The best headline ever written? A copywriter’s query.
As an SEO copywriter, I work daily to create thought-provoking, interesting, and action inspiring headlines that drive traffic and peak curiosity enough to get readers to read. Has all of this work been in vain?
According to a recent New York Times article, the best headline that has ever been written – ever – has now been created. Check it out here.
Like all great headlines (keep reading and we will look at some good and not-so-good ones) it is catchy, curiosity building, and tells you what the story is about. Bonus points that it even rhymes while doing all of that.
But let’s say that you want to create headlines for your SEO copywriting that – even if not the best ever written – are good enough to get the attention of the people you want to read the work.
Here are a few examples of headlines that are really good – and ones that are fine, but maybe not as effective:
GOOD: Do Some Foods “Explode” in Your Stomach?
>GOOD: Fried foods reportedly bad for health
GOOD: You’ll Never Get Hired if You Say This in a Job Interview
>GOOD: Find a job using these steps
GOOD: Proven System: Master a New in Language in 10 Days
>GOOD: You can learn a new language
GOOD: How to lose 5 pounds in 8 days – and keep it off!
>GOOD: Lose weight using this tool
GOOD: How I sold $10k as a freelancer this month
>GOOD: Make money as a freelancer
GOOD: Speak Spanish this summer
>GOOD: You can learn a new language
So what makes some of these really good? In a word…action. A good headline makes people want to read more. A great one inspires action. Think about it, wouldn’t you rather know what would make you explode than read a report?
SEO copywriters work to write content that includes optimization and keywords. The goal of this type of work is to create written material that is interesting to both search engine crawlers and human readers. It is a delicate balance and takes time to learn.
Writing great headlines adds another element. The next time you write one keep these tips in mind:
Choose action words
Consider asking a question (and then answering it in your piece)
Clever is good but be sure that the reader knows what they are going to read
Consider using numbers (8 best ways…)
Can you do it in 5 words? If so – do.
Creating SEO copywriting, whether for your own business or for a client, takes time and intentional use of certain keywords. Writing headlines gets the attention of readers and can increase conversions and time on your blog.
The bottom line? Take time to work on your headline…it matters.
Want to know more about how to create SEO copywriting for your business? Reach out and we will be happy to share the top secrets to creating content that can transform your business.