How to write engaging and captivating headlines in 4 simple steps

“How do I get my headlines and titles catchy?”

It is one of the most frequent questions beginner content writer wonders and it’s fair! Writing catchy titles and headlines is a skill that can be learned with a few tips and tricks. We need to get our audience hooked and the first thing they notice about your article or blog is your title. You have to take their confidence right there, promise the best content value, and state a purpose why they should invest their precious time reading your article.

• Use questions as they wake up curiosity in your reader’s mind. Have you ever been to a website to search “where to find the best sushi restaurant in New York?” but then you saw relevant articles and you ended up learning the history of Chinese food. We’ve all been there. It’s because the headlines make you curious enough to click on that specific article.

“Facts about dolphins”

or

“Do you ever wonder about how dolphins hunt? Click here to learn interesting facts about dolphins”.

We all can agree that the second one is more captivating than the first one.

• Use numbers, also called listicle articles. This is one of the best tips I’ve learned during my process. It immediately attracts your reader’s attention.

“Best morning exercises to boost your productivity”

or

“5 best morning exercises to boost your productivity”

The second is more likely to get more clicks than the first one because your audience has very little time to invest in the content, and more in finding the solution to their problem.

• Use “how-to”. Everyone out on Google is trying to find the solution to their problem. We can start with “how-to” in our headline with the respective problem or anything. Adding “step-by-step” would be the cherry on top.

“Completing your resume in simple steps”

or

“How to complete your resume: a step-by-step guide” or you can also add a number to it too.

“How to complete your resume: 4 step guide”

• Challenge your audience. This tip is mostly niche-dependent. This gives a sense of accomplishment to your readers while you are presenting them with useful knowledge.

“Wonders of Space Exploration”

or

“Do you know about these wonders of space exploration?”

“Can you name the best divers in the world?”

Your first draft of the title or whole content shouldn’t be the one you hit publish on. You must make three to four titles before choosing one from them. Compare them with each other and judge from your audience’s point of view. Would I click on this rather than this?