How to write blog headlines that your readers will love.
Headlines capture you readers attention and draw them in, wanting more or they can turn them away, never to return. So how do you craft a headline that attracts your readers like ants to a picnic?
Many of us as we get our blog post written and ready to be published, quickly throw together a headline, not giving it much thought. Sometimes we try to capture attention by making the headline cute or funny, believing that everyone will get the joke. They don’t. Other times, we throw up a headline that gives a bit of a clue about the subject matter but is so dry and boring that nobody is interested in reading any further.
We should be spending more time on crafting the headline than we do on the blog post, or at least the same amount of time. The headline is arguably the most important part of the post because, if it does not capture the reader’s attention and draw them in, then they quit reading.
So what can we do if we are not expert copywriters and can’t afford to hire one? The answer is simple, write the headlines ourselves. I will show you a few easy ways to do so.
While there are several very good books out there on the subject, you can begin on your own. The first step is to begin by creating what is called a swipe file. To create a swipe file, you start a document where you save headlines you find and that you like. I would begin by looking at magazines that have sharp headlines that you like.
Write down the headlines and save them. Most of them will say something like, “How to ___ so you can ____”. Continue to collect these headlines. All you have to do when you need a headline is to replace a few of the words so they match with what you are selling or writing about.
So how do you create headlines?