Do you stare at that empty “Enter title here” box on your blog post, struggling to come up with a good headline that will compel people to click through and read your latest post?
Are you wondering just what makes a good headline, anyway?
Never fear! Your answer is here in the form of fill-in-the-blank easy templates below. But first…
The biggest thing you’ve got to understand is that your headlines are promises and you need to promise something that your readers want if you want to get their attention.
Your readers need to know exactly what they’ll get when they click through to read your content. What are you promising and why should it matter to them? What do they get out of giving you their attention and time?
That’s why it’s so important to start everything you do from the perspective of WHO are you writing for… what are their goals… dreams… fears… challenges… secret fantasies?
Which of these is more interesting to you?
- Five Good Types of Headlines
- How to Write Better Titles for Your Blog Posts
Or…
- Read This Now: The Secret Triggers Behind 43 Powerfully Simple Fill-in-the-Blank Blog Post Headline Templates You Can Use to Get Slightly More Rich and Famous Starting Today
Both describe the same post (the one you’re reading right now). The second has action (read now!), intrigue (secret triggers?), specificity (hey bloggers, this is for you), implied “ease” of results (it’s got fill-in-the-blank templates included), and a believable result promised (get slightly rich and famous).
The Secrets Desires You Must Stay Aware of to Write Great Headlines
We all want enough money to live our dreams, to create loving lasting relationships, and to be healthy and experience life fully. Health, wealth, relationships and wisdom/spirituality are triggers that grab our attention.
I can’t promise writing good blog posts will get you the relationship you want (well I could but I’m not sure that’s realistic, unless you pen a poetic ode to your spouse or partner about how wonderful they are and share it with the world, that could work to win you brownie points) but I can tell you it will help you make money (get slightly rich) and build a platform (get slightly famous).
Know which of these desires you’re playing to when you write your headlines and work it in where it fits.
How to Really Get Good at This “Headline Thing”
How do you get good at writing headlines (your blog post titles are headlines) that grab your readers attention and get them to click through and read?
1. Write lots of headlines.
Some will bomb. Others will rock. Do it enough and you start to get a better feel for what’ll work.
Test your headlines. Try split testing and experiment with different headlines when you share your content on social networks to see what gets attention.
Run headlines by your team, colleagues or mastermind group for their feedback and specifically ask them “what can I change to make you more likely to read this blog post based on the title?”
Like writing blog posts or anything else in life, experience makes a difference so practice lots (and then move to step 2 and learn from experienced writers).
2. Read and dissect lots of headlines.
Don’t just read headlines, but take time to ask, “Why did this grab me?” Notice what gets your attention and dissect why.
Browse the magazine aisle at your supermarket or meander through your local bookstore. Look at the bestsellers on Amazon. Why did you stop and look at the magazines or books you did?
If you want to really learn what works in headlines, study direct response copywriting and books like The 100 Greatest Advertisements, Influence, Scientific Advertising, and anything Dan Kennedy’s written.
3. Model what works.
Use templates. Watch the most popular blogs in your niche and see what they’re doing that’s working well.
Bookmark blog posts like this one (yes, I’m shameless!) that give you both fill-in-the-blank templates AND tell you why they work so you understand what it is you’re doing.
So How DO You Write Great Blog Post Titles Without Spending All Day Brainstorming?
I’ve blogged a few times about how to kill boring blog post headlines and the process I go through to write and test headlines to find the real firecrackers.
But sometimes I’m a slacker. (Shhhh…. you’ll keep that just between us right?)
I don’t want to sit here and think… think… think… That’s where headline templates com in SUPER handy. Just fill in the blanks with your topic and what you’re sharing, and ka-pow! instantly excellent blog post headline!
So, to the best part of this guide — if you can fill in a blank or two, you can write snappy, attention-grabbing headlines with the templates below.
Note: Some of the examples cross between categories and combine more than one of these styles.
1. “How To…”
“How to” headlines are attached to some of the most popular posts on many blogs.
Why? Because you know right from the headline exactly what you’re going to find out how to do. Boom–simple, obvious promise of results!
Check out the most popular posts here and you’ll see that (at the time I wrote this post) the headlines of 4 of my top 10 most popular posts begin with “how to.”
The Templates:
- How to _____________________ (Straightforward, just exactly what you’re sharing how to do)
- How to _________ and ____________ (If you can do the first, you’ll get the second)
- How to _________ Even If _______________ (End with what’s stopping people so they know why that isn’t an excuse anymore)
- How to _________ in ________ (Add a time qualifier to how long it will take to achieve)
- How to _________ so that you can __________ (What happens when your readers can do what you’re showing them how to do?)
- How to _________ Like __________ (Who do your readers idolize?)
- How to _________ Without ___________ (What do your readers want, and what do they NOT want to do or give up to get that result?)
- How to be ______________ (What do your readers want to become?)
