6 headline formulas that will get your prospects to read your articles! – Inbound #13

Keeping a blog alive and publishing articles regularly on your website is the key element for attracting new prospects. But they still need to actually read those articles! This is where your article headline comes in — it is up to the headline to convince internet users to discover your content. How do you craft a headline that will grab attention? We have listed 6 headline formats known for sparking curiosity among internet users… and making them click!

1. The list headline: "6 types of headlines that will grab attention!"

This has become a true classic in the field, and for good reason! Everyone loves lists:

• They promise quick reading. You only have 5 minutes and this article on "6 types of headlines that encourage clicks" interests you? Perfect — you will only need 2 to skim through it entirely! You can always come back later to learn more, but for now, simply reading each item on the list gives you the information you are looking for.
• They ensure a clear message and easier reading. In a world where everything is accelerating and our attention is constantly in demand — on the internet more than anywhere else — we engage more readily with information we know is easy to access.

The list headline can take several forms:

• The tip headline: "6 tips/tricks for nailing the headline of your blog article"
• The secret headline: "6 secrets for nailing the headline of your blog article"; using the word "secret" will stir curiosity. Be careful, however, to use this type of headline sparingly: your 6 "secrets" must genuinely add value for the reader, and not be 6 tricks everyone already knows.
• The "little-known" or "you should know" headline: "6 little-known elements for a great article headline" or "6 things to know to craft an intriguing article headline"; these use the same principle as the "secret" and play the mystery card, but at a less powerful — and therefore less risky — level. They can also appear more authentic than the secret headline.

2. The tutorial headline: "How to grab attention with your article headline?"

Many online searches involve this type of query: How? How to do, how to succeed, how to optimise, how to improve, etc. In terms of SEO, this is therefore an aspect that can work in your favour.

But above all, it shows that this type of headline will interest internet users. The tutorial headline directly demonstrates the added value of your article and engages the reader through its interrogative form.

3. The explanatory headline: "Why is your article headline crucial for attracting clients to your website?"

The explanatory headline plays the information card. It promises to explain to internet users why a particular action matters for them, and what they will concretely gain from it.

The explanatory headline uses the interrogative form, like the tutorial headline, to engage the reader. Moreover, many internet users begin their searches with "Why", which makes this formulation particularly effective.

"Why" and "How" headlines generally pair very well together: the first explains to internet users why a particular action will be useful to them, and the second then takes over to explain how to do it for those who are interested. They are particularly valuable within an educational web communications strategy (or inbound marketing) thanks to their pedagogical approach.

4. The statistic or informative headline: "Only 15% of internet users read blog articles… Which is why a strong headline matters!"

This piece of information is pure invention and serves only as an example of an informative or statistical headline. For a real article, you will obviously need to use reliable and verified data. The idea is to announce a striking fact in a single punchy sentence that can interest internet users. Intrigued, they will click if they want further detail on that piece of information, to learn the sources, and more broadly how to deal with that fact.

5. The negative headline: "The types of article headlines to avoid at all costs!"

The negative headline grabs attention through its originality. At a time when brands want to deliver optimistic messages and blogs teach us how to succeed at this or that action, taking the opposite approach stands out to internet users. The articles that flow from it are no less instructive: by showing the practices to avoid, they explain which ones should be preferred instead.

Beyond its original angle, the negative headline strongly stimulates curiosity: "Headlines to avoid at all costs? But why? And which ones?"

It is worth noting that the negative headline can easily merge with the list headline or the tutorial headline: "10 headlines to absolutely avoid for your blog articles" or "How to choose a completely uninteresting blog article headline?".

6. The "quick tip" headline

Like the list headline, the "quick tip" headline plays on the promise of easy and fast content to browse. The "5 minutes" promises added value that is accessible to the internet user in a simple way.

The example mentions "5 minutes" but, of course, you can vary the duration depending on the length of your article.

---

These types of headline are designed to encourage the internet user to click and are known to work. They represent the first step in attracting your prospects to your website and guiding them through the full journey you have planned until they become a lead and then a client. We hope you have found, in this article, formulas that speak to you and that you can adapt for your own business.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE

UGC, the future of marketing: How user-generated content can revolutionise your marketing strategy

by Yumea, 7 mars 2023

UGC (User Generated Content) is changing the game in the world of marketing. With the rise of social media and content-sharing platforms, the ... READ MORE

Category: News , Getting visible online , Social media

Comments: 0

How to use Instagram to reach your audience and drive traffic to your website?

by Yumea, 1 février 2023

Social media has become an indispensable tool for businesses looking to reach their target audience and drive traffic to their website. With more than 3.8 billion active users of ... READ MORE

Category: Getting visible online , Instagram , Social media

Comments: 0

7 Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools you need to know in 2023

by Yumea, 12 janvier 2023

In 2023, there are many platforms that use artificial intelligence (AI) to help users write content and generate images. If you are looking for tools to help you write ... READ MORE

Category: News

Comments: 0