A strong headline is the most important element of your social media post. Why? Because no matter how good or helpful the rest of your content is if you don’t first grab your viewer’s attention with the headline they won’t read the rest of your post. However, learning these 7 headline secrets you’ll write powerful headlines that get more people to read and share your content.
Right up there with the importance of an attention garbing headline are the visuals or graphics you use in your social posts. (I cover social media visuals in a separate post). In this post, you’ll learn 7 Social Media Headline Secrets That Get Your Post Read and Shared. So let’s get started.
Secret #01: Keep it Short and Sweet
Your headlines should be short, catchy, and to the point. No one wants to read a long headline. The sweet spot is around six to twelve words. For example, this post’s headline is “5 Social Media Headline Secrets That Get Your Post Read and Shared.” That’s long enough to understand what the post is about but not so long as to be confusing or overwhelming.
Secret #02: Use Keywords
Your headlines should include keywords that are relevant to your topic and what people might be searching for when looking for content like yours. For example, if you were writing a post about making money online you might use headlines with keywords such as “make money,” “earn cash,” or “work from home.”
Secret #03: Use Power Words
Power words are words that evoke an emotional response or convey a message of urgency. They can be used to make your headlines more compelling and encourage people to read and share your content. Some examples of power words include “amazing,” “incredible,” “essential,” “urgent,” and “must-read.”
Secret #04: Tease Your Readers
One of the best ways to get people to read your headlines is to tease them into thinking that they’re going to learn something valuable or new. For example, you might headline a post “This One Trick Will Help You Get More Followers on Instagram” or “
Secret #05: Use Numbers and Lists
People love lists. They’re easy to scan and they promise a quick hit of information. So if you can work a list into your headlines, do it! Like I did for this post. 🙂 If you’ve read this far it’s likely because the headline got your interest.
Secret #06: Use Numbers in Your Headline
When you use numbers in your headlines use the numerical expression rather than writing it out. Use 5 instead of Five. It is more eye-catching and makes the headline easier to scan and understand at a glance.
Secret #07: State the Obvious
Too many times people try to get clever or cute when writing a headline. And rather than creating interest, it creates confusion in the reader’s mind. So, instead of reading the rest of the content, they move on. Missing out on what might be great content. To avoid this from happening and to keep your reader reading…
Your headlines should state the obvious. For example, if you’re sharing a blog post, your headline might be “This Blog Post Will Help You Grow Your Business.” If you’re sharing a video, your headline might be “This Video Will Teach You How to Make a Perfect Cup of Coffee.”
These are just seven social media headline secrets that will help get your posts read and shared. But, there are many more headlines secrets out there. If you want help with original and powerful headlines and content that get read, feel free to contact me.
Do you have a favorite headline secret? Share it in the comments below! And, if you found this post helpful please share it with your friends using the social sharing buttons below. Thanks! 🙂