10 Ways to Get People to Click on Your Headlines

You work hard writing your blog post. Then you let everyone know about it by Tweeting and posting it on Facebook, LinkedIn, or other social networks. Unfortunately, the result is often just a few clicks. The problem most likely isn't your content, but the headline you're using to tell people about it! People are hit with a tsunami of online information and they simply don't have time to access it all, so they scan before they click. That means if you want them to click through to your content, you'd better have a headline that stands out. Here are 10 ways to make that happen: 1. Be sure your content is giving readers what they want. The first rule to writing a compelling headline is that it's about content that's compelling to your audience. Write about topics your readers are interested in, not about topics you wish they were interested in. 2. Don't try to trick people. Tons of folks might click on a provocative headline that has little or no connection to your content, but those who fall for it won't feel good about you. They'll be less likely to click on your next post, or choose to do business with you. 3. Be surprising. Look for unexpected things to say in a headline. Think of juxtaposing seemingly unrelated things: "Leadership Lessons Learned from Weeding the Garden." People like to find out how these disparate things are connected. 4. Ask a question. Make it one people might want to know the answer to: "Are you really getting a bargain with those $4 flip-flops? 5. Name drop. "How to Leverage Technology Like Lady Gaga." We all love reading about famous people, products, and companies. Work those names into your post and then use them in an attention-getting headline. 6. Negatives attract. Optimistic, positive thinking is great, but people are still pulled in by the negative. Using words in your headlines like "mistake," "worst," or "failure" will get people to click. They hope they'll feel better, either by seeing that they don't fit the negative condition, or by learning what to do to avoid it. 7. Make the reader uncomfortable. "4 Pet Food Issues You Can't Afford to Ignore." In advertising, scare tactics are as old as the hills...because they work! If your headline makes people feel a little anxious and implies you have some info to help, it will reel readers in. 8. Use numbers where you can. A number in a headline, such as the one in the above tip, tells people how much info you're offering and suggests you're serving it up in bite-sized pieces. More people click through when they know what they're getting. 9. Mix it up. If you blog often (and you should), don't stick to any one of these tactics. Keep changing them. 10. Track what you're doing. Have fun experimenting. Be serious. Be funny. Then track the clicks those different approaches get and use that information to hone your headline style to your audience. These tips should help you write headlines that drive more traffic to your blog posts. Have fun, be patient, and be sure to track what you're doing. It's easy to get lost in the overwhelming flow of online information. Strive for carefully crafted content and clear headlines spiced with celebrity names, numbers, provocative questions, and the occasional surprise. Here's to your blogging success, as you keep putting together your best year ever.... Enjoy a great month!