While it might not be your top priority, a good headline can make a massive difference for the content you’re putting out. You want people to click on your post, and by adding the proper title you will not only encourage people to click on your headline, you will also improve the chances of better search engine results for your content.
The following are a few tips to help you create a great headline. Remember, you don’t want to create a short-term or sensational headline – it’s about quality, and selling your content to the viewer.
Make it descriptive
While it can be fun to have an amusing headline – especially with print media – within the online world, your headlines should be descriptive.
Keeping SEO in mind, you always have to think of rankings and possible keywords when creating your headline. When someone sees your headline, they should know exactly what to expect from your content.
Standalone
When writing a blog or article, it can be easy to think of the headline as part of the entire content; while this is true, your headline will be seen in other contexts as well.
In the online world, think of where your headline might end up: newsfeeds, tweets, Facebook, search result pages, and many more.
If your headline can work well on its own as a tweet, then you’re on the right track!
Length
Online, your headlines can be limited to various different lengths.
Even though it is not connected to online practices, the longer the headline, the more chances someone skips over it and continues on.
Include Keywords
While many of use want to front-load keywords, Google has been supposedly placing less importance to this. With that being said, you should still include your keywords within your title.
By doing this, not only will you help your rankings, these keywords will also grab the attention of your audience in search results, social media, and on newsletters as well.
