Website Headlines: 8 Words You Should Know

In today’s installment of Wednesdays on Writing, let’s talk about 8 words that can immediately improve your website headlines.

Whether you are creating content or writing copy – your ability to write compelling website headlines will determine the overall success of your Content Marketing efforts.

This is because you only have a few seconds to grab your reader’ attention and pull them into the body of your content or copy. If you fail to do so during that time frame – it is likely you never will.

Okay – so, no pressure!

Here are 8 Attention-Grabbing Words That Can Immediately Improve Your Website Headlines:*

Proven – example: 8 Proven Techniques to Drive More Traffic to Your Website
Easy – example: 3 Easy Ways to Lose 10 Pounds this Month
Introducing – example: Introducing a Breakthrough Method to Get Out of Debt in 2010
Discover – example: Discover 4 Little Known Ways to Sell Your House Faster
How To – example: How to Write Great Web Copy Fast!
Announcing – example: Announcing a Limited-Time Offer to Get 3 Months of Cable Service for the Price of 1
Free – example: Act Now to Get Your FREE Website Marketing Action Plan (just kidding! )
Quick – example: 5 Quick Ways to Create $5,000 a Month in Residual Income

*Word Source: The Copywriter’s Handbook, Third Edition: A Step-By-Step Guide To Writing Copy That Sells. (Headline samples are mine).

As you can see, these examples are applicable to both content and copy – but the strategies are straight from the world of direct response copywriting where the goal is to get your prospect to do something – whether it is simply to read your entire article or open his wallet and buy something. This is a great point to keep in mind whenever you sit down to write anything for Content Marketing purposes.

One final point: Notice the word “secret” is not on this list? Although there are those who argue that this is a good headline word – I disagree.

There are very few true “secrets” in this context – there are simply things your readers know and things they don’t. If you are publishing something on the Internet for the entire world to see – how much of a “secret” can it really be??

I don’t know about you, but when I see a headline promising to reveal some special secret to me – my guard immediately goes up and I tend to stop reading.

Remember, the goal of creating online content is to help build trust and credibility with your audience – so be sure to evaluate your headlines with that objective in mind, too.

Til Next Time,