What’s in a name? A lot, actually, when it comes to creating killer headlines for your content marketing efforts. In fact, crafting a clear, powerful, and compelling title may just be the most difficult part of content creation. There’s a lot of advice out there on what makes for a good headline; but, really, there’s no definitive answer. Readers’ tastes vary. Trends come and go. SEO standards shift… and what seems like an exciting and inventive title construct one minute can feel stale and cliché the next. So how can content marketers strike the right balance between clarity and creativity to give their content the best chance of attracting an audience? Read on for ideas from our #CMWorld Twitter chat and wider CMI communities that will help put your content headlines on the frontline of success.

2. HOW TO COOK UP A KILLER
CONTENT MARKETING HEADLINE
What’s in a name? A lot, actually, when it comes to creating killer headlines for
your content marketing efforts. In fact, crafting a clear, powerful, and compelling
title may just be the most difficult part of content creation.
There’s a lot of advice out there on what makes for a good headline; but, really,
there’s no definitive answer. Readers’ tastes vary. Trends come and go. SEO
standards shift… and what seems like an exciting and inventive title construct
one minute can feel stale and cliché the next.
So how can content marketers strike the right balance
between clarity and creativity to give their content the
best chance of attracting an audience? Read on for
ideas from our #CMWorld Twitter chat and wider CMI
communities that will help put your content headlines
on the frontline of success.

3. THE MAIN COURSE:
ENSURE READER SATISFACTION
START WITH THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS
A good headline is like a storefront: As people walk by, it should draw their interest, give them a sense of what
they’ll find inside, and convince them that they’ll find value in what you have to offer.
TIP: When crafting a headline, always keep your audience’s needs and interests in mind. Start by answering the
main questions readers will use to judge whether your content is worthy of their time:
1. What are the “nuts and bolts” of this story?
2. Why is it important to me?
3. What will I miss out on if I don’t read it?
EXAMPLE:
The Most Innovative Part of U2’s Tour Is Something the Audience Never Sees
READ MORE:
7 Ways to Write Eye-Popping Headlines
RULE NO.1
Be concise and draw interestin the beginning. Answerwhat’s in it for the reader.
—The Gary J. Nix

4. USE JUST A DASH OF SEO-SONING
Including keywords in your headlines will make your content more search-friendly. But treat them like you
would a rare, exotic spice: Use them sparingly to stimulate your readers’ appetites, and take care not to let
them overwhelm your offerings and render them indigestible.
Remember: Though you certainly want your content to gain the attention of search engines, keyword stuffing
is a big no-no. Ultimately, you should be creating content to engage human readers, not robots. If your
headlines communicate the value your content provides for your target audience, you’ll get the clicks you are
after, and better search rankings will naturally follow.
TIP: Ideally, headlines should be distinctive so that they are easily
searchable long after your content has been published. Consider using
relevant hashtags in your titles so that readers can find and follow your
conversations on an ongoing basis.
EXAMPLE:
15 Creative Ways Brands Recognized #SCOTUS on Social Media
RULE NO.2
Headlines are for humans.
Readers interact & engage
w/ content; robots crawl and
shouldn’t determine your headline
—Liliana GH
THE MAIN COURSE:
ENSURE READER SATISFACTION

5. IT’S OK TO TEASE, BUT DON’T DISAPPOINT
If you promise caviar but only offer California rolls, your audience is going to leave unsatisfied —
and probably won’t come back again.
TIP: Headlines set an expectation of what your content will deliver, so make sure you aren’t filling
yours with deceptions, exaggerations, or meaningless buzzwords just to get a click. In the words of
a certain March Hare, be sure you say what you mean, and mean what you say, by offering useful,
honest information with real value.
EXAMPLE:
This Is What the Brain
of a Stroke Survivor Looks Like
RULE NO.3
Entice and keep it relevant to
the content! Don’t mention theBieber unless you are actuallywriting about him!!
—Brandie McCallum
Don’t be The Boy Who
Cried ‘Awesome’.
—Doug Kessler
THE MAIN COURSE:
ENSURE READER SATISFACTION

