Your blog headlines are one of the most important pieces of your blog. Last week I wrote a post about five types of blog posts. However, those types of posts do not always work. You want to be able to grab the attention of visitors to your blog and search engine surfers. People searching on search engines will likely skim right past your link if your headline doesn’t grab their attention. So creating a kick ass blog headline is important.
If you know that blog headlines are important than make sure to write good ones. Over the years I have helped consult many bloggers and companies and they were able to create great blog headlines. I gave them the basic idea or template and they were able to take it a step further. They even came up with some creative blog headlines that I haven’t tried. Here are a few blog headlines that I currently do on my three blogs and some that I don’t.
Blog Headlines:
Everybody Is [Blank]
This one works well because when people see “Everybody” they will likely want to see what all those people are doing.
Everybody Is Blogging
Everybody Is Losing Weight
Everybody Is Voting
Kick Ass Ways to [Blank]
I like to use kick ass in blog headlines because it grabs a person’s attention instantly. I used it a little different than the headline of this post but it works either way.
Kick Ass Ways to Get Comments
Kick Ass Ways to Save Money
Kick Ass Ways to Eat Healthy
Get Rid of [Blank] Once and for All
Everyone wants to get rid of the negative things that are part of their life. If they see this blog headline they will surely want to find out how.
Get Rid of Your Mortgage Once and for All
Get Rid of Negative People in Your Life Once and for All
Get Rid of Adsense Once and for All
Best Way to [Blank]
People will absolutely love this headline. Trust me, they will want to know the best way to do anything. If they do not click on this headline then they must not want to know the best way.
Best Way to Get Comments
Best Way to Make Money Online
Best Way to Get a Girl
The Secret of [Blank]
When you are searching for something you would probably want to know the secret. Well, you can write an easy headline using this formula.
The Secret of Getting Subscribers
The Secret of Getting Advertisers
The Secret of Positive Thinking
[Blank] Loves [Blank] Too
I like this one because it is easy to add a celebrity or a well-known person into the first point. Then in the second Blank put in one of your keywords. It is likely that people will want to read why that person loves to do anything.
Mark Cuban Loves Blogging Too
Angelina Jolie Loves Children Too
Kevin Rose Loves StumbleUpon Too (might really catch someone’s attention)
Do You Need [Blank]?
Well, if you can get a person to answer this headline question yes, then they will likely read your article. This is always one of the easier headlines to write because you just add in whatever the main point of your article is.
Do You Need Help Picking Stocks?
Do You Need Help Blogging?
Do You Need Help Shopping?
You Can Find [Blank] Here
I have seen this one being used quite often. It tells the person exactly what they’re going to find. This one is good for search engines because what you put in the blank is probably the keyword a person is searching for.
You Can Find Blog Tips Here
You Can Find Political News Here
You Can Find Relationship Tips Here
Those are all easy ways to create blog headlines. The next time you are writing a headline think about some of these formulas. Most of them can work with any keyword so it isn’t very difficult.
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Those were all great headlines Frank! I’ve seen others (mostly from CopyBlogger), but these ones were new to me.
Copyblogger writes great headlines. Brian’s a machine.
This is an awesome list! thanks, I can refer to it for those duh moments!
Duh!
Thanks a ton for these blog headlines. I really think Im going to use a couple on my blog. I can see how “The best way to [blank]” would catch peoples attention. It grabs my attention that’s for sure. All of the titles really suck the reader in and give them a really good reason to read the article.
They definitely work. If they catch your attention, then they’ll probably work.
I have saved this on my Delicious account. Awesome list!
Thanks Matt
I’ve noticed also that if you put a number in front, like 5 Kick Ass Ways to Get Comments, or 10 Secrets of Getting Subscribers, it helps. Blog readers tend to be drawn to quick concise lists.
Lists are my favorite types of posts. In fact, sometimes I can’t write a blog post without it being a list!
Numbered posts work great with Social Media too.
They sure do. Any type of list works.
Some good suggestions here – I’ll be bookmarking this for future reference. It may not be the best way, but I always start with a headline first then build my post around that – it helps keep me focused.
I always pick a keyword out of an idea, then write a headline, & then content. Whatever works.
Good stuff buddy! I am always looking to make my titles original so that they can stand out. Being creative is great, but sometimes sticking to the basics and using titles that are proven to work might be a better idea!
I agree, sticking to the basics works most of the time. Being creative works too.
Nice Post I can use this in my new sites and posts… Thanks! I see you are in the running to win LinkersBlog’s Contest… I joined too… just in case I win here’s another chance for you to win :
If I Win LinkersBlog’s Case Study Contest You Win Too – at my blog
I really am not in that contest, but good luck!
Hey some good stuff there! I’ve been trying to develop my titles a bit better as of late to try and get more visits and convert better, that list is a great helping hand so thanks!
Dan
Well just think, “Would I click on that headline”?
That’s what I think when im writing my headlines.
I love all but one…”secrets”. perhaps I’m jaded as a fellow marketer but I ignore that headline 99% of the time as so overused and usually full of garbage.
The one that’s worked best for me recently is the question title. Similar to “do you need”, but it’s surprising how you can turn just about any title into a question.
This draws the reader in and you get the response you want with the closing call to action at the end of the post…..sometimes as simple as just repeating the title question.
Questions are easy to write and easy to answer. Well we hope.
So far so good over here.
These are great headlines. If you pick up any copywriting book on creating effective headlines, you’re going to see some similar to what you have here. Awesome list!
Thanks Rebecca. Always nice seeing you around the neighborhood.
Most of the time,I have seen people opting for get rid of and secret of headlines especially for marketing purposes.
I definitely say the secret one gets peoples attention.
Nice headlines!will considered to improve my current header to..thanks for the great info
No problem!
These are great ideas. Because my blog is so specialized (tea) I wasn’t sure if normal title suggestions would work for me. But I can already come up with some posts ideas for each of these suggested titles.
Thanks!
Hi,
These headlines are awesome. Copywriters are teaching something very similar too. Thank you very much! You can add these few headlines too:
Who else want to _____ in ___ days?
Do you make this mistakes in ______ ?
How to win ____ and influence ______
Great tips you got here. Having a kick ass headlines would certainly draw your visitors to stay longer and get back for more in your blog
It definitely does make them stay longer and makes your blog sticky.
Oh my…after reading these headlines, makes me realize what I really need to change. Thanks for these suggestions. I’m going to implement them right away.
Hopefully they will work for your blog. I will give you a quick e-mail back this afternoon. So don’t think I forgot about you.
Haha yup.. I use these headlines to grab attention as well!
wow….great tips! i should be doing these things from now on
I hope it will help.
Good stuff with the headlines. This is an area that I really need to pay more attention. The headline is your sales pitch. Thanks for the reminder.
You are definitely right. Usually you only get one shot at getting a single person to read your post. If you write a crappy headline, then I highly doubt they will ever read your content.
Great advice. I’m going to try this at the new site I’m working on http://www.bfranchise.com
I’m trying “The Truth About Franchising”
I will have to check out your new site. Hopefully these headlines will improve how sticky your blog is.
Haha, you’re not wrong with those lists – as you know, it’s all about ME
On my new blog I’m experimenting with using my main keyword, “Earn Online Cash” in the title of every post. I got the idea primarily from some TV shows that use this title style, for example Chuck.
Titles are interesting because you have to strike a balance between attracting readers and making them SEO friendly too. The title examples you mentioned should work well for both.
This is very good… I often get stuck in the ‘How to’ mode.
Headlines are like a mini sales page, they’ve got to sell the reader into reading the rest of your content. An effective headline can be the difference between a dud and a stud.