"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?"
As an online content writer, you need people to read what you write.
Likewise, you need traffic to your site so people can see what you can offer.
However, if you have no one to read it, it is considered a dud.
This is why catchy titles matter.
Being the first thing people see, it will either grab their attention or bore them.
Think Bored Panda or Nerd Wallet, for example. Why do you think they have so many readers?
It's because their titles are effective, catchy, and don't lie about their content!
Granted, they may have been in this business for longer, but beginner and amateur writers should not worry.
This article will help you write a catchy title so your post can go from a bummer to a winner!
Who are you targeting? Who is your intended reader?
Knowing your audience will set the tone and the direction of your article. It will also inform you what is catchy and what is not.
Many articles have the same content.
Just try typing "British monarchy" on Google. For sure, the search results will be news articles or blog posts that just repeat the same information.
Separate yourself from the pack by giving a different spin on a topic.
Check what other blogs or websites are offering and OUTDO them. Are they offering 7 tips? Then you should give 10!
Make yourself the prime source of information about a topic.
If you want the traffic and the traction, utilise tools such as KWfinder or SEMrush to SEO optimise your post. It can help target keywords and readers as well.
Using such websites can help you curate your content to suit your audience and drive your click-through rates skywards.
If you are stuck on an article or you have an idea but don't know how to flesh it out, check out Inky (that's us!)
As much as you can, make your headlines crisp and short while being clear with what you are offering.
Ideal headline word count would be between 6 to 12 words.
The number of words matters because people nowadays suffer from "The Goldfish Conundrum", aka people have limited attention to give.
Capitalise on that by giving headlines that are short but sweet.
Examples:
Numbers create a sense of value and organisation in your post. Likewise, it makes it easier for your readers to digest.
Social media loves posts with numbers.
Google loves numbers too!
Therefore, if you want to go viral, I suggest you include a number in your headline too.
Examples:
Research suggests that using words such as tips, tricks, secrets, proofs, reasons, facts, etc. attracts attention while also showing your readers what you offer.
Interestingly, Highrise's analysis showed that using the word "free" boosted their conversion rate by 30%
That said, be sure to avoid the word things. Not only is it not appealing, but it's also ambiguous.
Examples
Trigger your readers' curiosity by using question words such as what, when, where, why, and how.
Using this optimises your post for Google since people usually search in question form.
However, if you will use a question as a headline, do NOT use a closed question.
Betteridge's Law of Headlines argues that closed question headlines can usually be answered with a no. Therefore, your target reader will think there is no point in reading your article. Avoid this.
Examples:
Headlines that can stir the reader's emotions are effective. To do this, you need to use superlatives (best, greatest, coolest, biggest, etc).
Also, use words that trigger emotions such as limited, valuable, revolutionary, powerful, special, etc.
A 2012 study has found that headlines with negative superlatives like never or worst performed 30% BETTER than headlines with positive superlatives (worst, lowest, saddest, etc).
So, to make sure readers will be drawn to your work, stir up their emotions!
Examples:
People use Google or any other search engine to find solutions to their problems. To catch readers' attention, promise them that you can answer their questions. Likewise, doing so sets you up as a dependable source of information.
Not only is this catchy, but it is also SEO-optimised too!
Examples:
Now that we got those out of the way, here are some templates to help you create the catchiest headlines for your blog.
Do know that there is no single perfect headline.
News articles or blog posts online all have different formats. But, they do follow certain formulas.
Therefore, I compiled these into 15 templates that you could use.
I divided these based on what you are planning to write.
Note that all examples were analysed using Capitalize My Title's headline analyser tool to assure the quality, readability, and SEO of each headline.
I also included a short guide on how you can transform your topic into a catchy headline.
Entice your readers by offering a solution to their problems. A reader wants to save time so give them the answer.
Topic: eating more than one egg a day
Okay Title: You Should Eat More Eggs
Good Title: You Should Eat More Eggs: Here's Why
Catchy Title: You Should Eat at Least Three Eggs a Day: Here's Why
Ensnare your readers with the curiosity gap by claiming that you know something they don't. You know what they say, curiosity killed the cat!
Topic: Studying
Okay Title: College Study Hacks
Good Title: 7 Study Hacks I Used in College
Catchy Title: 7 Study Hacks I Wish I Knew Sooner
Spark your reader's desire to read your article by giving them something novel/fun/quirky/weird.
Topic: Dog Car seats
Okay Title: Dog Car Seats Every Dog Parent Needs
Good Title: Here are Some Car Seats Your Dog Will Surely Love
Catchy Title: 13 Dog Car Seats That Your Pup Will Paw-Sitively Love
Play on your readers' fears and insecurities. Fear of failure or making mistakes, for example, are great motivators. Capitalise on that fact while encouraging your readers. You're sure they'll get hooked.
