Why Your Generic Headlines Are Costing You Money

 

Think about the last time you looked for information on a particular topic online. I'm guessing you probably went straight to Google, typed in your query and clicked on the link displayed that best seemed to fit your needs. It was the link that seemed to shout at you 'pick me!', because of its appropriate content, clear message and persuasive rhetoric.

Now think about all of the first page Google links that you didn't choose. According to Google, all of those links were relevant yet they didn't get your attention. If you fail to create engaging and original headlines, searchers will act exactly the same way to your content; they'll glance past your link as if it didn't even exist.

SOLUTION!

The solution to this problem, whether you're a blogger, copywriter or website owner is to headline your content effectively. Don't see your works title as an afterthought or unimportant aspect because, as shown above, it can make or break the success of your content.

4 Things To Consider When Creating A GOOD Headline

The fact that you are reading this post is a testament to the quality of the headline sitting at the top of this page. It is a statement that not only identifies a problem in a target audience but also promises them a solution to it.

To help kick-start your new life of 'quality headline writing' I have listed four things that you should take into consideration for every headline you write:

1. Its "Punchiness"

A headline that literally knocks your readers out with a hit to the face is not what I'm getting at here. By "punchiness" I mean the way the headline reads off the page. Does it flow well? If it rolls off the tongue then you know you've created a winner. It should be able to attract attention by using a minimal amount of words.

2. Its Originality

With the point I'm about to make my own headline becomes very ironic. Your headline needs to be unique and surprising. The headline I have used follows a generic, yet effective format that everyone has seen 100 times before. If you have content that you want to ensure has monumental success you will need a headline that doesn't rely on cliché.

3. Its SEO Potential

If your content does find success, Google is going to pay special attention to the words in your headline when it comes to indexing. To take full advantage of this it is worth considering if any targeted keywords can be inserted into your headline. Obviously this comes second in priority when ensuring that the headline flows well.

Here is an earlier article where I cover the importance of SEO and keywords in detail.

4. Its Target Audience Relevance

Your headline should be targeted and influenced by the needs and desires of your target audience. The headline I used will only attract the attention of any copywriter or website owner who lacks confidence over their use of headlines. Any content veterans would have scrolled past it in an instance. You want your headline to attract lots of quality traffic with the key-word being 'quality'. To mislead a surfer is to lose their trust when it comes to them considering your future posts.

If you follow the considerations above and master the art of headline writing, you should see an increase in traffic heading towards your blog/website. The next step is to make sure you have sensational content to deliver the right knowledge or to persuade the right consumer - but I’m sure you know how to do that… right? ;-)

P.S. If you need a little help with your content creation, that's why 'Vast Online Traffic' is here..

.. search our article database and you should find what you need.

To your success,

Jonny Tyson