You’ve probably heard the saying “eyes are the window to the soul” right? Well, have you ever wondered what the window to your business is? How does a potential client get to the soul of your business if they haven’t actually met you or your employees yet? This is where your website comes into play. And if your website is the window to your business then it’s vital that you entice readers to actually click and view what you have to offer.
There’s a constant struggle faced by many business owners – getting users to click on your content. Unfortunately, writing brilliant copy does not always equate to page views. You may have written content that reveals where the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is – but unless you’ve got a click worthy headline that immediately grabs the attention of gold seekers – who’s going to read it?
Content marketers do everything in their power to cut through the masses of information on the internet and get eyes on their content. A big part of this is creating headlines that will pique the interest of your audience and get their fingers clicking. According to QuickSprout – 8 of 10 people will read headline copy, however only 2 out of 10 people will read the rest.
What makes people click on your headlines?
Try these attention-grabbing tips to help you boost your website/blog click-through rate.
- Numbers are your friend:
Don’t worry, we’re not talking about mathematics (cue sigh of relief); we’re talking about putting numbers in your headline. Now, this is by no means a ground-breaking idea, but research shows that headlines with numbers can generate 73% more engagement. You’ve got to like those numbers!
So, why do numbers work so effectively? Essentially our brains are attracted to numbers because they allow us to immediately organise information in a logical order. For example, “11 ways to build a better website” or “7 money saving tips for small businesses.” If you really want to boost your click rate – check out our previous blog on building a great website.
- Keep it short and to the point:
A newspaper editor would say the perfect length for a headline is 5-6 words. This is because our brains take in a lot of information these days, so people usually only scan the first and last 3 words. You don’t necessarily need to stick to this rule every time, but it’s good to have a guide in mind. As an extra note, once your headline exceeds 65 characters, Google will begin to cut it off in the search results.
- Create a little mystery:
Ever heard the expression “curiosity killed the cat?” Well, we’re not asking for fatally injured cats – but when your making blog headlines, curiosity can be a powerful tool. What are the elements of your headline that will grab the readers attention? Generate a headline that your audience won’t want to scroll past – compel your audience to look for more information. Some of these headlines are great examples of creating a mystery that gets people clicking:
- “Try this simple method to boost your Facebook followers”
- “5 things all business owners must stop doing”
- “Check out the software that’s changing small business”
Have you ever been on a site like Buzzfeed or Pedestrian.tv and seen the acronym NSFW in their headlines? Well, it means ‘not safe for work’ and although it’s designed to warn readers that the content they’re about to see may be a little awkward if the boss walks in – content marketers have found that when most people see NSFW, they simply cant resist the urge to click.
- Solve a problem:
As a consumer yourself, you’re probably aware that people will most likely use the internet to find solutions to their problems. When your customers have a problem, they search for information to get it solved. A great way to generate clicks is to state a problem that your customers might face in your headline.
For example,
- “Is your brand’s advertising hitting the right note? How music makes the difference”
- ” Are you missing the ‘social’ in your social media strategy?”
- “Your social media image – helping or hindering your brand?”
To do this, you’ll also need to know your audience and the information they seek. That way you’ll design the right answers for their questions.
Headlines account for 50% of your post’s effectiveness. Therefore, if you don’t make the effort to ensure your headlines are igniting the finger-pressing abilities of your audience, then the marketing steps you take beyond the headline could end up being a waste of time. So next time you write some brilliant content for your blog or your website – make sure you’ve got a brilliant headline to match – that will significantly help you to increase clicks on your content!
If you’d like more help on creating engaging content for your business, we’d love to chat! You can always call us on (02) 9994 8005 or drop us note.