Topic: Writing a news article
Okay Title: Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a News Article
Good Title: 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a News Article
Catchy Title: 7 Serious Mistakes to Avoid When Writing a News Article
Tap into a reader's desire to sound smart by using slick and savvy headlines.
Topic: Organising your bookshelves
Okay Title: Should You Organise Your Bookshelves?
Good Title: Tips for Organising Your Bookshelves
Catchy Title: How to Best Organise Your Bookshelves
Appeal to your reader's emotions so you can be seen as relatable and endearing. Position yourself as if you are about to share your truths and secrets. The point is to allow your audience to learn from your experience.
Topic: Self-identification
Okay Title: Why Self-Identification Shouldn't Be a Thing
Good Title: Have You Lost Your Self-Identity?
Catchy Title: 7 Reasons Why I Don't Self-Identify
Situate yourself as the primary/ main source of information. No nonsense, no fluff. Just instructions and information. Sure, they are lengthy, but it provides readers with a complete solution/ answer to a problem.
Topic: optimising content
Okay Title: Optimising Content for SEO
Good Title: How to Optimise Content for SEO?
Catchy Title: The Ultimate Guide to Optimising Content for SEO
Encourage your readers to embrace change. Sure, it can be frightening, but change brings learning, right? Who doesn't want that?
Topic: Music production
Okay Title: 15 Technical Mistakes in Music Production
Good Title: Stop Making These 15 Techincal Mistakes
Catchy Title: Become a Successful Music Producer: Stop Making These 15 Technical Mistakes
Assure your audience that you offer factual, data-driven, research-backed information. Since misinformation is everywhere, it will help your brand to establish authority over a topic by claiming your work as evidence-based.
Topic: writing research papers
Okay Title: How to Write a Good Research Paper
Good Title: 10 Tips to Improve Writing Research Papers
Catchy Title: 10 Proven Ways to Improve Your Research Paper Writing Skills
Inspire your readers through these awe-inspiring headlines. Given the state of the world, sometimes, people seek to feel impressed, amazed, and awed. Be the one to give it to them.
Topic: Random acts of kindness
Okay, Title: Notable Random Acts of Kindness Stories
Good Title: 41 Insanely Powerful Stories of Random Acts of Kindness
Catchy Title: 10 Amazing Stories of Random Acts of Kindness
Ignite your audience's sentiments by offering something ridiculous or controversial.
Topic: scientific discoveries
Okay Title: 9 Bizzare Scientific Discoveries
Good Title: 7 Scientific Discoveries in 2021
Catchy Title: Top 10 Strangest Scientific Discoveries and Phenomena of 2021
Arouse your readers' interest through comparisons. Not only will doing so be informative, but it will also be interesting. If a reader is at a point weighing their options, this article will be relevant for them.
Topic: glasses or contacts
Okay Title: Difference Between Glasses and Contact lenses
Good Title: Advantages and Disadvantages of Contact Lenses and Glasses
Catchy Title: Contact Lenses vs. Eyeglasses: Which Are Best for You?
Catch your audience's attention by making your title appear important. People read articles that invoke the need to know. By creating a sense of urgency, readers will be drawn to what you write.
Topic: online marketing
Okay Title: Here’s How to Market Yourself Online
Good Title: Boost Your Sales Through Online Marketing
Catchy Title: 7 Key Benefits of Online Marketing
Answer people's questions by using a question as a title. People search using questions, and using a question as a headline makes your article not only SEO optimised but also very relevant.
Topic: Credit score
Okay Title: Definition and Purpose of Credit Score
Good Title: What is a Credit Score?
Catchy Title: What is a Good Credit Score? A Definitive Guide
Attract your target audience's attention by using these common but catchy titles. Sure, these may have been overused, but these are tried and tested as effective.
Topic: creating a website
Okay Title: How to Make a Website
Good Title: Here's How to Create a Website
Catchy Title: 7 Creative Ways to Create a Website
Writing a headline is not easy.
Even I, who is writing a whole article on writing catchy titles, had, at first, assumed that it is simple and effortless to write catchy headlines.
However, that is not the case.
I had to consider many variables just to make sure I could reach my intended readers and that my content would appear in Google's search results.
From who my audience is to what keywords I am to target, I had to take note of them all.
SEO-optimising an article is good. But it has to be paired with an attention-grabbing headline.
REMEMBER: Titles influence your conversion and bounce rate. Likewise, it impacts whether people will click on your snippet on Google.
It also affects whether people will share your piece on social media.
Having said that, I hope that this compilation of tried and tested headline templates can help you write catchy titles that will captivate your audience, get many clicks, get shared online, and get to Google's search engine result page.
If you found this article helpful, feel free to drop a comment, bookmark the page, or share it with others.
If you have time, check out our other posts, or if you need help, send us a message here at Inky, and we'll try to help you out.
Happy writing!