Do you want your headlines to stand out and attract clicks quicker than you catch flies with honey? … or vinegar?
Then you better create some interesting headlines. Interesting enough for readers to want to click on your headlines, read your posts, and share the information with others.
Formulas help you organize your ideas.
So, what you should do is check out the formulas below when you need to refresh your memory.
Then, simply pick the formula that works best for you and use that one. Obviously, you can’t use all formulas at once. Why?
Well, it’s not that one is better than the other, it’s just that they usually fit different circumstances.
The ‘Who else’ formula
This formula is quite sneaky, but valuable – it’s like playing a little psychology with the reader.
By asking who else wants your products or services, you are already implying that other people are already using them. So why not use it yourself, as well? Right?
This approach usually triggers the reader to get what others have. No one wants to fall behind by not having what is so trendy and good, and… a must-have. Well, if everyone else is having it…
- Who else wants to read our Ultimate Social Media Copywriting Guide?
- Who else wants to learn the best tips to social media marketing?
- Who else wants to earn a lot of money working from the comfort of your home?
And so on. You get the trick.
The ‘Secrets’ formula
Another great approach that’s enticing your readers’ curiosity by thinking they’ll actually find out some inside secrets no one really knows about… yet. So do that, make your audience curious enough to click on your headline.
You could say something like this:
- 3 Secrets no one wants you to know about successful copywriting.
- The secret behind a good blog post.
- Secret methods that will change your marketing strategy.
The ‘Here’s how’ formula
The ‘Here’s how’ formula comes with a ‘tail’.
Usually, you add a ‘somebody’ and a ‘does something’, too. So, it would be something like this: Here’s how + somebody + does something.
What you want to achieve here is to make your target audience be able to place themselves in ‘somebody’s’ shoes. And the ‘does something’ part should represent the benefits they can achieve.
You can implement it like this:
- Here’s how smart marketers implement their successful marketing strategies
- Here’s how men can become better leaders
- Here’s how stay at home moms can make more money
The ‘Little known’ formula
This formula generally refers to ‘little known methods’ that people would want to know about. Just like the ‘secret’ formula, it makes people interested and curious to find out about methods only few people know about.
You create a feeling of having an advantage when learning information other people don’t know about yet.
Here’s how to plant the seed of curiosity:
- Little known methods to become a social media expert
- 3 Little known methods to give up unhealthy eating
- Little known secrets of Stuart Little (to develop healthy habits)
As you can see, you can also mix numbers with these formulas for even better results.
The ‘Quick solution’ formula
Because everyone wants quick solutions to everything, this formula is pure magic.
We all love it; we all want it. And we want it NOW.
So, if you can manage to provide a somewhat quick solution to your audience, you are king! Or maybe not you, but your headline will be for sure.
Find out what your audience needs, make the promise for the quick solution to their needs and get your reader’s attention.
Here’s how:
- Fast solutions to get your audience to engage on social media
- 5 Quick ways to gain popularity at work
- The quick way to find the job you are interested in
- Quick solutions to fix your money problems
The ‘Have the cake and eat it, too’ formula
The idea with this formula is that NOW it is possible to do something paired with another thing that under normal circumstances don’t work well together.
Here are the best examples for this:
- Now you can eat as much as you want and lose weight
- You can now become the best at your job without hard work
- Finally, you can feel fresh with less sleep
The ‘How to do something like’ formula
The secret here is to find out what your audience wants and who they identify themselves with the most. Then add the information into the headline using it as an example. Like this:
- How to become the best marketer like Apple
- How to teach like Simon Sinek
- How to cook like Jamie Oliver
The ‘All you need to know about’ formula
What this formula stands for is that there’s information you can find out with minimum effort.
It would be a total waste not to learn about it when it takes so little to ‘put your hands on’ this interesting piece of info. So, click on it and find out.
Here’s how to use this formula:
- Everything you need to know about social media marketing
- All you need to know about healthy eating
- All you need to know to become a better wife
The ‘List’ formula
It is a known fact that people like reading lists – mostly because they are easy to read and scan.
When having a list in mind, make sure it revolves around a word at superlative, such as: the best, or the greatest of all times, etc. Obviously, it has to be implemented into your headline. Not the list. The {number+word} at {superlative+something} that would obviously imply that a list is on the way, down the line.
The way to use this formula is like this:
- 10 Most inspiring places to see in Europe
- The top 5 famous marketers we need to learn from
- The 20 funniest videos to see in 2023
Lists work like magic, especially when they contain relevant, helpful information people can relate to and are able to use practically.
The ‘It’s all about you’ formula
Make your reader feel as if you are talking exactly about them.
Get to know your target audience so well, that you can make up headlines that would appeal to each one of your readers individually. Make it feel personal.
Like this:
- You can change the world around you
- You are exactly what your child needs
- You are the employee companies are looking for
The key, here, is the use of: YOU.
Let's examine some Headline Formulas a bit more closely.
How to [Do Something] in [Some Number] of Simple Steps
Example:
How to Learn Japanese in 7 Simple Steps
How to Become a Better Parent in 10 Simple Steps
[Do something] Like [This Expert] Without [This Negative]
Example:
Eat Like a Vegan Without Giving Up Your Favorite Food
Work Like a Pro Without Any Stress
[Some Number] of Lessons I Learned While [Doing Something] – How TOs and Numbers make great headlines!
Example:
5 Lessons I Learned While Losing Weight
Lessons I Learned While Raising My 2 Kids
[Some Number] of Secret/Hidden Ways to [Do Something]
Example:
3 Secret Ways to Cook Healthy
Hidden Ways to Master the French Language
[Number] of [Big Adjective] Specific Things You Should [Action]
Example:
10 Breathtaking Places To See Before You Die
Questions You Need to Ask Yourself Before You Become a Mother
Title/Subtitle Headline, or Short Headline/Long Headline Combo
Example:
How to Become a Speech Therapist: Step-by-Step Guide
Ways To Make People Like You/Tips & Tricks That Work Every Time
In conclusion, crafting a good headline is crucial for capturing the attention of readers and driving engagement with your content. While there is no one-size-fits-all formula for creating a great headline, there are certain tried-and-true formats that have proven to be effective. Whether it’s a listicle, a how-to guide, a question, or a controversy, each format has its own unique strengths and can be tailored to suit your specific content and audience.
By experimenting with different headline formulas and continuously analyzing their impact, you can develop a powerful tool for drawing in readers and ensuring the success of your content. So don’t be afraid to get creative and try out new headline formats – the right one could make all the difference.
