In this fast paced time it’s more critical than ever to be able to grab your readers attention quickly.
You need to be able to convince them within a matter of seconds that your post is the one that they need to read!
Our readers have hundreds of choices of what to read and they need to know that what you have to offer them is worth their time. Everyone is short on time and we want to spend our time wisely.
So what can you do to not only grab your readers attention quickly but also to have them begging for more?
You need a killer headline.
The most important element of your headline is that it evokes emotion.
You can evoke any number of emotions but it must evoke some sort of emotion that calls the reader to act and click your link.
Some emotions that you may wish to evoke:
- Excitement
- Curiosity
- Desire to learn more
- Urgency
- Fear of loss
Types of Headlines that grab attention
How to posts are popular because they are practical and they teach how something is done successfully. You clicked on this post so you can see it’s effectiveness!
These examples are three of my popular how to post titles:
How to Show ANY Post on CommentLuv
How to Create an Ebook Cover for Free
How to REALLY Fix Your Broken Links
List posts are very popular because the give ideas to the reader. It also gives the impression of a quick read which people often appreciate. Or if it’s a list with a really high number it promises high value and that anyone can find something they can apply.
These are three of my popular list post headlines:
8 Tips For Massive Personal Growth and Success
101 Proven Ways to Get More Comments
8 Wildly Effective Ways to Promote Yourself Online Today
You can take a combination of the above and you can add your own twists to them, such as a how not-to post. Add humor, create controversy, inspire, be creative!
20 Ways Not to Make Money Online
Don’t Make These (Humorous) Marketing Errors
There is no unique formula to follow with creating a captivating headline but if you follow these tips you are on your way to drawing in new people just with those alone. People will judge a post by it’s headline before they decide if it’s worth their time to give a visit.
Once at your post they are still not sold!
Congratulations, you’ve created killer headline and have gotten the click. The work isn’t over yet though. You still have more work to do to keep them reading so that they will comment, subscribe and eventually be a loyal fan.
There are a few things that you should do to draw the reader in once they have arrived at your post.
Include a compelling image
The image can be funny, serious, professional, light hearted, a little off topic or even a lot off topic. It should either create more curiosity for the reader to keep going or further induce the emotion that you were going for with your headline.
The image that I chose for this post is obviously not about dogs or cookies but the image conveys begging which is in the title. Be creative!
A word of caution on the use of images.
First, use images that you have the rights to use. I know of one blogger who takes all of her own photos. That solves the problem but many of us don’t have time for that.
There are many options online for using images properly. My personal favorite is to use photos through the Creative Commons license over at flickr. I highly suggest that you use this guide which explains the right ways to use creative commons photos.
Another benefit to including a great image is that when your post is shared on most social media sites the image will show up. A great picture will go a long way in drawing people in. People judge books by their covers and they judge blog posts by the images.
Choose something that will create curiosity or another strong emotion!
A well worded opening
Your first sentence needs to draw your reader in so that they want to read the next sentence and the next one. You’ve gone to all the work to create a great headline and put in a fantastic image make sure that what you write is great!
But if your great writing doesn’t start until paragraph three or five you’ve wasted all of your other efforts unless your readers already know and love you and expect that it will get better.
Nobody else will stick around and read three or five boring or poorly written paragraphs.
If you would like to learn more about how to open well I recently read a good book about beginning a novel. The author gives great advice about how to construct an opening sentence and following. It’s geared toward fiction writers but it is easily applicable to writing blog posts as well. Check out Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One & Never Lets Them Go
Learning how to write a good beginning is a really important skill to have as a blogger. So often we get caught up in learning about SEO, stats, promotion, and that sort of thing that we forget to work on our writing.
It’s very important and reading books that are geared toward fiction writers is a great place to learn how to write better. Fiction writers need to be entertaining, engaging, and skilled. Those are all things that help to make for a great blog post as well.
Look at that book I mentioned above and also stay tuned for more posts about how to improve your writing from me. I know that it sounds completely boring to read about how to write so I promise to make them as fun as possible!
What are your thoughts? How do you create compelling headlines? Where do you get your exciting images? How do you keep your readers begging for more?
To Your Success,
PS: Have you watched the FREE videos on how you can THRIVE in the new economy? If you’re waiting for the economy to return to “normal” – it isn’t going to. Get the tools that you need for the NEW economy! These videos will only be up for a few more days so watch them soon.
