Lecture
You may have come across lists of formulas for engaging headlines before. They're great for sparking creativity, provided you use them for the right content. Let's look at examples of some of the best headlines you can use for your online business, and analyze why and how they work.
This type of engaging headline is built on the reader's desire to get something valuable, like money or a better body, without taking the most obvious route. The trick with a headline like this is to make sure you're not selling an empty promise.
In other words, you need to deliver. Consistently. Otherwise readers will feel cheated.
You don't have to use this exact wording. Many marketers think they need to copy the best headline formulas word for word. Don't be afraid to get creative.
This is one of the best engaging headlines to use when you're about to give readers some intriguing advice. You know the pain point — no time! no money! no energy! — and you're going to help people solve that problem.
Focus on a serious pain point that bothers your readers. Make it more specific if needed, to reach your target audience. For example, you could say: “You're running out of money to expand! What to do next?”
As you can see from the examples above, this headline can be specific or vague. Not the kind of vague that confuses or bores readers, but the kind that sparks curiosity.
There's a delicate balance between the promise in a headline and giving readers a reason to click. If you're too specific, even the best headlines won't get clicks, because readers won't think there's anything left for them to learn from the text.
We're trying to use a variety of examples of the best headlines to show how they work in different situations. You can use these headline formulas for both serious and light-hearted topics, as long as you give them the appropriate weight when needed.
In this example, the best headlines tell people they'll miss out on something amazing if they don't take action. You're playing on FOMO.
In this example of an engaging headline, we're pairing an adjective with a noun. Try picking an unconventional adjective to make the headline really stand out. You can also switch it to the singular form: “The most important product you'll buy at the supermarket today.”
The best headlines prove themselves with the copy. You want to make sure you're not making ridiculous claims. Back up as much of it with data as you can, so your readers don't feel misled or deceived.
Think of this engaging headline as a challenge or an invitation. You're asking your audience to try something new — something they might otherwise object to — and get something useful in return. This is how persuasion works: ask someone to take action and tell them what they'll get out of it.
The more surprising the result, the more clicks you'll get. If you can promise to show someone how two seemingly unrelated things produce an amazing result, you'll win over your audience in a second.
Some of the best headlines introduce a comparison. Consumers make purchasing decisions by comparing, say, one product against its competitors, and they decide how to spend their time in roughly the same way.
Just make sure you're comparing something that actually matters to your audience, and offering a benefit they'll care about. In other words, the phrase that comes after “which is” should be aimed directly at your audience's main pain point.
Here's another versatile engaging headline you can massage to fit your needs. Notice the difference between the first two headlines and the last one. It's more definite. We're telling the audience they'll regret not making a change.
This may sound like a doom-and-gloom headline, but it doesn't have to be. You can use it for both lighthearted and serious topics. And don't be afraid to change up the wording:
This is one of the best engaging headlines for grabbing your audience's interest and driving change. You want your audience to know that, by not getting educated, they're putting themselves in a risky or precarious position.
People are highly interested in achievements. They're also interested in accomplishing things as quickly as possible. This template taps into both of these desires and can be used in any industry. While you want to make the promised achievements and timeframes as impressive as possible, you MUST limit them to what you can actually deliver.
Examples:
People want to get a lot of benefits. Usually these benefits come with unwanted costs. If you can show them how to get the benefit without the cost, you'll grab their attention. Think about the most common problems your customers face, and think about how to help them avoid it.
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If it works, why not double up? If you can keep an engaging headline sounding natural and not get too tangled up, combining elements from #1 and #2 can produce a killer headline. This lets you make an even more compelling promise to your audience, which leads to a higher conversion rate.
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As we've mentioned, everyone is actively striving for something. If you can connect your content to making tasks easier, you'll spark interest. Try to come up with an achievement that appeals to a broad audience while still staying relevant to your customers.
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As with achieving accomplishments, people really want to avoid mistakes. By referencing the typical mistakes your target audience makes, you can very easily grab their attention. Prioritize mistakes tied to emotional pain over financial loss.
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People love reading about themselves. They love thinking about themselves. They love asking questions about themselves. And so on. If you can tell your target customers something interesting about themselves, you'll be able to grab their attention.
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Here's another great way to tie your business to people's drive for success. Few things prompt action like the suggestion that we're missing out on useful information. Using the phrase “little-known” lets you tap into that trigger.
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Few things can compete with a compelling visual. By referencing a well-known example, you can instantly create a visual image in your audience's mind and borrow that example's marketing power. Pick a name that's well known to your target audience rather than just a household name, and make sure that person's achievements closely match your customers' goals.
