You only get a few seconds to convince someone to read your content. Miss the mark, and your hard work might go unnoticed.

However, with the right headline, you’ll get more readers, and your efforts will be rewarded.

Here, I will show you how you can create the best headlines, providing specific examples as well as some tools you can use.

Why are headlines so important?

This is why I spend almost an hour crafting the right headline before every long-form piece of content I write (and why you should do it too):

• Most people only read headlines: 80% of people will see your headline, but only 20% will check the rest of your work. Also, 60% of people only read the headline before sharing an article.
• Short attention spans: Especially in the digital world, your headline must stand out in a noisy crowd.
• First impressions matter: Your headline gives the first impression. It tells readers whether your content seems interesting and worth their time.

If you don’t pass the headline test, your content will be left undiscovered forever.

The ultimate checklist to create the best headlines

Since you now fully understand the importance of headlines, let’s explore the key elements for creating headlines that grab attention and get clicks:

Be specific

People scroll through endless articles each day. And they are not in the mood to read every one of them, even if they are interested in a particular topic. So, if your headline is vague, they will read your competitors’ instead. On the contrary, a specific headline cuts through the confusion and instantly tells people if the content addresses their needs.

• Bad example: “This is how you can improve your writing”

This headline is vague and doesn’t tell you anything specific about what you’ll learn.

• Good example: “5 grammar mistakes that make you look unprofessional”

This headline is clear and tells you exactly what you’ll gain from reading—knowledge of specific grammar mistakes to avoid.

Use your main keyword

Not all published content needs to rank in search engines. If you write a newsletter or social media post, for example, you can skip that rule. But in most cases, using your main keyword in your headline is best practice. That helps search engines understand the topic of your content. Also, it signals to readers that they’ve found the information they’re seeking.

Check, for instance, the following headlines for a post about “vegetarian recipes”.

• Bad example: “Wanna skip meat? Try these easy recipes”

The headline above is missing the post’s main keyword, which is “vegetarian recipes”, making it difficult for search engines to understand the specific focus. In that case, people looking for vegetarian recipes wouldn’t be able to discover your piece.

• Good example: “Easy vegetarian recipes for busy weeknights”

This headline includes the keyword “vegetarian recipes”, which helps people searching for those terms find this content.

Keep them short

As mentioned before, attention spans are shorter than ever nowadays. Long, complicated headlines get cut off in search results and overwhelm social media users. Keep your headlines short and to the point. The ideal length is 50-60 characters, or 10-12 words.

• Bad example: “The ultimate step-by-step guide to developing a winning social media strategy that will increase brand awareness”

This headline is so lengthy that it eventually loses its impact.

• Good example: “Develop a winning social media strategy: A step-by-step guide”

This headline is concise and clearly communicates the benefit of reading the article.

Use emotional and power words

Words have power, and the right ones can make a big difference. Emotional words are the ones that cause an emotional response (positive or negative) in people, while power words ask for readers’ attention and motivate them to take action. These words can be the difference between a headline that gets skipped and one that gets clicked.

• Indicative emotional words: Inspire, desire, surprise, love, joy, fear, frustration, worry, anxiety, understand, imagine, discover, help.
• Indicative power words: Now, today, secret, only, exclusive, winning, best, trusted, proven, guaranteed, new, easy, results, popular.

Don’t be super creative

While a touch of creativity can sometimes work well, it’s important not to prioritize cleverness over clarity. A headline that’s too creative might leave readers confused about your topic. If the meaning isn’t immediately clear, it likely won’t get many clicks.

• Bad example: “Slay your inbox dragon”

Who talks like that? This headline uses a metaphor (“slay your inbox dragon”) that confuses readers. It also doesn’t clearly explain what the article is about (email organization).

• Good example: “Get your inbox to zero: A step-by-step guide”

This headline is clear and to the point. It uses the benefit (“get your inbox to zero”) and explains the format (“step-by-step guide”).

Make them easy to understand

Don’t make your readers work too hard to figure out what you’re offering or what your content is about. A confusing headline risks losing their attention. Focus on a universally understood message and avoid insider lingo or jargon that might only make sense to people familiar with your niche.

