How To Write Great Headlines That Get Clicked

A headline is the first sentence people see and read when they reach your content.

Want to know how to write great headlines? Course you do.

Because, if there’s no headline, it’s pretty impossible to get people to read your content, whatever it is – a social post, a blog post, an article etc. I always say, write from the perspective of, ‘What do they get from this?’

This is where your copywriting will improve and work much better for your business from the get go.

Importance of a good headline

Headlines are crucial in this fast-paced, head-fogged digital world because we all act so much faster by default. We scroll, then stop (maybe for a second), scroll, stop, make a tea, return, scroll, stop, then scroll on.

I read that humans have a 3-second attention span nowadays, equating to a goldfish. So I personally keep this in mind whenever I write a headline.

I always ask: “Is this WORTH clicking on?”

Click-worthy headlines are all about catching your reader’s eye enough so they PAY ATTENTION to your stuff, and click through to read what you’ve written.

Catchy headlines are the first thing people see when they click. A headline will cause your reader to stop and read.

You need a headline for every piece of content you create for your business whether it’s a blog, a marketing email, a list post, a social media caption or SEO. It all needs a headline. So first tip: don’t skip the headline!

What makes a great headline?

Your headline should reflect the content that follows it, otherwise, you’re misleading your reader. It’s best if your headline has target keywords that relate to the topic of your content too for SEO purposes.

To write attention-grabbing headlines that will get clicked, keep the following in mind:

• Your headline should reflect the content that follows it (repeated from above to reiterate the point)
• It should spark intrigue or curiosity
• It should read well and be engaging
• It’s best to keep it short and sweet (under 15 words). Long headlines tend to get cut off by search engines and social media platforms (and make your reader yawn.)
• Use active voice and strong verbs to make your headline persuasive.
• Include relevant keywords to improve your SEO.
• Use emotional words to appeal to readers’ feelings.
• Numbers often perform well in headlines; consider using them at the beginning.

General rule: Simplicity

Keeping headlines short and sweet is the number one rule. I don’t mean so short that you only use one or two words. But I do mean REMOVE the fluff. Take out any words which don’t need to be there. A good rule of thumb is to keep headlines under 15 words.

Emotional response

Use emotional words. Emotional words appeal to our feelings and help urge us to act, HOWEVER, do this the right way (morally speaking). Always lead with empathy for your reader. Helping them feel seen and heard rather than ordering them about is key.

Words like “love,” “fear,” “anger,” “scared,” or “delighted” help grab attention. But so do “community”, “understand you”, and “being seen”. Be careful not to overdo emotional words; too many emotions in a headline can come across as manipulative and just downright tacky.

Good news for an active voice

The active voice is talking about verbs, which are “doing” words. When the subject (or person) does the action, it’s called an active verb. When the subject (or person) receives the action, it’s called a passive verb.

Examples of active vs passive:

• “Gaunt and thin from days of starvation, he stumbles over the hill” (Active)
• “Gaunt and thin from days of starvation, the hill causes him to stumble” (Passive)
• “Close the freaking door!” (Active)
• “The door needs to be closed” (Passive)

Search Engine Optimisation

Everything a business puts out online should be set up to SEO standards. Your headline ought to contain keywords relevant to the content of whatever it is you’re posting, so a Google search could display your content and bring as much free traffic as possible.

Use numbers

Numbers in a headline help draw attention into the sentence, enticing it to be read in full. Examples:

• “28 reasons to dump him and get on with your life”
• “18 things you need to stop doing today”
• “5 life-changing stats that will stop you smoking instantly”
• “15 tips for writing better headlines”

Headline types

Different types of headlines serve different purposes:

• List headlines: Great for blog posts that provide tips or helpful information.
• Number headlines: Always work well, as they partly summarise the value within the content.
• Question headlines: Pique readers’ curiosity, but you MUST answer the question in the body copy.
• Emotional headlines: Effective when you want to evoke a strong reaction or get people to take action.
• Fact/statement headlines: Good for informative content or educational content.

A Powerful Headline

The headline is literally the first impression of your content. I cannot express how important a headline is.

So make it count. Many professional writers spend far longer on a headline than they do on the content part and this is to me, a no brainer.

Think about what would make you want to click on an article? Chances are, the same elements will work on others.

Target audience

With all this now explained, the crucial thing to remember and ask yourself is:

• Who are you talking to?
• What do you want them to do?
• What’s in it for them?
• Am I really meeting the needs and wants of my target audience with this piece of content?

I hope this post helps you write better headlines!

(Note, this blog post was first published in 2024 on my previous website)