It’s estimated that 59% of social media users share online content based on the headline alone. Surprised? This figure comes from a study of 2.8 million Twitter shares, and is likely similar for Facebook and other social platforms. This research suggests that headlines are much more important than most of us realize. That’s why you should strive to write the most creative and shareable headlines you possibly can. Here are some ways you can accomplish this:
1. Include a Call-to-Action
Without a call-to-action, what is your audience supposed to do? A strong call-to-action should include a verb that encourages people to do things like “visit,” “check out,” “discover,” and “explore”.
2. Ask a Question
Your main objective with a headline is getting your audience’s attention. What better way to accomplish this than by posing a question that piques their curiosity? The trick is really knowing your audience’s wants and needs because asking an irrelevant or boring question will just make them scroll past your post in their social media feeds. However, if you get to the heart of what they really want (not just what you or your industry assumes they want), then you could craft a headline-question that they’ve been seeking answers to and encourage them to click.
3. Be Descriptive
When it comes to headlines, the words and phrases you choose matter a great deal. For a truly eye-catching headline, you need to be descriptive and use powerful words that compel potential readers to click on your post.
4. Reformulate Well-Known Phrases
For the ultimate creative headline that plays off pop culture references, you can also reformulate well-known phrases that many audience members are familiar with. For instance, political slogans like “Change We Can Believe In” or “Make America Great Again” can be reformulated for your specific industry. If you’re promoting a pillow company, then your headline might look something like “Comfort You Can Believe In” or “Make Naptime Great Again.” Phrases pulled from pop culture are particularly useful (as long as you’re not violating any copyright laws) because so many people are familiar with these phrases, which means your creative headline will resonate more with readers as they appreciate your clever play on words.
