About the Advice From Writing Experts That Compelling Headlines Improve Readership

No skin in the game? 

Most probably understand its meaning. If not, the phrase in this context means:

I have no personal interest or potential for gain.

Disclosures

✔️ I am not a writing coach

✔️ I have no book telling you how to write killer headlines

✔️ I do not make a living as an editor; I am not shilling for clients

✔️ I have not developed an online course on "How to Become an Excellent Writer"

✔️ I have no mailing list to add your name 

 I have no skin in the game.

So why write the story?

There are truisms I've had the enormous good fortune to be the beneficiary of during my life. 

Once upon a time, kind people helped others. Generous individuals assisted other folks. Thoughtful souls coached or mentored rookies or new hires because they saw potential or simply liked them. Just because... 

Aid was rendered without concern about pats on the back, awards or rewards, social media hearts, thumbs up, claps, or followers. Or reciprocity, without being paid or earning money from referrals, commissions, links, or affiliates.

Why? 

Perhaps they adopted values from their parents or elders. Or endured struggles themselves. Or graduated from the School of Hard Knocks. Or learned lessons the hard way. Or were blessed from birth with an abundance of loving DNA. Or had wonderful mentors and guides and chose later to pay forward their own prior good fortune.

Generosity and Thoughtfulness…Just Cuz

I'm not saying these people no longer exist. Indeed, to the contrary, I know and cherish a plethora of that ilk - dear friends, generous family members, and thoughtful other writer friends.

Sadly, however, in today's world of preoccupation with social media, side hustles, and narcissistic posturing, one must often dig deep to find genuine articles, separating the wheat from the chaff.

Standard Writing Advice

No shortage of advice from writing experts and coaches exists. 

As an inveterate lifelong student and researcher, learning and studying remain two favorite activities. I continually soak up new information. 

Hence, in my first few months as an online writing rookie, desirous of upping my writing game, I read scads of the genres of "How to be a better writer" and "How to improve readership" pieces. 

Write Powerful Intriguing Headlines

In nearly every article, one consistent piece of advice was to write compelling, attention-grabbing headlines…or "titles" for those not from the journalism or online writing worlds.

Headlines should compel and motivate readers to click on the story. Since many thousands of stories are published on sites daily, logic supports this advice. As readers, we are bombarded daily with gazillions of choices. 

As a new writer on one site, I found this information extremely useful. I looked more carefully at my headlines and paid attention to those that grabbed me.

It was the beginning of a new educational junket…fun, fun. I began playing with my titles and even tweaked some of my older stories.

Examples From My Study and Reading

As I read, specific titles didn't grab or inspire me to read the stories. Some examples:

• Are You Bored

• Dream Vacations

• I Believe

All were too vanilla, with not enough information, and similar to thousands of others. I wasn't enticed to open them. They didn't intrigue me about what lay within to invest two, six, or ten minutes of valuable time.

By comparison, the headlines of these stories were tantalizing enough for me to click on them. 

Anacapri - The City of "Dolce Far Niente" on the Island of Capri (this sounds romantic and exotic!)

Escaping a Nazi POW Camp in a Stolen Airplane (yes! this catches my attention)

The Oreo Cookie Therapy: Beats Statins for Some (cookies for heart health? sounds good to me!)

Thanks to Fellow Writers

My primary reason for writing this was to pay homage to and share the advice received from thoughtful people. When new to online writing, a few more seasoned writers generously shared shortcuts, tips, and instructions. Thank you! 

Two kindly shared this advice with me. The secret sauce! 

Eventually, plodding along, I probably would have stumbled upon it, but their munificent early counsel was an invaluable tutorial. 

For you see, despite reading probably thirty or more articles that advised "always write compelling headlines," one only…and only in the very last paragraph (but to her credit she at least mentioned it)!

Articles About Writing Great Headlines

I never counted the number, but this advice was provided in over thirty articles. Write great headlines = to get more readers.

Guess what was never disclosed, however, except in the very last paragraph of a single article? I had already discovered it, though, thanks to a couple of those kind and generous mentors mentioned above.

Headline Analyzers

Professional writers, copywriters, and journalists (and perhaps almost everyone other than me?) know this tool. I, though, was not until two kind Mediumites shared the information with me.

By plugging in your proposed headline (or "title") into one of the "analyzers," you receive a rating or score of its impact. I was advised to shoot for a score of "70." 

Before discovering this invaluable advice, most of the headlines I used were relatively decent. Out of curiosity, because I had few published stories, I ran many through after the fact to see how they scored.

Now before publishing, I run my working headline through one or two analyzers to ascertain 'how they score.' I may tweak or play with it if the rating is lower than I want.

So, there you have it...a tool to juice up your scribbles. 

Caveat Emptor

Please please, don't listen to me! Not everything works for everyone.

I have yet to meet a single human being who likes being told what to do, what to think, or how to behave. We like to make our own decisions and choices. 

Hence, this suggestion may not appeal to you. I absolutely believe in the adage: "Listen to nothing anyone else says." Follow your own instincts.

Options

But if it resonates as something worth considering…if you want to beef up your headlines…if you desire more readers, take a look.

It's the Internet after all; there are probably dozens of these. But the three recommended to me by excellent writers whom I respect were these.

https://headlines.sharethrough.com/

https://www.monsterinsights.com/headline-analyzer/

https://coschedule.com/headline-analyzer

A Quick Word About Subtitles

Writing gurus also recommend always using subtitles. As a non-professional writer, I had never considered this issue. However, now I understand the obvious benefit.

As one expert counseled, it is the second tantalizing tidbit of information that keeps the reader on the page. Notice the article's subtitle in the image at the top of this article, for example: Senior citizens in Italy are as active as ever despite COVID-19's threat.

The headline Defying Stereotypes gets my attention, but the subtitle further delineates the subject matter. 

Again, it's your choice to subtitle or not. However, the dozen or so full-time professional writers (as in making their livelihood for multiple decades) whom I follow all use subtitles on every article. 

P.S. From the pros, tips re proper form (check their work and bona fide "newspapers" - some do still exist): 1) Except for the first word, all words of the subtitle aside from proper nouns are lower case, and 2) Never use punctuation at the end of the subtitle unless it's a question or exclamation point. No use of periods as we traditionally end sentences. 

Your time is valuable. Thanks for spending some of it here. Victoria🙏😎

© Victoria Kjos. All Rights Reserved. 2024.