The headline of your article, blog post, or ad is the first thing your audience sees. It has to catch their attention, tell them what they can expect from the content, and be compelling enough for them to click.
The best way to do that is to understand your audience and what makes them tick. This means doing your research, and understanding where they hang out online. Once you know your audience inside out, crafting a headline that will grab their attention and convert them into readers is much easier.
One of the most important things to remember is that a headline is a promise to deliver on something specific, and should be backed up by the information in the body of the content. For example, a news headline like this one – New Limited Scope Rules Benefit Underemployed Attorneys and Overburdened Courts – clearly communicates the benefits of reading the article in the first line of the headline, with perfect keyphrase prominence.
Another great way to create interest is by leveraging finality style words (best, ultimate, only, guaranteed, etc). This works particularly well on social media, where the short format can work in your favor to create a sense of urgency or exclusivity.
Finally, using emotion can also be extremely effective in a headline. Using words like “shocking” or “amazing” can help create a sense of surprise and intrigue, while also tapping into a reader’s fears or aspirations. This headline from Mashable – Apple Makes History with Most Golden Globe Nominations in a Single Year – is a great example of using emotional language to create a powerful and impactful headline.