There's something called an 80/20 rule in copywriting and conversion content marketing. The 80/20 rule says that only 20% of your readers will get past the headline. The other 80% won't even bother to read the rest of your content.
Why? Because your headline is the first thing your readers see - whether it's a headline on your website, an email subject, or the title of your blog post.
Headlines are your ultimate weapon to drive clicks and increase your open, click-through, and conversion rates. But, if your headline doesn't have a special hook that doesn't grab people's attention, they simply won't feel the pull to find out what's inside.
But writing high-converting headlines isn't easy. If it were, we'd all have our open and click-through rates shooting through the roof - and it's exactly what most marketers and business owners struggle with.
So, in this article, I'll share with you how to write good headlines by going over nine types of headlines that convert, including some headline examples and best practices.
The Anatomy of a Powerful Headline
Writing high-converting headlines is one of the most essential elements of writing copy that sells. Striking a good headline is like delivering a knockout punch. It lets you connect with your audience and better grab their attention.
But what makes a powerful headline? Here are four characteristics of a good headline.
Useful
You wouldn't want to invest your time into reading something that isn't useful, would you?
I believe this goes without saying, but the key to writing any content is to make it relevant for the intended audience - and your headlines should reflect that.
This means that your headline should tell the readers what's the benefit of investing their time into reading past it. What are they going to learn?
Urgent
Another trait that makes a high-converting headline is adding a sense of urgency.
You know how you always put off things that aren't that urgent and then end up doing them at the last minute? We all do. If your headline doesn't convey urgency, your readers won't feel inclined to read your piece of content now - and will likely put it off and leave it at the bottom of their to-do list.
When the headline makes the reader feel like they'll miss out on something if they don't read your article immediately, their curiosity won't let them put it off.
Unique
It goes without saying that the best headlines are unique.
The entire point of a headline is to get people to read your content, so your headline must be unique enough to stand out. If you're using the same headlines as everyone else, you're not going to get much traction.
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The easiest way to create a unique headline is to find a way to make your headline stand out — whether it be through humor, creativity, brutal honesty, or challenging your audience's beliefs.
Ultra-Specific
When it comes to writing copy - any type of copy - specifics always beat generalizations.
If you want your headlines to be irresistible to click, make them super specific! When you make a headline ultra-specific, you're painting a picture that your readers can easily visualize.
Here's an example of an ultra-specific headline vs. a general one:
You get the idea.
7 Headline Formulas That People Can't Help But Click
Whether it's a blog article or a landing page copy, headlines are the first thing visitors see. It's what convinces people to click through and read the rest of your story.
But how do you write headlines that convert? Here are seven types of headlines that will get people to click.
The Listicle Headline
People love listicles. For some reason, our brains love to consume information in list form. Listicles are so popular because they're easy to digest and give people a sense of organization and structure.
That's why headlines that contain numbers convert so well! Here are some examples:
The "This/These" Headline
These headlines use the words "this" or "these" to imply that there's something - a tool, method, secret, mistake - that you didn't know about. And now your brain must find out.
This type of headline opens a loop in your brain - and once the loop is opened, it must be closed. It's a powerful formula that hooks us into clicking through.
The Command Headline
This type of headline starts with an action verb, commanding you to do something. Action verbs jolt our brain awake from its trance and compel us to comply. An effective command headline starts with an action verb and implies a specific benefit of doing the action it's compelling you to do.
The command headline is one of the most effective types of headlines to use on your website and landing page, but it also works well as a blog article title.
Here are a few command headline examples:
The Contradiction Headline
The contradiction headline is tricky because it can take on many different forms. However, it follows a straightforward principle: to contradict a common belief or cliché.
This type of headline is so effective because it forces the reader to question what they know and then proves them wrong. Of course, we always want to be right, so when something challenges our beliefs, we feel an urgent need to know why we were wrong.
The How To Headline
The "how to" headline is very straightforward: it tells you precisely what you will learn after reading the article. No matter how simple, a "how to" headline is often compelling enough to motivate us to click through and read the whole thing.
The Question Headline
Another type of killer headline is the question headline. This kind of headline asks questions that force people to want to know the answer and implies they'll find it after clicking through to the article. That's why question headlines convert so well - they open a loop in the reader's brain they simply have to close.
The Benefit Without Pain Headline
This is probably the most powerful of headline formulas as it strikes the emotional chord between what the reader wants to achieve (the benefit) and what they want to avoid (the pain). Sometimes, this formula can also include a timeframe.
Take a look at a few high-converting headline examples that follow this foolproof formula:
These headlines get people's attention because, psychologically speaking, we're always inclined to avoid pain at all costs. The majority of people want to achieve their goals, but they don't want to put in the effort to do it.
It's Time to Start Writing Headlines That Convert
Headlines can be the difference between a visitor staying on your site or leaving immediately. Good headlines help you to hook the reader, pique their curiosity and give them a glimpse into your content.
So if you want to get more people to read your blog article, website copy, or email campaigns, it's vital that you learn how to write headlines that convert.
And yes, I know that writing headlines can be tricky, especially if you don't have copywriting experience. But don't worry - in the age of AI, there are writing tools that can help you craft better headlines.
For instance, Headline Studio from CoSchedule is an excellent tool that analyzes your headlines, scores them, and gives you suggestions of what to improve.
In addition, implementing the headline formulas provided in this article will help you write headlines that people can't help but click. Keep these headline templates in mind, and you'll be able to come up with useful, unique, urgent, and ultra-specific headlines most of the time!
*This blog post contains affiliate links. If you buy something through my link, I get a commission from the sale at no additional cost to you. You're just helping me keep the blog alive!
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