help you get your website on the first page of search engines.”
Use these tips and you’ll write more effective headlines for the web. Then watch your pages and articles skyrocket to the top of the search engines.