How to Write Powerful Post Headlines That Increase Your Traffic

Creating powerful post headlines is critical to the success of your posts and establishing a strong readership for your site.  In having compelling headlines + amazing and epic content, readers have no choice but to return to your site to see what’s new each time your publish a post, and even when you don’t.

I return to sites using this exact formula all the time.  When I check my feed reader each morning, including weekends, I’m always looking for specific blogger’s posts, because I know I’m in store for an awesome read that day. Not only do I click over to their site to read the entire post, because of the eye-catching headline, but I’m sharing and bookmarking the post. This is exactly what you should be striving to accomplish with each post you publish.  Without this formula, you may find that your posts are getting very little views and worst off, no engagement or sharing.

Your posts headlines need to stand out in the large world of blog content out there. Every time you publish a post, it is competing with every other post already published, even more so with every other post on whatever topic your post is about. Post headlines need to to only stand out amongst all of the already published content, but it needs to spark prospective readers attention.

Your post headline needs to wow and intrigue potential readers so that they will want to click through to your site and read the entire post. Its your first impression and one that can result in having a plethora of readers…or none at all.

Here’s some tips on how you can write powerful post headlines that prospective readers no choice but to click over to your post and read it.

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Write Your Headline First..most of the time

Majority of the time, like 70%, I do this.  I spoke a little bit this in my 6 Ways to Insure You’re Posting Original Content post, but spoke actually about doing the opposite.  I haven’t changed my position on this since writing the post, but rather have two schools of thought about now.  When you have a headline, you need to already have the idea and layout of the content in your head.  In this particular scenario, you should write the headline first.

However, if you are struggling to come up with good original content after you write your headline, then its better to go the route of writing your content first and then brainstorming about a compelling headline.  Personally, I prefer to write my headlines first, because I don’t have an issue producing well-structured content around my headline.  The key to writing your headline first is to keep your content on point and not go off on a tangent.

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Make Use of Keywords

Most of us search for content by using keywords, so the same way you find content is the same way that prospective readers will find your content.  In using keywords in your headlines, you will want to utilize niche phrases, because they will return more specific search engine results.  This means that the people who land on your site will be getting exactly what they’re looking for in terms of what they typed into their search engine.  If readers know that they can find this specific content on your site, they will be more likely to share, bookmark, and refer back to it.

Give It Purpose

In creating a headline, you want to make sure its purposeful. The more purpose your headline has the higher likelihood it will have of being viewed and read by large audiences. Your headline needs to spark interest and inspire your audience. Readers need to see your selling point from the beginning and have a reason to respond, by giving your headline purpose, you’re achieving just that.

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Think Like Your Readers

In order to do this, you want to be inside of the head of your readers — what would they want to read? Every time you craft a headline you should be thinking about how what you’re writing about can serve them.

This will help you come up with headlines that better appeal to your readers. Focusing on a need or a want of your reader, and providing a way to fulfill that promise through your headline will help you come up with not only a good headline, but content as well.

Powerful Headlines Are…

• Telling a story
• Showing you how to do something
• Challenging you
• Shocking & awing you
• Targeting you
• Playing on your emotions

If your headline does any of the aforementioned, then its a pretty good chance that you have a powerful headline. The main you need to do now is have the content to back it up. Make sure that your content comes through on the promise of your headline.

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Its All In The Promise

When you write a headline keep in mind, as I mentioned before, it is essentially a promise to your reader. In exchange for their attention, your readers should be rewarded with the benefit of your headline. The useful, unique, and specific your headline is, better the chance that your readers will feel as if they’ll receive some benefit from it.

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When In Doubt, Be Direct

Headlines don’t always need to be clever or play on words. Oftentimes, a direct headline is the way to go, because you can’t go wrong with it. A direct headline tells your readers exactly what they need to know from the get-go, and more than likely they will click through to read the details. The best times to use a direct headline is in instances when a strong offer is being made or when your readers are familiar with the product or service that the headline is about.

Ex. “Branding services 25% off…Limited Time Only!”

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The best way to get good at writing powerful post headlines is to practice! Its not going to come naturally all at once, because there are a lot of factors at play that take time to consider when writing a headline. Who are you writing it for?  What’s the purpose of the headline?  What are you attempting to achieve with the headline? These are just a few of the questions you can ask yourself as you brainstorm your way towards crafting a powerful post headline. With every piece of content you write, its an opportunity for you to practice and you will only get better as times goes on.

JUST FOR YOU!: I’ve created a The Powerful Post Headlines Quick Reference Worksheet that highlights the key ways to write powerful post headlines that will help to increase your traffic and readership. Its a resource you’ll want to add to your blogging toolkit and be sure to share will all of your fellow blogger.

The Powerful Post Headlines Quick Reference Worksheet!

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Listen to more about this topic on the Branded Bliss Podcast on Soundcloud!

What are some of the ways you create powerful post headlines? – Is it something you struggle with or find easy?

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