Today I’m going to present some common tips for writing headlines that you’ll find in any book on copywriting. However, with each tip I’ll also present examples I’ve found from various blog titles around the net.
Obviously, the headlines associated with a given tip won’t just be an example of only that tip. Some headlines that appeal to emotions also ask a question. Any good headline will, in some way, convey (or hint at) a benefit. You get the idea. In fact, the more of these tips that you can present in a single headline, the better (generally speaking).
Without further ado... blog headlines and tips!
1. Convey a Benefit
Three Tips and a Bonus to Market Yourself
Break Through Writer’s Block
Do You Want to Make Serious Money as a Freelance Copywriter?
2. Appeal to the Emotions
10 Ways to Find Time to Follow Your Dreams
Are You Tired of Not Making Money From Your Blog?
Beware of Scams, Especially When Traveling
* Here is a handy List of Emotions from Wikipedia.
3. Use Specifics or Numbers
How to Get 6,312 Subscribers to Your Business Blog in One Day
10 Aggressive Tactics to Turn the Tables on Credit Card Companies
4. Ask a Question
Twitter is the Ultimate Tease… Does Your Content Tease?
Do Key Words in Post Titles Really Matter?
Is Social Media a Waste of Time?
5. Offer a Benefit That Seems Completely Unbelievable
Timothy Ferris is really good at this. The following headlinse are all from his blog:
How to Lose 20 lbs. of Fat in 30 Days… Without Doing Any Exercise
How to Learn (But Not Master) Any Language in 1 Hour
How to Never Forget Anything Again
6. Write Something Unexpected or Even Contentious
What Fight Club Can Teach You About Innovative Content
Why Language Classes Don’t Work: How to Cut Classes and Double Your Learning Rate
Are You a Spineless Blogger?
When to be Redundant, Repetitive, and Say the Same Thing Twice
7. Offer Something Exclusive or Rare
A Little Known Way to Improve Your Blog Design
Inside My Business: The Evolution of a Customer Service System
Well, that’s all for now. Which of the headlines above do you find the most effective? Is there something in the headline other than these tips that really captures your interest and makes you want to read more?
