Internet Marketing Digital_marketing_for_dummies | Page 117

Applying Blog Headline Formulas
Everything we discussed in this chapter is a moot point if you don’t create blog post titles,
also called headlines, that entice and engage your audience. The headline is the most
important part of your post because it cuts through the noise to grab your readers’
attention and convince them to give you their precious time by reading your article.
But how do you come up with these stellar blog headlines that increase clicks? You follow
a formula. There are six different categories that great blog headlines fall into, and we’re
going to detail each.
Tapping into self-interest
The first headline formula is the self-interest headline. These are your bread-and-butter
blog post titles and should be used frequently. Self-interest headlines are usually direct and
speak to a specific benefit that your audience will gain by reading your blog post. These
headlines start to answer the “What’s in it for me?” question, as well as help prequalify
readers by giving them a clue about what the article entails.
Here are some sample self-interest headlines:
Grow Your Website Traffic with the 3-Step Content Marketing Plan
How to Retire in Style Even if You Haven’t Started Saving
Top 10 Organic Food Markets in Austin, Texas
Piquing curiosity
If self-interest headlines work because they communicate a direct benefit of reading a blog
post, curiosity-based ones succeed for the exact opposite reason. These headlines pique the
interest of readers without giving away too much information, which leads to a higher
number of clicks. Curiosity headlines create an itch that needs to be scratched, and readers
have a hard time resisting reading the blog post. Be careful, though, because curiosity-
based headlines can fall flat if you miss the mark. Because curiosity headlines are more
ambiguous, you might annoy your reader when the content fails to live up to the
expectations set by the headline. So make sure that your curiosity headline doesn’t mislead
your reader.
Here are some examples of curiosity headlines:
25 Things You Didn’t Know Your iPhone Could Do
Grill the Perfect Beef Filet with the “Butterfly Process”
This is Why You Should Never Drink Raw Milk