• Bad example: “Optimize Your CTR with killer headlines”

This headline uses technical jargon like “CTR” (click-through rate), which readers might not understand. It also leaves the specific content topic unclear.

• Good example: “Write headlines that immediately spark interest and get more clicks”

This headline is clear and universally understood. It uses straightforward language and focuses on the benefit of reading – getting more clicks.

Include numbers

Using numbers in your headlines is an easy win. Numbers offer a sense of specificity and imply a practical, structured article. They signal to readers that you provide a clear and actionable solution, not something vague.

Example: “5 easy ways to save $200 this month”

This headline promises a clear, achievable benefit: saving $200 within a particular timeframe.

Use How-To’s

That’s another winning structure. “How-To” headlines are powerful because they immediately reveal the type of content the reader will find. This format promises practical advice and addresses a specific problem the reader wants to solve.

Example: “How to cook the most delicious carbonara in less than 15 minutes”

This headline clearly addresses a specific need (how to cook carbonara) and promises a solution. But, as you see, it also uses another element…

Use timeframes

As you can notice in the previous example, I ended with a promise using a specific timeframe (“in less than 15 minutes”). When you use that, you not only make your headline unique but also make yourself seem reliable because readers believe that you know what you are talking about. Of course, you need to fulfil your promise. Otherwise, this will work against you and eventually harm your reputation.

Ask questions

Asking a question in your headline can be powerful. Instead of simply presenting a topic, you can turn it into an engaging invitation for the reader. A well-phrased question makes readers consider the topic and gets them invested in finding the answer. This approach can significantly increase the click-through rate of your content.

Example: “Are you getting enough sleep? Here’s how to tell”

This headline transforms the topic into a question readers will consider in relation to their own lives. The promise of “how to tell” implies practical advice.

Spark curiosity

Hinting at a surprising solution, secret, or unexpected outcome in your headline can be an incredibly effective tactic. By adding a touch of mystery, you make readers want to discover the answer. It ignites their curiosity, significantly increasing the likelihood of a click. Take, for example, the headline of my best-performing blog post to date:

​The dark side of communication: Common intimidation tactics & 10 ways to deal with them​

In this post, I present the most common intimidation tactics and specific ways to deal with them. But by adding “the dark side of communication” at the beginning, I want to make readers curious to find out what this “dark side” is. It worked out pretty well.

Talk directly to the reader

Using words like “you” and “your” personalizes your headline and establishes a connection with readers. This makes your content feel more relevant and personal, helping readers immediately see how they could benefit from reading your article.

Example: “Are you making these grammar mistakes? Find out now”

This headline speaks directly to the readers using the word “you” while playing with their insecurities (people don’t like to make mistakes).

Make a bold statement

A headline that expresses a strong opinion or makes a surprising claim can stand out. This approach isn’t always suitable, but when used correctly, it can make your headline highly clickable and grab readers’ attention.

Example: “80% of businesses miss this social media opportunity”

This headline makes a bold statement, including a statistic. It also sparks curiosity by suggesting a common mistake while using the element of Fear Of Missing Out (“miss”).

2 helpful tools to create the best headlines

You now have a complete checklist of everything you can use to create the best headlines. However, there are tools out there that can provide additional assistance.

I consistently use two of them, and I am going to share them with you (no affiliation):

• ​Coschedule Headline Analyzer: This tool scores your headlines on various factors like clarity, skimmability, sentiment, and ease of reading, and it even suggests ways to improve them. I use the premium version, but there is also a limited free version.
• ​SendCheckIt: This free tool focuses specifically on email headlines. So, if you are into email marketing or sending newsletters for your business or personal brand, it will be extremely valuable to you. It analyzes subject lines, helping you write ones that will get your emails opened by your subscribers.

While these tools offer valuable insights, remember that they shouldn’t be your only guide. For optimal results, combine their analysis with your own understanding of the techniques we discussed above.

Conclusion

A strong headline is like a powerful magnet for your content. It can be the difference between your article being clicked and shared or completely overlooked.

With the right headline, you’ll get more traffic, improve the experience for your readers, and establish a strong voice for your brand.

Following the checklist we’ve covered, you’ll be well-equipped to write headlines that truly resonate with your audience. This will help your content stand out and get the recognition it deserves.

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