Image by GabrielaP93
Thank you for reading! I'm Stacy, the owner of this blog. You can learn more about me here.
I'd love to hear from you, please share your thoughts or questions in the comments section.
You can get free bonus chapters from my novel Deception!
Website: → Stacy's Fiction
Connect
This is a wonderful check list that you have put together here Stacy! Lots of great tips that help every blogger, because now and then even I will get stuck and will need some inspiration. So your tips are wonderful reminders.
Curiosity always seems to be a good one for me. This also is a way to get those same visitors coming back for more. I’m looking forward to sharing your tips and ideas to my community as it will be very helpful to them.
Lynn Brown invites you to read… Have You Changed Your Twitter Profile Lately
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 4:19 pm
Thank you very much, Lynn! I appreciate you sharing this post with your community!
Stacy
Stacy invites you to read… The Course That Literally Changed My Life (For the Better!)
[Reply]
These are powerful blogging tips to remember. Every time I start to write a blog post, I always make sure to keep these steps in mind. While all of the steps are obviously important, the most important one for me is creating a killer headline. The first thing that will always catches the reader’s attention is a compelling headline. It tells him/her to drop everything, and take a look at the post. After that, it’s important to follow the other steps.
Anthony Thompson invites you to read… Learning a Foreign Language – Improve Your Verbal Comprehension Skills (Here’s How)
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 4:22 pm
Hi Anthony,
Creating a good headline has been something that has taken a lot of work for me. If you look back to some of my first headlines on this blog they aren’t very compelling! I was focused on the content and not drawing people in. With practice I have found what works and what doesn’t.
Stacy
Stacy invites you to read… Why You Are Better Off NOT Learning From a Guru
[Reply]
“How to” posts are certainly very popular and attracts huge audience. Plus reader search it when they’re in urgency or in any problem.
Aasma invites you to read… College Library School Student University Management System & Software Delhi, Noida, India | Rancor Infotech
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 4:41 pm
Hi Aasma,
Great point about people searching for that term!
Stacy
Stacy invites you to read… 8 Sweet Secrets to Bring People Back to Your Blog Again and Again
[Reply]
Having a satisfied web traffic and visitors allows you to put up a foundation wherein you can build an opt-in list and make it grow from there.
Candice Michelle invites you to read… singapore credit cards
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 5:59 pm
Hi Candice,
You’re right this is the foundation for building an opt-in list and therefore a business!
Stacy
Stacy invites you to read… 101 Proven Ways to Get More Blog Comments
[Reply]
One of the important thing that brings traffic to our sites is a good and fresh articles. Visitors are always looking forward to your interesting posts, thus drive traffic crazy.
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
June 21st, 2012 at 6:17 pm
When we build a strong following they will look forward to our posts. In order to get that following these steps need to be followed!
Stacy invites you to read… How to Get Your Guest Posts Accepted Every Time
[Reply]
Hi Stacy,
I’m a fan of the “How To” titles. I have a few myself. Using the “X Ways of” always brings the views. Article share ability is dependant on our titles, say no too boring titles. But you need it to be seen in the first place aswell.
Simmeon invites you to read… Spy On Your Competition Using Bit.ly
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
June 22nd, 2012 at 10:00 am
Hi Simmeon,
Both of those types of posts are very popular and do tend to draw in a lot of readers!
Thanks for stopping by,
Stacy
Stacy invites you to read… How to Get Motivated and Stop Procrastinating
[Reply]
“How to” posts and list posts are great for the Twitter/Facebook/syndicated content world. There’s an urgency factor to them — readers just “need to know” what those 8 tips are… or how they can can improve their XYZ.
I wrote a post myself on headline strategies a while back and some of my favorite techniques that I mentioned were:
- Questions (“Why Does Our Chocolate Taste Better?”)
- Problematize (“Is My Kitty Litter Toxic?”)
- Shock and Awe… hooking them with intrigue, the what-the-hell-is-this-about factor (“Get It Out of My Eye!”)
- And of course the classic Key Benefit approach (Now that I think about it, the “How to” strategy is form of this, a really effective one.)
Copywriting Tips invites you to read… Smoking Kid – Why Is This Thai Anti-Smoking Ad So Effective?