Quick Imaginary Examples:
- How to Decorate Your Bedroom Like a Pro Even if You Can’t Tell Red from Purple or Silk from Chiffon
- How to Write Better Blog Post Headlines in 10 Minutes Without Becoming a Sleazy Used Car Salesman
- How to Learn Enough French in Less Than 10 Days to Survive Paris with Style
- How to Write Blog Post Headlines that Go Viral
- How to Re-Enter the Limelight and Create Your Own Comeback Like the Clintons
- How Dozens of Smart Men Screwed Up a Country by Ignoring the Sage Words of Thomas Jefferson
- How Focus Groups Deliver the Worst Possible Guidance and What to Do Instead When Testing Your Advertising
- How a Stay at Home Mom Lost 50 Pounds and Got into Shape–Without Cutting Calories or Fat From Her Diet
Real Life Examples:
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (You’ve heard of this super best seller, right?)
- How to Get Your Alexa Ranking Under 100,000 – here
- How to Create Pinnable Image Quotes – here
- The Science of Instagram: How to Get More Followers and Likes – QuickSprout
- How a “no name” mom in Portland catapulted to a six-figure business – email subject line from Kristin Thompson
Two Cool Twists:
- Turn the “How to” into a personal story and increase curiosity with a “How I…” or “How (person) (achieved results)”
- Twist this into “How NOT to… like…” and go with someone they really don’t love or aren’t impressed with
2. “I’ve Got the Answer to Your Question”
Your readers have questions. Do you have answers? Tell them right in the headline by ASKING the questions in their heads or showing them the answer.
You want to ask a question that triggers one of these responses in your readers mind: “Yes!!”, “No!”, or “I’ve Gotta Know!”
What do your readers struggle with and really want to fix or understand?
The Templates:
- Are You Making this Mistake When ________________?
- Is This Why You Aren’t Succeeding With ___________________?
- Do You Struggle to ___________? Read This Now. (Or, “Don’t Miss This” or some other action phrase at the end)
- Stop ___________ with ______________ (First blank, the problem or challenge; Second blank, the solution)
- End Your Struggle to ________________
- Little Known Secrets to ________________
- Do You Wonder How ______ Almost Always _________? (First blank, group of successful people; second blank, their results)
- One Quick Way to _____________
- If You’re Frustrated By _______ Try ______________ (First blank, problem; Second blank, hint at your solution but don’t give it away yet!)
- You Can ________ even if _________ with _________ (First blank, big problem; Second blank, why it’s been a problem; Third blank, strategy/secret/formula/tip/etc.)
- What You’ve Got to Know About _________________
- Do You Know These ___________ to Avoid ___________? (First blank, something like “three keys” or “five secrets”; Second blank, big scary problem)
Quick Imaginary Examples:
- Are Your Blog Posts Boring Your Readers to Sleep?
- Do You Struggle with Confidence? Don’t Miss this Guide to Finding Your Hidden Inner Rockstar
- Do You Wonder How Some Bloggers Get All the Attention (When Your Content is Just as Good)?
- One Quick Way to Write a Rockin’ Blog Post in Half the Time
- If You’re Frustrated by Your Frizzy Hair in the Summer, This Quick Fix Worked for Me
- You Can Get Clients With a Blog, Even if You Hate to Write
- Revealed: Little Known Secrets of Accountants that Make Tax Time Painless for Entrepreneurs
Real Life Examples:
- Can Honest Copywriting Succeed? – Shel Horowitz
- How Far Should You Go to Make a Sale in Your Copy? – Mind Valley Insights
- 5 Ways You Might Be Driving Your Readers Crazy (Without Realizing It!) – here
- Can you REALLY Make Money Blogging? [7 Things I Know About Making Money from Blogging] – ProBlogger
3. “You Can Be Successful, Too!”
If You Can Fill in a Blank, You Can Write Great Blog Post Headlines that Get Readers to Your Blog — that’s the promise of this post, right? Did it grab YOUR attention?
The Templates:
- If ________ Then _________ (First blank, simple action or skill; Second blank, result your readers want)
- __________ Like ______________ (First blank, big goal or dream; Second blank, someone famous who’s done it)
- Create ___________ You _________ (First blank, something people want; Second blank, why they want it)
- Why ____________ Always ___________ (First blank, group of people; Second blank, results they get)
- The ______ Guide to ________ (First blank, adjective that describes how your readers see themselves or what they wish for – “A-List Blogger’s” or “Lazy Blogger’s”; Second blank, result)
- Become ____________ Without _____________ (First blank, what your readers want; Second blank, the obstacle or challenge that stops them)
Quick Imaginary Examples:
- Create the Dream Business You Want So You Can Travel the World and Work From Anywhere
- The One Secret Workout Twist that Will Help You Sculpt a Body You’ll Love
- The Stay at Home Mom’s Guide to Making Money from a Laptop
- If You Can Write an Email, You Can Build a Profitable Blog
- How to Brand Yourself Big Like (Insert Currently Cool Celebrity Here)
- Why Smart Bloggers Always Test Their Headlines (And How to Test Yours in 3 Simple Steps)
- The 5 Steps to Build a 6 Figure Consulting Business Without Working 7 Days a Week
Real Life Examples:
- ________ for Dummies (the Wiley brand that covers everything from Computers to Dating and Beyond)
- The Complete Idiot’s Guide to…
- A Cheatsheet for Optimizing Your WordPress Blog for Search Engines Without Cheating – QuickSprout
-
Risk Reversal: My Favorite Jay Abraham Technique for Kick-Starting Your Online Sales – Mind Valley Insights
4. “Watch Out! Protect Yourself! Warning!”
