You know how important content marketing is for your small business, but lately, you haven’t been getting much love (or business) from your brilliant words of wisdom.
Is there something wrong with your blog posts and articles, or have you simply angered the Internet gods again?
While the Internet gods can be unreasonable, the answer is probably neither. If you’re not getting the clicks you want from your content, your problem could be as simple as the headline.
You’ve only got one chance at a good first impression, and your content’s title is it. Read on for our tips on crafting clickable small business headlines that keep people engaged.
1. Know Your Audience
Your small business’ target audience is crucial in determining what “voice” your headlines use. If you’re marketing to professionals with half an alphabet’s worth of impressive letters after their names, your headline will be much different than if your target audience is comprised of twenty something surfers.
A Mensa-level play on words only works if your audience has the capacity to understand it. Likewise, a headline full of pop culture references and uber-modern phrases can leave some scratching their heads and searching for content more attuned to their needs.
Speak your audience’s language to ensure that the right people read and understand your small business’ message.
2. Choose Your Words Wisely
Words have the power to invoke a reaction in people. “Good” is “great” but “great” is “better” – and “fantastic” is “amazing.” A simple consult with trusty Mr. Roget (the thesaurus wizard, for the uninitiated) when writing a headline can make all the difference in the world. Likewise, alliteration can make a mumbling article sing, and numbers can help people digest information better.
Using these principles, a “meh” headline like “How to Write Good Content” magically becomes “3 Clever Ways to Craft Compelling Content.”
3. Avoid the Click Bait
We’ve all seen a headline so scandalous, so inherently “clickable” that we nearly break our fingers trying to read the information below – only to be sorely disappointed when the content turns out to have little (or worse, nothing) to do with the topic.
This type of content is widely known as “click bait.” Just don’t do it. It’s irritating to your readers, and while it might score you some initial click counts, it can seriously damage your small business’ reputation.
Your headlines are a sort of pledge to your readers, so make sure you’re always delivering what you promise.
Like a nightclub with a flashy marquee and plenty of neon, a fantastic headline will get people through your door. But if the DJ stinks and the dance floor is sticky, they’re not going to hang out for long. Whether you need help crafting the headline, the content beneath it or both, Mischa Communications has the skills to make sure your readers get every last word of your message.