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 9:46 am
Hi (do you have a name?)
Those are great tips for compelling headlines. Thank you for sharing them! Another one that works well for people that I don’t use too often is a controversial headline.
Thanks for stopping by!
Stacy
Stacy invites you to read… 101 Proven Ways to Get More Blog Comments
[Reply]
Hi Stacy,
Awesome post and good reminders that I have forgotten.
I find that in titles numbers work great like “10 ways to…” Also the “How To” titles. And Yes, that first paragraph has to pull them in. That’s where you need to “hook” them into what your message is about and make them wonder to find out more.
An awesome idea!
Images are also important. I find the more original the better! Lately Google has their bots crawling images that are not owned by the blogger. Some blogs even have been shut down. Yikes. I have purchased images in the past and found that they were taken off my blog….go figure.
So now I take my own shots. I have a program that I’m playing with that will put a layer of words on top of the image. Most of my images look like I’m in first grade ha ha. But people are responding to it. They like original pictures.
And..always…always have your picture there. I, like many bloggers won’t accept any comments without the persons picture as their gravatar (unless I know them well and they are changing it) –
Thank you so much for the information,
Donna
Donna Merrill invites you to read… Are You Hiding Under A “Blogging Umbrella?”
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 10:06 am
Hi Donna,
Thank you! I hadn’t heard about pictures being removed from blogs before. How do they do that when the blog is self hosted? That’s another reason that using images from the creative commons license is a good idea. I’ve never had any issues using them properly.
Thanks for stopping by!
Stacy
Stacy invites you to read… Books & Freebies
[Reply]
Wow Stacy, great post.
Boy do I see areas I still need some help in. I know, you’re going to say that I get a lot of attention on my blog. But I think that’s because I’ve built up a readership and it’s definitely not because of my headlines or fabulous eye catching photos that grabbed their attention.
I’m still learning and every once in awhile I’ll get a good headline that will grab their attention or keep them on my page so at least they’re curious to check a little more out.
But, I love this list and what a great share. Thanks so much Stacy for giving away the goods in this post. It’s one that I know everyone can benefit from.
~Adrienne
Adrienne invites you to read… The Best Opt-In Gift
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 10:09 am
Hi Adrienne,
Thank you very much! I think that you do a great job drawing people in with the emails that you send out (like you said, to the readership that you’ve already built). When I read your emails I always want to click the link and read your latest post! You do very well at evoking curiosity and urgency!
Stacy
PS: It’s great to see you on my top commenter list!
Stacy invites you to read… How to REALLY Fix All of Your Broken Links
[Reply]
Stacy this was a great post, it kept my interest. I love a good title. I think i write pretty good titles but you always could improve. Thank you very much.
Michael Belk invites you to read… Stealing from work; an innocent fade or a misdemeanor?
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 10:10 am
Hi Michael,
Thank you very much!
Stacy
Stacy invites you to read… Your Business Card Is Still A Great Marketing Tool
[Reply]
Hi Stacy,
Very good post you have here. As a matter of fact, when I saw the picture of the post on Facebook I thought that was a great picture for the theme of your post.
You’re right the picture can be anything really, and the more creative the better. Guess what I have a post titled the 3 most important factors of persuasive writing which is a dog looking at a treat. I love when an off topic picture conveys exactly our post message.
The few examples of titles you give here are very attractive, indeed. I want to go read them
now!
Thanks for this post, Stacy
Sylviane Nuccio invites you to read… Interview With Donna Merrill Personal Development Expert And Psychic
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 10:16 am
Hi Sylviane,
Sometimes I’m looking for a completely different type of image and then the right one just jumps out at me. That’s what happened this time and this one seemed like the perfect one for the topic.
I’d love to hear how you like the posts that I used for example headlines!
Stacy
Stacy invites you to read… How to Get Motivated and Stop Procrastinating
[Reply]
Great advice Stacy and I can say that your headline did attract my attention. You give a lot of useful tips to your readers and to aspiring bloggers.
Mariella
Mariella Lombardi invites you to read… I Feel Fat – Should I Hire A Personal Trainer to Lose Weight?