Grab your readers’ attention and jar them out of complacency with a big ol’ warning headline.
Tabloids and sensationalist news publications use this technique frequently, as in: “Deadly Poison Shooting Insect Creature From Venus Invades Small Town–This Common Household Item is Your Only Effective Defense!”
You can do it without the alien references (or with, if your readers are sci-fi fans).
Make it “us” against “them” — what others in your industry or profession won’t tell your readers that you will.
The Templates:
- Are You Making These _____ Mistakes When You ________? (Fill in with a number or action word, then your topic)
- The ____ Biggest Problems with ________ (First a number, then your topic)
- _____ Massive ____________ Mistakes You’re Probably Making Now (Start with a number then add your topic)
- _____ Ways to Avoid ____________ (Number, then a big fear)
- The Secret _______ to _____________ (Share a Secret Formula, Strategy, etc.)
- Avoid _______ When You ________ (First blank, “looking stupid” or an equally undesirable result; Second blank, process/action)
- The ______________ Hoax (or Hoodwink or another “hey they fooled you!” phrase)
- What ______ Won’t Tell You About ___________ (First blank, authority figure; Second blank, your topic)
- The Real Truth Behind _____________
- Lies _________ Tell About _____________
- ____ Warning Signs of ___________ (What “ailment” might your audience be suffering from?)
Quick Imaginary Examples:
- 5 Massive Mistakes You’re Probably Making that Scare Readers Away from Your Blog
- What You Absolutely Must Know to Use Pinterest Safely
- What Your Doctor Won’t Tell You About the Real Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy
- 7 Ways to Avoid Buying Gifts that Get “Re-Gifted”
- The Client Attraction Hoax: What Most Marketing Consultants Aren’t Telling You
- Avoid Looking Stupid at the Club: Simple Dance Moves Anyone Can Pull Off
Real Life Examples:
- It’s 10 o’Clock: Do You Know Where Your Credit History Is? a press release title by Shel Horowitz (notice this one is also a question)
- ObamaCare Survival Guide by Nick Tate (haven’t read this but it’s on Amazon’s bestseller list for 2013)
- Don’t Believe What Politicians Say About Your Uterus – Cosmopolitan (which is worth browsing just for the headlines)
- 15 WordPress User Errors that Make You Look Silly – Copyblogger
- The Myth of Focus & Why Many Great Entrepreneurs Pursued Multiple Projects at Once – Mind Valley Insights
- How Clutter Affects Your Brain & What You Can Do About It – LifeHacker
5. “Easy Button: List Post, Checklist, Template, or Step by Step Guide”
Ah yes, the mythical easy button… but is it always mythical? If you’ve been struggling to write your blog post headlines, doesn’t having simple templates like the ones in this post make it easier?
We don’t want yet more information but we do want simple solutions and easy buttons that make us feel like a result is achievable.
Promise your readers a helpful list, checklist, template, or step by step (often in a post starting with a number) and they’ll be breathing a sigh of relief before they’ve even read your post!
The Templates:
- _____ Ways to _______
- _____ Tips to Help You _______
- Avoid ______ in ___ Easy Steps
- The _____ Guide to _______ (Fill in the first blank with popular words like Ultimate, Zen, Minimalist, Lazy Person’s, Smart Person’s, etc.)
- Learn ________ Step by Step and __________
- ______ Shortcuts to __________ Success
Quick Imaginary Examples:
- Avoid that Speeding Ticket with these 5 Magic Words
- The Ultimate Guide to Looking Stylish on a Shoestring Budget
- 5 Shortcuts to Monetizing Your Blog Quickly
- 10 Tips to Help You Attract the Right Clients to Your Next Paint Your Toenails Tiger Striped Purple Workshop
- Three Simple Ways to Get Noticed by the Media Using Unique Holidays
Real Life Examples:
- 31 Days to Build a Better Blog – ProBlogger (You own this, right? Go buy it today if not.)