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By now you've probably realized that the best engaging headlines represent an actionable way for readers to achieve something. Since every content creator offers this kind of material, standing out with scientific evidence or case studies is a great way to rise above the crowd.
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Most people constantly wonder what they're doing wrong. After all, if we knew what needed fixing, we'd just fix it and reap the rewards. By mentioning something your target audience commonly does, and then hinting that it might lead to a problem, you can grab their attention.
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Why this works: The hidden truth about copywriting is that no one wants to be first. Secretly they might all think it, but when it's time to walk the walk, no one wants to try and fail, or risk looking foolish. If you can showcase a few lessons you learned by following someone or something, it gives readers a virtual roadmap to follow, making them more relaxed and receptive to your offers.
Why this works: this is a classic favorite that converts well again and again, thanks to the sheer amount of knowledge an engaging headline like this promises. Make sure you deliver. If you're going to write a complete guide to something — whether it's Facebook, ridding your garden of aphids, or buying a coffee maker — you'd better go all out and squeeze every bit of know-how into that post. In the past, these exact posts have pushed ordinary bloggers into the A-list spotlight. Done right, they can boost your traffic.
Why this works: here we're once again exploring the “no one wants to be first” fear that keeps many people from taking action. Fear is a powerful motivator. Instead of exploring the lessons you learned, this version can help readers understand what to expect if they follow your advice. This type of engaging headline is especially effective on sites devoted to complex roles we all face, such as pet care, staying healthy, or motherhood.
Why this works: wise advice can come from the most unexpected places. What advice might the late Steve Jobs have given about interior design, or what could zombies teach us about irresistible marketing ideas? Pair two unusual markets together, and you're bound to boost clicks out of sheer curiosity. Your readers will be compelled to read on to find out how you're going to connect these two unlikely topics. It's interesting.
Why this works : what could you tell people about a place, activity, or showcase that others could learn from? People are always fascinated by what goes on behind the scenes of their favorite niches, hobbies, and websites. If you can show what a “day in the life” looks like, it can inspire them to take action after reading. The headline implies that you'll get a unique glimpse into something you're interested in. The promise is that it will be something you haven't seen or heard before.
Why this works: numbers grab attention, but only when they're written as digits rather than words. There's something mystical about numerals. Our brains take longer to visually process words like “seven” and “ten” than 7 and 10, so this short headline gets straight to the point, making it as easy as possible to read and understand. For example, “9 out of 10 forex traders don't earn a single cent — are you one of them?” speaks to people who are struggling, and then follows up with realistic steps they can take to be more than just a statistic.
Why this works: this headline is appealing in almost any shopping-related market, especially if you can back it up with video proof showing how the process works. Thanks to faster connections and constant internet access via smartphones and the like, video blogging and video marketing are increasingly becoming popular with mainstream audiences. Use this to your advantage by showing how anyone can follow your steps and make their first sale.
Why this works: this flexible headline suits a wide variety of industries, especially if you show your audience how to overcome a common problem such as weight loss, making money online, car repair, health and beauty, etc. The headline implies a serious threat — wasting money.
Why this works: everyone loves free stuff, especially when they feel they're getting a better deal than someone who paid for it. Conference and webinar speakers constantly repackage their information and use it as a freebie to build mailing lists. What insider information are people willing to pay you for, and how can you turn it into a subscriber magnet?
Why this works: you'll see this engaging headline in action the moment you glance into the business section of your local bookstore. Headlines like “How to Make Millions From Your Product Idea” or “How to Earn a Full-Time Income With a Computer” still succeed thanks to a simple promise and practical guidance. The promise is similar to the “Ultimate Guide” headline above. It implies a detailed guide to getting the benefit.
Why this works: you can use this headline outside of healthcare too, to cover everything from computer crashes to productivity problems. In truth, everyone wants a lasting solution to a common problem, and if you can deliver it, you'll see your conversion rate go through the roof. This headline speaks to those who are frustrated with the solutions they've already tried. The headline promises something new — make sure you deliver on it in the body.
Why this works: nobody wants to be associated with a scam, and online, forewarned is forearmed. Some well-known internet marketers have found themselves or their products tarnished by headlines like this, but if you can apply this headline to a specific type of product or industry (rather than to a person), it will be much easier for you to explain the pros and cons to your audience, instead of having to defend yourself against the product creator's furious comments!