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 10:19 am
Thank you, Mariella! I’m glad that they’ve helped you out. I’ve also got a blogging tips page if you are looking for more tips. http://growwithstacy.com/blogging-tips/
Stacy
Stacy invites you to read… 8 Wildly Effective Ways to Promote Yourself Online TODAY
[Reply]
These are great tips,
I have noticed that before reading an article the number one reason that will make me read is if the title makes me think and opens a window inside my heart, or if makes me smile!
I love good pictures too the only issue for me is where to find interesting artistic fun pictures for free any tips?
Thanks for sharing!
Patricia Gozlan invites you to read… Left then rightboo
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 10:20 am
Hi Patricia,
I really recommend the creative commons images. I find some really great ones there! I have link in this post to a really great guide on how to use creative commons images, definitely check it out!
Stacy
Stacy invites you to read… How to Get Your Guest Posts Accepted Every Time
[Reply]
Thank you for the information. I am really struggling to find ways to get people to really engage in my post. It is nice to have a little information on how to improve.
Cynthia
Cynthia invites you to read… Weekend Inspiration
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 10:22 am
Hi Cynthia,
I have more tips on reader engagement on my blogging tips page that are sure to help you out. http://growwithstacy.com/blogging-tips/
Stacy
Stacy invites you to read… 5 Ways to Lose Your Blogging Mojo
[Reply]
Fantastic article and posting. I am very new to the entire blogging universe. Thanks for the great information and tips. I am going to use your article as a reference for my next article. Much appreciated.
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
June 23rd, 2012 at 10:37 am
Hi Marielaina,
I’m glad that you’ll be able to use this. I have a lot of other blogging tips on the site too. Check out my blogging tips page for a list of top tips!
Stacy
Stacy invites you to read… 8 Wildly Effective Ways to Promote Yourself Online TODAY
[Reply]
Good advice, Stacy. No doubt we only have a short moment to capture people’s interest. There are tons of blogs online so it’s important to stand out. A good/emotional/intriguing headline is a must. You could have great content but the headline is the invitation that’s going to get people to read. And I also agree you need a strong opening. I know for myself, I will skip ahead or just leave the page if the opening is boring. Of course it goes without saying that you have to deliver on your promise and give readers good content all the way through. Nothing worse than a headline that does nothing but scam you into reading without giving you something worthwhile! I find the best headlines are the least sensational – they just tell people something they want to know. Thanks for your good tips!
Carol Lynn invites you to read… If You Want To Make Money, Value What You Do
[Reply]
Interesting read! Good tips. I’m keeping a blog as a requirement for a class right now, and we have a list of elements that must be included for right now, but I look forward to when it becomes MINE in two weeks, and I can implement some of these suggestions!
[Reply]
I am also a fan of “How to” titles. Thanks for all these tips. These are really helpful.
Lorii Abela invites you to read… How Can I Find Love? Letting God Direct You in Finding True Love
[Reply]
Another informative post! For me I understand most bloggers seek for extra money through running their blogs. However, in order to maximise their efforts they should run a blog they are passionate about, for example with an accent on a topic they know what to write about. In that way they ensure their blogs can be found useful for other people, thus this method guarantees people will visit their sites more often.
Alex invites you to read… Home
[Reply]
Hey Stacy,
I like the compilation you have here. The heading is very important to grab the attention of the reader especially when the post is tweeted and people reading the tweets are intrigued by whats going on!
Also, content that has a “me” factor somewhere is also likely to find the connection!
Hajra invites you to read… Save Your Blog From Zombification
[Reply]
Hi Stacy,
you actually gave me some great tricks! From now on I will try to put some images on my posts in order to attract some people, hopefully, this will work. Thank You!
[Reply]
Every writer wants to grab audience attention in his article. It’s true that heading must be more attractive. All points are very essential in order to become a good writer.
ayesha invites you to read… Collection of Best Free PSD Logo Templates
[Reply]
Hi Stacy ,
I believe that going to question and answer sites can give you an insight to figure out what people are struggling with . The burning questions that people in the community want top quality answers to .
Armed with this information , you can create a list around the problem to form your killer headline
That is my 2 cents
Cheers
Femi
femi invites you to read… How do I Become Self Disciplined (II)
[Reply]
Great Post Stacy!
Utilizing emotion is a perfect way to get reader attention and engagement. Just to add on that point writers an also create an emotional story. Stories are very powerful and engaging.
[Reply]