- The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts – Gary Chapman
- The Hotel Room Workout: 5 Exercises When You Can’t Get to the Gym – Entrepreneur.com
- 109 Ways to Make Your Business Irresistible to the Media – Copyblogger
- 56 Ways to Market Your Business on Pinterest – Copyblogger
- 6 Ways to Spice Up Your Copywriting and Sell Without Even a Dash of Hype – Marcia Yudkin at The Word Chef
Boost Your Results with These 7 Bonus Tips
1. Weave in controversy or curiosity.
Spend a few minutes browsing a news website or two and watch how they use controversy and curiosity to keep you clicking through to read one article after another.
Strong opinions get attention. Are you willing to go out on a limb and be controversial?
And while curiosity might kill the cat, it breathes life into a blog! Write headlines that make the reader say, “Ooooooh I need to know what that’s about!” Try headlines with mystique that leave a little bit to the imagination and attract clicks.
2. Use trigger words to boost the power of your headlines.
Certain words trigger our minds and grab our attention.
Learn to use those words in your headlines. Action words. Descriptives. Interjections!
3. Ask yourself “why does this matter”…
Keep asking that question, and then rework your headline to include that why/result/goal.
What do your readers really want? Using this article as an example: you don’t want to write great headlines… you want to attract attention and get readers to your blog… and why do you want that?
4. Call out your tribe/peeps/ideal readers.
Don’t make your headline so general it could apply to anyone, but say specifically who your post is for.
Instead of “The Guide to Beautiful Landscaping” try “The Cheapskate Home Seller’s Guide to Creating Million Dollar Curb Appeal” or “Three Smart Steps to Creating a Beautiful Outdoor Space on a Tiny Budget.” See how those call out specific audiences? The first, those on budget who are selling their homes and need to create a great first impression for potential buyers and the second, those looking for budget friendly landscaping ideas.
5. Add specificity and numbers.
Instead of “5 Ways to Write Better Headlines” try something like “5 Super Fast Ways to Write Blog Post Titles that Get 500% More Traffic in 5 Minutes or Less” (but keep it honest and achievable…).
This is why headlines like “Give Me 10 Minutes and I’ll Give You…” work so well.
6. Make it believable.
Almost nothing works ALL the time or EVERY time.
Consider words like “some” or “almost” in your headlines to keep them credible. Make your headlines stand out from the craziness and unbelievable promises (especially on social media) by being realistic.
7. Make it easier–or harder!
Instead of “How to Build Your Own Freelance Business” try “Three Easy Steps to Making Money From Home with Your Computer & Internet Connection.”
Or… just be honest about the hard work that’s going to go into what you’re teaching. I bought into Insanity (and then Combat, and the Beachbody obsession continues) in large part because they were honest about the fact that their workouts are killer tough and I’d better be dedicated to getting results and changing my body. Their honesty and lack of hype created trust for me.
Your turn!
What headlines have worked well for you? Would you share your best headline (or the headline from your most popular post) in the comments?
Are these templates helpful for you? Let me know if this is the type of post you’d like to see more of from me, help me help you!
Oh, and if you found this blog post helpful, you’d love my home study workshop Make Your Blog Famous… just sayin’. You should check it out if you want to find out how to get readers and get noticed.
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Thank you for this!
Peggy
Thanks for reading and commenting, Peggy.
Great blog. Thanks Michelle! I will certainly save this blog and use to blog more powerfully.
Awesome, great to “see” you here, Hopelyn.
These aren’t just good headline tips, they’re good topic tips, too. If you’re stuck on what to write, BAM, just grab this list! Although finding something to write isn’t normally my problem, the headline is, so this article helps to solve that problem for me as well :)
Glad this is a problem-solver for you, Gwynne (and headlines are tougher than idea for me, too). When I go through a list like this I usually end up with lots more ideas of what to write about next.
WOW! So much great content here! This is definitely an ebook, blog post! Thank you for so many great ideas! The templates are fantastic!
One of my favorite titles was “Are YOU ready to get over the “I’m not good enough” story, drop the chain of perfectionism from around your neck and truly believe in yourself, so you can create the successful, passionate and profitable business your soul is calling out for you to do?
http://www.BeBoldlyBrilliant.com
Hey London, this just may turn into an ebook shortly. :)
That’s a great topic–so many of us get stuck on our “stories” and never move beyond them into what we really could be and do in the world. Glad you’re calling people out on that!
I completely suck at writing headlines. And I have, at times, almost driven myself crazy (err crazier) over it. I need to remember the headlines cheat sheet for when I am really stuck
LOL “Crazier” – yeah that’s a good descriptor for what the headline process can make us… we all might be a little bit crazy. :)
Hear ye, hear ye Michelle has written another content rich post. I’ve said that before about your posts, I need to check my thesaurus.
I subscribe to bloggers and marketers, who are doing well, and I look at their headlines when it drops in my inbox, they give me ideas for blog posts and my newsletter. In my newsletter this had the most opens to date “This is for you.” In scrolling through and looking at my statistics (for my newsletter) the headlines with “you” in the subject line had the most opens.
