Readability, “findability,” and sentiment can make your headline stand out
Published in · 4 min read · Jul 10, 2020
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Nobody likes clickbait, yet from time to time, we all fall for it. We’re suckers for headlines that promise us something we “won’t believe” (always accompanied by an exclamation mark), or claim to tell us which character from movie X we are, or what some celebrity might have said or done. The content of clickbait articles, however, doesn’t live up to the promise. It leaves the reader unfulfilled.
Fortunately, we don’t have to resort to clickbait tactics to write a great, attractive headline. Clickbait writers will collect a lot of clicks, but few loyal readers. People don’t like to be duped time after time.
Good content writers, on the other hand, are more likely to have a dedicated readership, but might have a harder time attracting initial attention. To get readers interested, headlines matter.
Three components to keep in mind when building your headline are readability, “findability,” and sentiment.
Unless you’re writing for a very specific audience, you want your headline to appeal to a wide potential readership. Your headline, in other words, should be easy to read…
