As online entrepreneurs we all want our content to be seen. We put countless hours into creating life-changing work, so it’s important that our efforts reach those who need it, grow our communities, and establish our street cred.
We want to see numbers like these next to our blog posts, podcast episodes, and videos:
With the insane amount of clutter and endless stream of information bombarding newsfeeds, the key to getting eyes on our blogs is to create eye-catching, click-worthy headlines, and, of course, back those babies up with amazing content.
What’s the secret to grabbing attention and making our stuff interesting enough to not only get it seen by our current readers, but also shared to reach the masses who haven’t yet discovered our greatness?
What Makes a Headline Shareable?
I set out to crack the code of shareability when it comes to headlines so you can get those views and shares for your own posts.
Below I’ve included six actual headlines that have been shared at least 1700 times each (whoa, baby!) and a formula for each that you can use to create your own versions.
These formulas work for ANY business in ANY niche. Simply plug in your own numbers, facts, and sexy descriptive words, and get that shizz out there.
As a bonus, I’ve also put together a free download with 25 of these real-life headline examples that have been seen and shared by thousands of people online. Look for that freebie further down the post.
6 Headline Formulas Proven to Get Your Content Seen & Shared
These are examples of real-life headlines. I’ve included the number of times each was shared as of the time this post was published. I’ve also made up “another spin” on each to give you more inspiration.
Formula #1: The Only _________ You Need to ___________
Original Headline (3.8K shares): The Only Juice You Need to Boost Gut Health
Another Spin: The Only WordPress Theme You Need to Run a Bangin’ Blog
People love to know what ONE thing they can use to make their lives better.
This headline makes them wonder if they know what the “only thing” is and gives them the satisfaction of a new shortcut they can throw into the mix of their busy-ness.
Formula #2: 7 _______ You Didn’t Know Could ________
Original Headline (1.7K shares): 7 Foods You Didn’t Know Could Heal Your Gut
Another Spin: 7 Clothing Items You Didn’t Know Could Up Your Confidence
Intriguing, right? What things don’t I know about this topic? Readers will click to learn new info.
Just make sure to include actual, lesser-known facts.
Don’t have 7 of them? The numbers, though important to include, are arbitrary. Maybe you have 3 items in mind, or 33. Don’t be afraid to change the numbers.
Formula #3: 26 Tricks to _____ Your _______
Original Headline (4.8K shares): 26 Tricks to Detox Your Home & Body
Another Spin: 10 Tricks to Organize Your Workspace
Let’s face it. The human race is inherently lazy.
People love tricks, hacks, and anything else that saves them time and difficulty. This headline gives the impression that we’re about to uncover something quick and dirty to make living a little bit easier.
Formula #4: 4 _______ that Will Keep You _________
Original Headline (6K shares): 4 Morning Habits that Will Keep You Happy All Day
Another Spin: 4 Mantras that Will Keep You Productive in 2016
The important thing to consider here is what will interest my audience most?
These two examples include the trendy topics of morning routines and productivity. Use buzzwords related to your own niche for maximum impact.
Formula #5: The ______ that Makes EVERYTHING ________
Original Headline (4.9K shares): The Tiny Mental Shift that Makes EVERYTHING Easier
Another Spin: The Easy Gardening Tip that Makes EVERYTHING Grow Better
This sweeping generalization is sure to spark curiosity and encourage reading.
The more of a juxtaposition you can make using words like “tiny”, “easy”, or anything else that seems unlikely to affect “everything”, the more intriguing this becomes.
Make sure to illustrate the claim with lots of examples to prove how your thing really does impact EVERYTHING.
Formula #6: Why _______ is bad for your _______ & what to do instead
Original Headline (1.7K shares): Why dry shampoo is bad for your hair & what to use instead
Another Spin: Why Working Too Much is Bad for Your Business & What to do Instead
If you can show how a popular trend or common practice is actually harmful to an important aspect of life, you’re golden.
Everyone wants to know how their favorite thing is actually messing with their mojo.
Want even more of these headline formulas?
A few more tips to make your headlines say come-hither
To wrap things up, I want to share a few more tips:
- Numbers sell. Dollar amounts, time frames, quantities of things… people want to know how many and how much.
- Combining two seemingly unrelated things makes people curious. What do mustaches have to do with blood pressure? Just make sure the things actually are connected in some way, and that you do an exceptional job of explaining.
- Length matters. In the age of mobile, overly lengthy headlines are cut off on phone screens and, therefore, often ignored. You can get around this by making sure the first few words of your headline are intriguing.
- Use descriptive words. I’m a mega fan of the thesaurus. Punch up thesaurus.com and add some flavor to your word choice.
- Pay attention to the kinds of headlines that are getting attention. Magazines and websites with a big reach are great places to scope and get some inspiration.
You can use these formulas & tips to create headlines for your own blog, to pitch to editors of bigger publications, for guest posts, podcasts, email subject lines… anywhere you want to grab your audience’s attention.
Remember, though, that even the sexiest headline won’t matter if there isn’t some ah-freakin’-amazing content following it.
Don’t promise a feast and show up with a frozen pizza.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE COPY OF 25 HEADLINE FORMULAS PROVEN TO GET YOUR CONTENT SEEN & SHARED
