Stop traffic with captivating headlines

Do you want to keep website visitors on your site for more than three seconds?

Then write captivating, compelling headlines! How, you ask? We’ve done the hardest part for you. We thought we’d help get you started by giving you a few compelling headlines. Take a look at the list below:

• Confessions of
• Who else wants to?
• The biggest business mistake I ever made: (people like to read about other people’s failures)
• How I lost_____________and gained__________in the process.
• The misfit’s journey to (success, Africa, jewelry making, starting his own business)
• The Zen of:
• Decoded: Seven secrets to:
• Rags to Riches – The triumphant story of: (we all love the underdog)

Now, after you’ve created a headline that you’re proud of, remember that each line you write should give the reader an incentive to read the next line. Think concise and compelling. Forget about crafting lofty fluff. Each sentence should stand alone.

Use metaphors, stories, personal experiences, and above all, be authentic. If you want to craft a clever piece about an otherwise boring topic, try connecting on an emotional level. Here’s an example:

Your business is accounting. While there must be an élite group of number crunchers out there who fervently spend their Friday nights charting tables and spread sheets, that’s not the case for most of us. So, how can you turn dull, dry, data into compelling content? You do this by touching on concerns, thoughts, questions, fears and uncertainties that everyone has. For example, financial peace of mind, retirement, health, faltering 401k’s, aging gracefully, etc.

The point here is to connect with people where it matters most. Show that you are human. It is fine; in fact it’s refreshing to write about things that you are not proud of, as long as there is something meaningful in the story for the reader. Here are a few more ideas you might try, the next time you are in desperate need of interesting content:

• Make people laugh
• Surprise people
• Unleash your inner geek
• Be generous with information and insights
• Be irreverent
• Be politically incorrect
• Write from your heart
• Smile when you write

Visitors will not only read your entire post, they may even line up for your next epic chronicle. Better yet, they may become a loyal follower or customer.