Thanks for the practical useful information!
Thesaurus rock! Have you seen http://www.rhymezone.com/ ? That’s another super fun tool.
Excellent tip, remembering that our readers are looking for “what’s in it for me?” and including the “you” or “for you” is smart.
Wow! This is going to help me A LOT! Thanks!!!!
You’re welcome, Tonya. :)
I’m ALWAYS stuck :( Thanks for the great tips!
I hope this helped you get “unstuck” DinoMama!
This is really useful templates. Thanks for this!
You’re welcome, Okto. Thanks for reading and commenting.
WOW! I intend to print this post and place it into my go-to copy of “Words that Sell.” :) I think you’ve just written an instant classic!
Oooh Words that Sell is another good one! Honored to have my post near it. :)
Engaging the reader with an intriguing headline makes such a difference. As a former news reporter I know just how critical this is.
Appreciate all these ideas you have shared!
I didn’t realized you’d been a reporter, Nancy — cool! So you’ve got lots of practice. :)
Great headline, Michelle! And an excellent roundup of good headline writing advice. Always good to re-read the basics, and you framed it very nicely and clearly.
Appreciate being one of your examples, too.
Thanks, Shel. I spent years learning from watching you write awesome headlines. :)
Michelle –
Thanks for the excellent “how to” post. I’ve printed your formulas out to help me through the process tomorrow. :) One of the ways I’m going to complete this 30 day challenge is to utilize resources . . . and this resource rocks! I’m already starting to imagine the time I’ll save using your formulas vs. staring into space trying to think of my own titles!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Lisa
That’s a smart move, Lisa. Utilizing the resources we’ve got at our fingertips, instead of reinventing the wheel, helps us get where we want to go so much faster!
You just reminded me of the Bonus Report I offered when I was a guest on one of your teleclasses last year. It was “12 Pointers for Writing Attention Getting Headlines and A Baker’s Dozen of Fill-In-The-Blank Templates You Can Use Right Away.”
You’ve offered some great additions here. As I’ve suggested to you in the past, I think you’re becoming more than a blogging authority. The copywriter in you is blossoming too!
Thanks.
:)
~Debra
LOL I have an inner copywriter? Who knew… I just think this is a skill every blogger needs. Headlines make SUCH a difference in whether all the content we pour our hearts into gets noticed, so we owe it to ourselves to learn how to make that piece work. ;)
I’m a big fan of fill in the blank templates (and also Mad Libs… I suspect there’s a connection there!).
Somewhere I think I still have one of the old (i.e. original) Mad Lib books. I’ll have to look around for it.
:)
~Debra
Lots of useful “how to write a good headline” articles out there, but Michelle, you did again in a BIG and most useful way. I especially appreciate the inclusion of “quick imaginary titles” and “real life examples.” I’m a sucker for seeing “bad examples,” too, and learn from the “this” not “this” approach. So, maybe you’ll tackle that another time. I’d love to see what you’d consider some bad examples along with a good example rewrite.
Hey Kathy,
Now that could be a fun post! :)
I’m actually looking at doing some makeovers of titles on the livestream later this month, but I hadn’t thought of doing it as a post on the blog. Love that idea.
I was just honored with becoming a moderator at a very well-read and commented upon forum. Is there anything that you can suggest that I can do to help me use this new opportunity to help MY website?
What a fun opportunity, Lianda. :)
Here’s where I’d start:
– be sure your profile is filled out completely and your URL is in there
– if it’s allowed in your signature, add your freebie invite link/headline there
– check the rules to see what’s allowed as far as sharing links, especially to your own posts
– if it’s allowed, then begin sharing them where appropriate in answer to questions (when I do this in forums, I give a little summary or tip or two in the reply and then the link so it’s not just “hey go read this” but “here’s some tips…. and you can find more info here” type approach)
– see what’s included as part of the mod deal, there may be ad space or other benefits you can take advantage of, too
– as you network and answer posts, always be looking for how you can take that content and use it as blog posts, emails, etc
– let the forum discussions help you see what topics are hot
– watch their wording and how they phrase their challenges and problems so you can work that into your blog titles and sales messaging
Thanks for the headliner tips…I’ve had experience writing newspaper ads and enjoy being catchy so I hope that will translate into some good Blog titles…so far tho, I’m afraid I’m just stating the obvious…need to work on this one. Thanks for all the hard work and tips!
That’s great experience to translate into blogging, Jrenne. And sometimes the obvious works well! :)
Thanks, Michelle! I am loving this blog challenge and making some great connections! Your posts are great!
Awesome! Glad you’re in the challenge with us, Cheryl.
What a generous gift to your readers. Thank you so much Michelle Here’s a go at my headlines.
