So you’ve decided to start writing content for SEO. But how do you write a headline that will get people to click?
With so much information on how to write great SEO headlines, it can take a lot of work to know where to start. The first thing to remember is that there are no hard-and-fast rules for great SEO content. What works for one piece of content won’t necessarily work for another—you’ll need to experiment with different styles until you find what works best for your brand and audience. Still, some general guidelines can help you get started.
We’ve put together this guide to help you create SEO headlines that will make your content stand out online.
Create a Headline That Matches the Intent of Your Reader
If you want to create effective SEO headlines, you need to understand your audience. Your SEO headline has two functions: it’s your post’s title and a way for Google to understand your article. If you can use keywords that match the intent of the reader, then your headline will be more successful at ranking higher in search results.
Focus on the reader, not the search engine. Do what’s best for your reader and create a headline that matches their intent. You should be able to explain why a particular keyword phrase would be relevant for each piece of content on your site. If there isn’t a good reason for it, don’t use it.
Your goal here is not necessarily to get clicks—it’s to get readers who will read what you’ve written. The more specific information you can include in a headline, the better you’ll have at attracting someone who might enjoy reading what you’ve written.
Think About Your Topic in Multiple Ways and Look For Patterns
When writing SEO headlines, it’s important to think about your topic in multiple ways and look for patterns.
Be sure to focus on content strategy. You might be tempted to write a bunch of different headlines and then choose the one that gets the most clicks. But if you really want to get the most out of your content, you need to go deeper than that—you need to think about what people want from your site and how they will find it.
You see, when you break down your topic into different areas of focus and then examine those areas in more detail—and take note of any patterns that emerge—you’ll have plenty of options to choose from when it comes time to start brainstorming ideas for a headline.
Use Relevant Keywords
When it comes to writing SEO headlines, one of the first things you need to do is make sure that your headline contains relevant keywords. When you’re writing a headline for SEO purposes, you want people to see your article when they search for those keywords.
While you might have a general idea of what kinds of terms people might be looking for when they use a search engine, it’s hard to know exactly what will work best. To make sure that your article gets seen by the right people and gets clicked on by those who are interested in what you’re offering, make sure that it has relevant keywords that people would be searching for if they were looking for this information.
The benefit here is twofold: firstly, it helps ensure that your customers find their way to your site; secondly, it helps increase the likelihood of staying there once they get there.
Be Wary of Stuffing Keywords Into Your Headline
If you’re like me, your natural instinct is to stuff as many relevant keywords into your headline as possible. After all, our goal is to rank highly in search results—and it seems reasonable that Google would prefer headlines packed with a crystal-clear message about what we’re offering.
But sticking too many keywords in the headline can hurt you. This happens because search engines don’t want people to focus on keyword density. They want people to read and engage with the content. So if a headline is stuffed with keywords, it might not rank as highly on Google’s search results.
Instead, try to include a few keywords in your headline. The key is ensuring your message is still clear and easy to understand. If you’re writing an article about building a website, consider using the words “build” and “website” in your headline.
Make Your Headline Easy to Read and Understand
When you’re writing SEO headlines, you want to make it easy for your readers to understand what they’re reading. This means keeping it simple and avoiding any jargon or industry-specific terms. If you’re writing a headline for a blog post, try to make it as easy to read as possible. The clarity in your headlines will help your readers understand what they’re reading and help them decide whether or not they want to read more.
Think about how you read content on the web—you probably scan words, look for key phrases, and then read those lines in more detail. If a headline doesn’t tell you what you want to know immediately, you’re more likely to move on to the next one.
A good headline will also tell you the main point of your post. If readers see that in the headline, they’ll know what to expect when they read it. An example would be “How To Fix A Leaky Sink”—this tells us exactly what will be in this piece of content and helps us decide whether or not we want to read more.
Use Numbers and Lists as Headline Formats
One of the best ways to stand out in search results is using numbers and lists in your headlines. This is because Google’s algorithm places more weight on keywords found at the beginning of a title tag and allows more characters for those words.
It’s important to note that this does not mean you should stuff every keyword into your headline—that would be spamming. Instead, use as many relevant keywords as possible without making it sound unnatural or forced, and then add some numbers or lists after that to drive home what your article is about.
For example:
“How To Write SEO Headlines That Will Stand Out” is better than simply “Writing SEO Headlines” because the first title uses several relevant keywords and phrases (including “how,” which is one of Google’s top ten most searched terms), while still keeping everything short enough to fit easily in the search bar.
Keep it Concise!
The best SEO headlines are short and sweet. Your goal is to entice readers into clicking on your link by ensuring that you include all the necessary keywords without going overboard. You want to use as few words as possible to make sure that our headlines are easy to read and understand by everyone. This means no unnecessary or overly complicated words in your headline.
So how many words should go into this headline? The answer depends on how much information you want your reader to receive from just one glance at your title. But keep in mind that if you write a long headline, readers might only bother reading some of it before they move on to another page!
Don’t Be afraid to Consult an Expert
If you’re ready to make your content marketing strategy more effective, we’re here to help.
CadenceSEO provides top-notch content marketing services to businesses of all sizes. Our team of experts will work with you to develop a unique content strategy that fits your goals and budget.
We can help you with everything from writing SEO headlines that will stand out and get noticed by search engines to creating engaging blog posts that keep readers coming back for more.
Contact us today if you’d like to learn more about our services or request a free audit.
