New Research Contradicts Accepted Headline Writing Practices – But Don’t Abandon the Established Styles Quite Yet

 

Accepted rules for writing headlines have remained unchanged for eons. In the hey-day of newspapers and magazines selling on newsstands, skilled headline writers were among the best-paid journalists. Daily newsstand circulation measured the effectiveness of front-page headlines – and guided headline writing styles. The time-tested headline styles transferred easily to online journalism. The major change was the addition of the “click-bait” headline format favored by sites like Buzzfeed.

Now a study by HubSpot, a provider of inbound marketing and sales software, and Outbrain, a content delivery platform, challenges the conventional wisdom about headline copy, including the newer “click-bait” headline format.

The study analyzed click-through rates (CTRs) from websites and social media platforms to determine which headlines work best. The results indicate that the traditional formula for writing headlines actually doesn’t work very well.

For instance, words like “you,” “how to,” “easy” and “best” decrease CTRs, according to the study report, “How to Write Effective Headlines.”

Why the difference between their data and conventional practices? People browsing the Web react differently than those who are actively seeking a solution to a current problem. Web users have developed internal spam filters that automatically send certain key words and headline formats to their brain’s trash bin. They’ve also developed immunity to teaser headlines.

Words that Work – And Don’t

Major findings from the report include:

• Headlines with the word “who” generated 22% higher CTRs. “Why” decreased CTR by 37%.
• Headlines featuring the word “photo” performed 37% better.
• Headlines with bracketed clarifications like [photos], [interview], or [slideshow] performed 38% better. That suggests readers are more likely to click through when they have a clear picture of what lies behind the headline.
• Headlines containing the phrase “how to” performed 49% worse. Another instruction-oriented word, “tip,” also decreased CTR by 59%. “How-to” can be highly desirable to people searching for specific content but less appealing to readers who are browsing.
• Headlines with the word “easy” generated a 44% lower CTR.
• Headlines that made reference to the reader by including the word, “you,” “your,” or “you’re” performed 36% worse.
• Other words that decreased CTRs include positive superlatives like “always” and “best.”

The report cautions marketers not to force their content into presumed best practices. Without questioning the veracity of the report’s findings, we suggest that business writers in PR and marketing should test the report’s recommendations, but do what’s best for their own audiences and what their own website analytics tell them works best.

How to Write an Oldie but Goodie Headline

Jon Morrow, associate editor at Copyblogger.com, takes a different view in his 52 Headline Hacks. Morrow calls the “how to” headlines an oldie but goodie. He suggests “How to (blank) in 5 minutes,” “How to be (blank),” and “How to (blank) that (your target audience) will love.”

“How-to headlines almost never fail,” Morrow writes. “In fact, many top writers start every article or letter they write with a how-to headline. It’s a technique I recommend to everyone, especially beginning writers.”

Morrow offers a goldmine of headline ideas:

Frighten readers, as in “7 Warning signs that …” and “Can we really trust …”

Piggyback on a famous person or brand. “(Do something) like (famous person or Secrets of (famous people).”

Warn of mistakes. “7 (blank) mistakes that make you look dumb” or “11 (blank) mistakes you don’t know you’re making.”

List numbers. “7 ways to …” or “7 steps to …”

Promise a simpler life. “The Zen of …” or “Get rid of (a problem) once and for all.”

Bottom Line: A recent analysis of click-through rates indicates that favorite words of copywriters, like “how to” and “easy,” perform poorly. Still, PR and marketing writers must analyze their own CTRs and page views to determine what headlines work best in their PR and marketing communications.