“5 crazy ways to eliminate stress in 3 minutes or less”
“What every overwhelmed mom needs to know about raising healthy children”
“The only stress relief secret technique you’ll ever need”
Now I need links, Linda, to go read those! :)
Terrific examples, Michelle!
My most popular posts (and they have been for a while) are series of How to’s” with clear and great content (or so people say :)
Thanks so much for sharing these gems with us.
Yep, those work well for me, too — we blog on similar topics so that makes sense. :)
Hi Michelle!
This is an awesome post and a great help! I am printing it and keeping it beside me. You see, I need all the help I can get lol. I am going through your blog now, listening to videos, taking notes, reading posts, etc.. You have a wealth of awesome and valuable information here! :)
Thanks so much!!
~Sara
Hey Sara, thanks for reading and commenting– and enjoy exploring! :)
Thank you–I printed this one out.
Awesome. Thanks for commenting & sharing, Morgan.
This is packed with such useful information! Thank you so much for sharing it. You really put a lot into it. I have bookmarked it and will refer to it often.
Thank you also for all the work you do with the UBC. I am grateful to be a part of it.
Missy Bell
Hey Missy, we’re happy to have you in the challenge! :)
Fabulous resource! Consider yourself Pinned to refer back to! Off to share with my other bloggy friends!
Thanks, Donna, appreciate it!
Michelle,
Thanks for sharing. I believe in giving valuable content upfront too. This was very helpful. I will share my headlines soon.
Hi Kim, thanks for reading and commenting. :)
Hi Michelle,
Super post! Thanks for all the great headline suggestions.
Since you asked for what’s worked relative to headlines/blog posts . . . Honestly, this one surprised me with the quick traction it gained – and continues to hold (the headline isn’t brilliant, but the topic is timely and I did manage to find a a decent royalty free image that I imagine had an impact). For a small niche blog, it did well. i asked the question: “Is keeping the horse you love a struggle?” at http://horsesenseandcents.com/keeping-horse-love-struggle/.
I’m curious (looking to the left of your blog post) – what are flares?
Flares are how many times others have shared this post on social networks. It’s a free plugin for WordPress: http://wordpress.org/plugins/flare/ I like that it floats along the left so people can share at any point while they’re reading and/or commenting. :)
This is awesome!!! Thanks so much for this post Michelle!
Hey Carin, thanks for reading and commenting. :)
Great Blog Michelle, fab insights. Right then team let’s roll up our sleeves and get blogging no excuses!
Love that – no excuses!
Hi Michelle,
love this blog, I write loads but do get worried that my headlines don’t always draw readers in, this will definitely help
Mike
Hey Mike, you aren’t alone with that worry. It’s just not a natural talent for most of us, gotta learn and practice. :)
This is excellent; thank you so much! I’m a very black-and-white thinker, so headline language always sounds so hype-y to me when I try to write it. (Not necessarily when I’m reading the headlines – depends on whether they’re promising something they can actually deliver!) So having the templates looks like a great way to practice writing good titles for long enough to learn to create them myself. (My current titles are pretty bad.)
I have a question about this, though, with regard to blog post titles. A lot of these titles end up quite lengthy – especially once you add specificity. And they don’t always have your keywords near the beginning, either, which might make a difference to search engine ranking. Do you recommend leaving your post slugs as the same long title, or would you suggest creating an abbreviated version of the title for your post slug if the title is lengthy? (I see this one was left alone, but I don’t know if that’s your consistent recommendation. And, frankly, I would not want to have to type that title into the address bar.)
I’ve had to do a lot of “reframing” how I look at hype because I have that same twinge sometimes with headlines. I just remind myself if no one clicks through to read it then I can’t help them!
Truthfully… I forgot to shorten the slug on this one until after I’d hit publish. *blush* Probably 75% of the time I shorten it to something with just 3-6 words in the slug for both SEO and so it’s shorter (though I always use tracked, shorten links when I share online).
Great post…been practicing writing more emotional headlines for my posts recently. Your blog post builds on that.
Emotion is a powerful hook to draw people in, Herman. :)
Thank you for putting together such a USEFUL post! This rocks
Thanks, Christa!
Wow, Michelle, fantastic list. Adam should be very proud of you!
Thanks so much for the great daily emails, they are a treasure as
are you:)
Warmly
Hazel
Thanks Hazel. The daily blogging ideas are so much fun to share–we had a blast putting those together for Ultimate Blog Challenge participants.
Fantastic guide to find catchy headlines that reflect the content. Lots to put to practice. Thanks for explaining, the templates and examples. Very valuable post that I will refer to frequently. I appreciate your great job putting all the information together.
Hey Delmy, thanks for commenting and glad to hear you’ll be using these. :)
I’m so excited to read this blog post which is awesome. However, I’m appalled to see there are no social bookmarking buttons visible to promote this post on social media. Would love & appreciate if you’d reply.
Thanks.
Ronak.