Why this works: this headline combines provocation and investigation, and has become source material for many TV investigative documentaries. If you can spot a gaping hole in an industry or type of service provider, reporting on it to others may keep them from making the same costly mistakes.
Why this works: everyone loves a good revenge story, especially if it gives them some insider advantage they might not have realized before. One of the most provocative psychological tactics behind headlines of this type is the question: “What do they know that I don't?”
Why this works: this is one of my personal favorites, but for it to really work well for you, you'll have to dig up genuinely “little-known” areas that aren't covered by other articles or sales letters. That means digging deeper and doing more research, but the results can be worth it.
This headline makes a promise, like all good engaging headlines. It promises that we'll get a benefit. And it promises that we'll get the desired amount of that benefit within the desired timeframe.
Formula
Get [desired result] in [desired timeframe]
Examples
This headline represents a threat. It prompts us to act because we feel we're putting ourselves or our loved ones at risk. It also implies that something we trust has misled us and could be dangerous.
Formula
X lies about [something everyday]
Examples
This headline works because it (subtly) demonstrates social proof and then asks a question. Social proof gives the decision-maker confidence that others are already doing what you're considering doing. The word “nation” at the start of the headline signals that there's a huge number of vegetarians. Yes, that's a genuinely clever use of social proof.
Asking a question in a headline automatically grabs attention. When we read a question, we feel compelled to answer it. To answer it, we have to read the content.
Formula
[Provide social proof] [Ask a compelling question]
Examples
This is a good headline formula if your audience is skeptical about your product's benefits. Your product may be new and unfamiliar to your audience. Or maybe it's gotten bad reviews in the past.
The headline works because you're stating that a trusted group of people now backs the product.
Formula
[Previously untrusted or unproven product] that [authoritative figure / group of people] now endorses
Examples
This is another engaging danger-themed headline. It promises that if we read the article, we can avoid some terrible things that could ruin a vacation. The headline also plays on the idea that people will do more to avoid pain than to seek pleasure.
Formula
[Threat] + [Promise of a solution]
Examples
This engaging headline uses a word that will perk up your ears. Can you guess what it is?
Surprising.
The word “surprising” is crucial in this headline because it signals that these aren't the usual weekend-fun suggestions we always hear. It's new, or at least new to us.
Formula
[Unwanted outcome] + [mysterious solution]
Examples
People love hearing vivid details about people they admire and respect. This headline uses very strong words, including shocking and secret. If we have even the slightest interest in the person referenced, curiosity makes us take a look.
It also taps into our craving for new information. Something we haven't heard before.
Formula
[Respected person / group of people] + [exclusive / new information]
Examples
As you can see from the list of top headlines above, there are many directions you can take with headlines. You can create a mystery, offer a comparison, explain a controversial theory, or ask a question.
In addition, the formatting of your headlines can vary. You might have a statement, a question, or a combination of the two. There are no hard-and-fast rules. Your job is to spark the audience's interest and get them to click.
That's why testing is important for finding the best headlines. You never know what your audience will respond to most, and A/B tests help you gather reliable data to base your decisions on.
To test, you'll need at least two headlines. One is the control, and the other is the variation. You can change just one word between the two, or use a completely different version for the variation. It's up to you.
Once both headlines are live on your site, run an A/B test.
Once you've run your first test, you'll determine which version “won.” But don't stop there. Keep testing headlines using new formulas and language to further refine the type of headline that works best for your audience.
You've seen some of the best headlines on the internet, but how do you emulate them to create your own brilliant headlines? And how can you adapt the formulas above to make your headlines more engaging?
The most important thing to remember about the best headlines is that they spark curiosity. Consumers feel compelled to click because they need to know what's on the other side of the headline.
In other words, you'd better deliver.
You can write the best headlines in the world, but if your content sucks, you'll have trouble with your audience. They won't trust you anymore, and that means lost revenue.
That's why you might need to revisit your headline after you've written the copy. Does the article or other content fully live up to the headline? If not, rewrite it.
A great way to write an effective headline is to start with the promised outcome.
Now connect that outcome to an unexpected fact from the story or copy. By combining these two concepts, you'll spark curiosity.
You can also link your outcome to a specific change in behavior or attitude. Show people that they can get what they want if they do X, Y, and Z. If you hit a pain point, all the better.
To make sure you're writing the best possible headlines, print out and follow this handy checklist:
The best headlines convince your audience to click. Of course, you have to back that up with great content, but that's a topic for another post.
You can write great headlines no matter your experience level, and if you have more examples or want to analyze existing issues with engaging headlines, feel free to write about it in the comments!
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