I hate clever headlines. The momentary smirk they elicit comes at a price. You lose search engine visibility, and you’re betting on a reader’s curiosity rather than his or her thirst for information. Since insurers and reinsurers aren’t really in the business of entertaining, that bet’s a long shot. A clear headline inspires action (i.e., clicks to read more), gets better love from Google and puts your brand in front of your target market more (remember, each pageview is an impression).
Basically, a great headline can pump up your readership and increase the return on all your hard thought leadership work. Here are four techniques to help beef up your headlines:
1. Say what you’re writing about
If your piece is on cat bonds, mention “cat bonds” in the headline. It’s really that simple. Google will pick up the keywords, and your readers will know what the article is about.
2. Numbers are great
People love lists. The web is crawling with them, and blogs try to run as any as possible. Why? People read them. They forward them. They retweet them. This is behavior you want to encourage. On your blog (you don’t have one yet?), try to run list a week.
3. Ask a question
Readers are drawn to answers. Ask a question in the headline, and the clicks will tick up, because people want to know. This is a curiosity bet – but it’s a safe one. To make it work, combine this technique with (1), above.
4. Go a little long
You’re not writing or the tabloids. If you need seven or eight words to make the subject of your article clear, take them.
5. Don’t try to be cute or funny
Anyone looking for information on Solvency II probably isn’t expecting a laugh. Clarity is better.
[Photo by Matt Callow via Flickr]
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