Hi Ronak, not sure why the sharing buttons aren’t showing up for you, but they are here. :)
Michelle,
Thanks for posting this, I will start using these Blog Post Headlines!!!.
Awesome, glad you’re putting them to use, David.
Great post as usual Michelle. Always be trying to solve problems is what I say. Your suggestions here fo a long way towards achieving this objective.
Exactly!! Figure out what problems need solved, show people how to solve it and you’ve instantly put yourself into the “authority” category. :)
Thanks, Michelle! I wrote down my titles as I read through. Funny thing is, that only one or two inspired a new post idea. Most of the time, I was remembering some of my best posts and thinking, THAT’S what the title should have been!
Perfect time to write an updated version of those older posts, Shelley! :)
Thanks Michelle for sharing such inspirational thoughts. You really do put in a huge effort for your readers and it is much appreciated. (I know those 3 or 4 coffees helped)
Oh the coffee definitely helped. ;)
Michelle, this e-mail has been sitting in my inbox for several days cuz I knew I’d be needing it. Sure enough, I sat down to write today and finished the post. I jumped over to your e-mail to find this link again so I could craft a great headline.
Also, I want to say thanks because of what you said in your e-mail introducing this post.
“I’ve been a little annoyed with my business coach. (Yes, Adam, I’m talking about you again.) You’ve been subtly calling me out for creating less stellar content than I could be on my blog with my short, inspirational posts or quirky little videos, playing small by not sharing the depth of what I’ve learned from more than a decade in business, working with and studying really smart people, and have rattling around in this brain of mine, and I’ve been pretending I didn’t notice.”
I’ve been thinking about this e-mail all week and what I was going to write about. Your honesty encouraged me to really dig down and write about something I’ve struggled with personally–finding work/career that I love.
I didn’t quite spend 4 hours on the post, but a good 1-2. And I think it’s actually meant to be 2 sister posts, so I need to do some editing and divide it out.
Thanks again for your authenticity and honesty as it inspires and encourages me immensely.
I almost divided this one into a series… it would have made completing the blog challenge this month a lot easier. LOL But I figured it’d work better for readers as one.
It’s tough to dig into those topics or areas that we know will take time and energy… for me, the emotionally charged ones are even tougher than the in depth posts like this. But always worth it both in terms of self-discovery and in terms of value for readers. :)
Love your blog and shares on Facebook, always thought-provoking and inspiring. :)
Dear Michelle,
I read this post the other day, but didn’t have time to leave a comment. I not only appreciated your blog post title format, but also appreciated seeing examples of each type of format. That must have taken lots of time to do and I appreciate that you did it anyway. Thanks so much! Debbie Seiling
Examples are always helpful for me, so I figured it was worth it, and it was kinda fun. :)
Michelle,
That is a great list of headline templates. I always struggle with headlines so it will be nice to have such a great list of suggestions to go to when I can not come up with a good headline.
Thank you.
Dee Ann
Hey Dee Ann, thanks for commenting and using these! Cool to see you’re also on Triberr. :)
So far the best headline I’ve used is “10 Ways Over-Thinking Destroys Your Happiness.” This particular article has over 3200 likes on Huffington Post, over 1,000 shares… The traffic to my webiste was HUGE. Now I’m trying to figure out why this headline and article was a big hit. (well, big for me!)
Oh, always fun to try to reverse engineer things that go viral. That’s GREAT shares and traffic, Peggy!
This is my new favorite blog post and you’re going to be getting an inbound link from me, not to mention shares and tweets. And no I’m not a spammer. (It sounds like it, doesn’t it?) This is genuine praise. You’re awesome. Thank you.
– Kathy
Hey Kathy, I appreciate that, thank you! :)
Really helpful and stimulating suggestions Michelle……thank you!
You’re welcome, Akasha, thanks for reading and commenting.
This is just perfect. I always feel so overwhelmed when coming up with ideas for my blog. Much better with my clients blog.
Thanks so much Michelle!
You’re welcome, Jan. Glad this helps! :)
This is truly amazing! Found u through youtube, love yr content and I’m all over yr site, click, click, click! This post in helpful is so many more ways than just headlines! (SEO, tags, keywords are just a few that come to mind!) Headlines that have worked well for me? “Time saving tips when meal planing!” I see that keyword here was “time saving” according to this post and now I understand more clearly as to why! :)
U defiantly deliver! Thx a bunch!
xoxo
Hey Gabi, thanks for coming over from YouTube. :)
Freakin’ awesome, good stuff!!!!
Thanks, Allie.
Love this! This is definitely info I will use and use often. I so needed this. I have captured so much from you and now it’s my turn to get busy…. and blog. Thank you Michelle.
I completely agree with you man.
I have realize that i don’t really pay much attention to my post title, after reading this article you have graciously written, Michelle, i know that my post title is as important as the content itself.
Thanks a lot for the help here.
I loved finding this guide. I am really looking forward to writing several articles with so many ideas coming to mind. Thanks!
