Simple Techniques To Write Arresting Headlines

Whenever a site visitor reaches your Blog post or article content the first line that catches the attention of 90% of these visitors is the content headline.

An well structured headline triggers the site visitors need to pause and read the next few lines of the Blog post or article, and they are hooked.

Here are some really simple techniques on you can structure an arresting headline.

1. Write your headline as a question.

Questions are provocative, they trigger hope in the reader that the content carries useful answers.

Hence, site visitors will stop for a while to read some more. Bingo, a sharp drop in your websites bounce rate.

Suddenly Google starts paying attention to the fact that your site visitors are spending time on your website, which is all good.

2. Ensure that your headline content adds discernible value to the reader in some way.

For example:
Do you want to set up a WordPress Blog yourself?
Can you setup a WordPress Blog yourself in 20 minutes?
Have you considered setting up your website using Joomla CMS?
Have you heard that Joomla can be setup by people with very little technical skills?

Here the trick is to think about what your site visitor may want, then structure that as a question for your headline.

3. Ensure that your headline triggers the readers curiosity.

People love to know secrets.

Hence a headline that would get most site visitors to pause and take a second look, is one that's structured as though it is sharing access to inside information.

For example:
The secret of successful Blogging.
The secret of great search engine rankings for your website.
This is how authority Bloggers craft their content.

Now if you like combine the two techniques, i.e. the question and the secret.

Would you be interested in the secrets of successful Blogging?
Wouldn't you like to share the inside curve on how to get great search engine rankings?
Do you want to know how authority Blogger craft their content?

Simple, straightforward headlines, structured as a question, which also reveals inside information works wonders.

4. People want instant solutions to their problems. Hence, headlines that promise quick results get a reader's attention.

For example:
3 tried and tested ways that actually stop spam comments.
Get Chrome to work on an Apple Mac in 5 minutes flat.
There really is a quick solution to your bad credit rating.

Now if you like combine the two techniques, i.e. the question and the instant solution.

Did you know that there are 3 tried and tested ways that stop spam comments?
Did you know that you can get Chrome to work on your Apple Mac in five minutes flat?
Did you know that there really is a quick solution to your bad credit rating?

5. Identify what your site visitor wants and combine that with a really great similar example.

For example:
Here is how to Blog like Seth Godin does.
Dominate your market like Apple does.
How to play the blues like Eric Clapton.

Now if you like throw in the question.

Do you want to Tweet like Ronin Keeting does?
Have you always wanted to dominate your market like Apple does?
Have you secretly wished to play blues guitar like Eric Clapton?

6. Write a headline that implies there's not much effort involved, this always intrigues people to find out more.

For example:
All you ever need to know about marketing on Facebook
All you ever need to know about eating healthy
Just six techniques that ensure great headlines

7. Make your headlines personal by adding - You.

For example:
You can have a great Facebook page design, here's how.
Your YouTube ads should be interactive, here's how.
You should write must read Tweets, here's how.

Ivan Bayross
Open source tutorials | Open source training