You don’t have to be a professional copywriter to know that a punchy, compelling blog post headline is key. Without one, it doesn’t matter how groundbreaking the rest of your content is, the reader is unlikely to engage. That’s why you need to make sure that the headline you go with is expertly selected! In this article, we’ll run through the 3 steps we employ to create a killer headline below. PS – If you need a bit of extra help when it comes to headline ideation, you might need a professional copywriter or website content writer to help.
1: Keep it short and snappy
The absolute last thing you want to do when it comes to blog headlines is draw things out. You need to remember that the more concise and clear you are, the better! According to Hubspot, the ideal blog headline is 60 characters. And between 8 and 12 words is said to be the most shareable range according to Twitter. If you stick to these figures as rough targets, you’ll put yourself in the position to succeed.
2: Call out your audience
The second step is one many marketers or copywriters overlook: calling out your audience directly in the headline. For example, if you’re writing an article about the SaaS Sales Funnel targeted at SaaS business owners / marketers, you’ll want to test putting this job title at the front of your post headline and make mention to the industry. E.g. “The SaaS Owner’s Guide to Building a Sales Funnel.” If you make a direct appeal to your audience from the outset, and make it clear that this piece of content is for them, they’re far more likely to want to click and read on.
3: Channel your inner drama queen
The final thing you need to do to create a killer headline is to ramp up the drama. If there is a stand out, shocking stat that you focus on in your article – take this and use it as a launchpad for your headline + add a hint of spice to make it pop. Alternatively, look at using language that is more inflammatory, elevated or dramatic to build curiosity, clickability and the likelihood of your audience to engage with and share your article. Don’t be afraid to make waves! Sometimes you need a bit of drama to get people through the door.
Conclusion
There you have it – our miracle 3 steps to creating a compelling headline that draws in the eyeballs of your audience! Put these into action and you should definitely see an uptick in your engagement metrics for all your future blog posts. While headlines are crucial, make sure that you don’t neglect the rest of your article. In order to succeed your whole piece – from headline to CTA should be stellar and spot-on.