I really enjoyed this post. I have been reading topics on headlines but your view about headlines is quite engaging.
Hi Michelle,
There is already 101 comments but I thought I’d add mine too!
This is most definitely my favourite blog when I’m having a lazy day. Those fill-in-templates are priceless.
I also use your other post… 8 Critical Words to Say to Get People to Share (It’s Science!) for some great ideas too.
Here the link for any visitors who haven’t read it yet…https://michelleshaeffer.com/8-critical-words-to-say-to-get-people-to-share-its-science/2014/02/13/
Take care
Naomi
good article….. awesome post really learned a lot from your blog post keep blogging
great secret i have will start my blog over old blog my old blog having lots of error n bugs now don’t have time to fix it so i have decided to start new blog hope i will get traffic by the way nice post really enjoyed it lot
Hi,
Thanks for sharing these great secrets with us. Hope they do work effectively.
Thanks for sharing your gifts Michelle. Looking forward to tweaking and seeing how the response is when using these ideas.
Hi Michelle. Almost a year later and I’m commenting on this post. This is obviously timeless. I will definitely be referring to this post this week as I development my next blog post. Thanks!!
Thanks for this informative post about Headline Templates.Powerful headlines chances of getting visitors to read the rest of content drastically declines. Many blog post titles fail to attract readers because they don’t grab the reader’s attention.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate your efforts.
I just read this. Thank you for sharing. These are some great tips….and I need them.
When I saw the headline, I immediately went on the defensive (in my mind) and thought that such headline tips won’t work on my niche. Boy, am I so glad I decided to read the full post! I’ll bookmark this for future reference. You do not get to find practical tips online without having to buy something.
Nice and very informative post
The content you have posted is truly awesome. Title plays an very important role for nay article or post as this is the first things any reader would read. Title should be always in such a way that it should attract the person towards your article. The above post has provide some very important points. I could learn many new things from the article. I am surely going to use those tips to improve my blog performance.
Thank you for sharing such important information.
I think so, Very valuable post that I will refer to frequently. I appreciate your great job putting all the information together.
This is beyond helpful! Thanks!!
[ Smiles ] It it a thousand times easier to write good content for your blog than to come up with fabulous headlines.
Thank you for sharing those tricks!
These are great article ideas. They are eye catching at that! That is important when blogging – you want to catch the attention of your audience. If you catch their attention with the title, chances are, they will continue to read your post. If the title isn’t that interesting, then why should they continue to read the content? Good job with your post. :)
Hey Michelle
I have read a TON – I mean, a TON – of articles about blog templates, but nothing truly inspired me to start using them until this one. BRAVO #HUGSS
Thanks
Kitto
I heard your mesmerizing talk at the EN event in Orlando recently and came to know you as a successful blogger and marketer. Your post is very informative with actionable points. I feel if a few dedicated bloggers like you continue to offer such great content, one may stop looking for online marketing learning centers.
Thank you so much for the rich content. I have gained a lot of knowledge. Looking forward to reading more and more on your blog!
Wow—this came at the perfect time for me. I’m just getting back into blogging and I know how important headlines are. I had been following your blog several years ago after participating in a 30-day challenge with you and Michele Scism. Then got discouraged with blogging since I got few results with it. But now I’m enrolled in a class on creating blogs that get attention and I remembered how much I enjoyed your blogs before, so I looked you up again. These headline templates will come in handy as I proceed. And I agree with the others that this post could easily be an ebook with all the information you have generously shared. I’ll definitely be reading your posts now.
Thanks for sharing this, Michelle.
Wow—this came at the perfect time for me. I’m just getting back into blogging and I know how important headlines are. I had been following your blog several years ago after participating in my first 30-day blog challenge with you and Michele Scism. Then I got discouraged with blogging since I got few results with it. But I kept blogging anyway and now I’m enrolled in a class on creating blogs that get attention. I remembered how much I enjoyed your blogs before, so I looked you up again. These headline templates will come in handy as I proceed. And I agree with the others that this post could easily be an ebook with all the information you have generously shared. I’ll definitely be reading your posts more often now.
Thanks for sharing this, Michelle.
nice article, knowledgeable and informative for new users.i appreciate the way to describe the facts. enhance the knowledge via this blog. i’ll keen to do random visits to this blog to gain more and more. keep writing,,,,,,,,,
Hi Michelle
thanks for this very useful list of templates.
I am using it right now
very very cool
SJQ
Your idea is more useful instead of using auto title generator website..thanks for sharing
Superp article i have ever seen. thanks for the post…keep it up
Great article! keep it up!
Admiring the time and energy you put into your blog and in depth information you offer.
It’s nice to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same outdated rehashed material.
Fantastic read! I’ve bookmarked your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.
Hey Brenna, thanks for the nice feedback, appreciate it.
Thanks for this. Very useful post.