The headline of your article might be one of the most important things you write. A great SEO headline will attract people – it will make them interested to see what’s in store for them in an article or blog. Writing a great SEO headline is similar to sales copy text or an email; you want to come up with something clickable, something that attracts your consumer.
Here are 5 tips that, when incorporated, can make your SEO headline more attractive to readers.
1. Include the five Ws
If you have ever taken a journalism course, you probably know what the five w’s are. They stand for ‘who, what, when, where and why.’ Try and include as many of these in your headline. You probably will not use all of them, but using a combination of these will help you create a great SEO headline. The reader has just read your headline as of yet; they have not reached the article yet. So, the more information present, the better.
2. Make Your SEO Headline as Unique as Possible
Sometimes readers find unique, humorous headlines compelling. By creating ‘unique’ headlines, we mean that your text has to be one of a kind. It has to be different from the other headlines about similar topics present. By including attractive and relevant keywords and long-tail keywords, you can make your SEO titles stand out even more.
So, after you have written a one-of-a-kind headline, how can you test it for uniqueness? Simply plug your headline into google enclosed in double quotation marks. Scroll down the page, and if you see ‘no results found’ written, it means your headline is actually unique.
3. Lists, Digits and Numbers
Just like listing pointers in your blog makes your text stand out, starting your headline with a number can make it stand out too. The human eye is usually attracted to the juxtaposition of a digit next to text. It also gives the reader a clear idea of what to expect. A scan-friendly, quick read by the reader can be expected. Some great words to start your SEO title with can be ‘Tips,’ ‘Tricks,’ ‘Strategies,’ ‘Techniques’ ‘Methods,’ or ‘Ideas.’
4. Construct a Sense of Urgency
Your headline is your opportunity to get your audience excited about your text. The body of your article contains all the information, but your headline is the tool to compel people and make them eager to see what you have to offer. In order to make your headline clickable, create a sense of urgency that the audience needs to click this headline NOW.
For example, “How to Prepare Dog Food at Home” sounds informative. But “Things You Need to Consider Before Preparing Dog Food at Home” has more of a sense of urgency. It tells the reader that they NEED to know these things before they even contemplate preparing dog food at home. It gives the reader that urge to learn something they didn’t know before.
5. Attractive Word Usage
Strong word usage adds excitement and urgency to your headline. You can use words like ‘best,’ ‘great,’ or ‘awesome’ in your headline, but it does not have the same impact. Try using a combination of strong, exciting words that build energy and enthusiasm. Try using words like ‘crushing,’ ‘overwhelming,’ ‘Magnificent,’ ‘Explosive,’ and the like in your SEO headline. Also, the shorter your headline is, the better. Include only the necessary information and remove all extraneous details.