6. DON’T STUFF YOUR READERS FULL OF “BREAD”
Ever lose interest in your entrée because you filled up on the endless basket of breadsticks brought
to your table? Similarly, if you give away all of the important information in the headline, people
won’t feel the need to click through to read more.
TIP: Play off readers’ natural curiosity by leaving a little bit of mystery in your headlines. A reader
who passes by the headline Add Milk to Make Fluffy Omelets Like the Pros
might find the temptation of learning The One Foolproof Trick
for Perfect, Fluffy Omelets too tantalizing to resist.
EXAMPLE:
No More Free Checked Bags on JetBlue:
The Lowdown on New Fees
RULE NO.4
Tell me enough to draw me in butnot too much that I don’t need toread the article
—Lucy Rendler-Kaplan
THE MAIN COURSE:
ENSURE READER SATISFACTION

7. CREATE SNACKABLE APPETIZERS
This is a “scans” world, so lengthy headlines that look like a lot of work to read are more likely to get
passed by. Also, long headlines get cut off in search engine results pages (SERPs).
TIP: Get to the point as quickly and concisely as possible. In general, 10 words maximum is a good
rule of thumb for headlines, and fewer is even better — especially for social media posts.
EXAMPLE:
Debt Payment Looming, Greece Seeks a New Bailout
RULE NO.5
Your audience [are] skimmers,scanners and glancers, not readers...Grab them with genuine headline and1st paragraph summary.
—Lois Martin
THE MAIN COURSE:
ENSURE READER SATISFACTION

8. SURVEY THE LANDSCAPE, THEN SERVE A SIGNATURE DISH
THAT STANDS OUT
It’s always helpful to see how competitors and other relevant media sources use headlines to
position their content. This can give you a sense of the current trends and may spark ideas on what
you can do to make your headlines unique and distinctive.
TIP: If you want some headline inspiration, take a look at the
top blogs in your niche, as well as general-interest publications
that your audience is likely already consuming. Be aware of the
current headline styles and trends they are following,
but don’t feel like you have to rely on any gimmicks
they may be using.
EXAMPLE:
All the Weird Things Business People Do on Twitter
RULE NO.6
Read everything. You can get
inspiration from all sources —
keeps you well rounded too.
—Josh St. Aubin
Check magazines like Cosmo & TheStar. If you need headline help, readmore magazine covers.
—Heidi Cohen
THE MAIN COURSE:
ENSURE READER SATISFACTION

9. PREPARE THE PERFECT PAIRING FOR YOUR CONTEXT
Like a cocktail or a fine wine with dinner, your headlines should be well-matched to enhance the type of
content you are serving up — and the place where you are serving it.
TIP: You wouldn’t expect high-end scotch whiskey to be served at your
local dive bar any more than your readers would expect a business
jargon-heavy headline popping up in their Instagram feed. So make
sure your headlines are context-appropriate and are crafted to fit the
particular channel in which they will be appearing.
EXAMPLE:
CMI’s post headline, Learn the Secrets Behind
5 Great Marketing Projects was adjusted to
Great Content: Get Secrets of 5 Marketing Projects
to get more play on Facebook.
RULE NO.7
Each headline should be tailoredto the medium used. Write at least4 headlines per piece: for web,Twitter, email, blog.
—Liliana GH
THE MAIN COURSE:
ENSURE READER SATISFACTION

10. SERVE YOUR PATRONS RELIABLY AND CONSISTENTLY
Reputation is everything when it comes to your content — especially if you intend to create
lasting relationships with your audience. Just as you should be cultivating a unique brand voice
or perspective in your content, you need to make sure your headlines communicate in that same
signature style.
TIP: Get to the point as quickly and concisely as possible.
In general, 10 words maximum is a good rule of thumb for
headlines, and fewer is even better — especially for
social media posts.
EXAMPLE:
5 Real-World Lessons College Teaches (By Accident)
RULE NO.8
Top headline-writing tip: Signal
the voice of the piece. (Hint: does
the piece have a strong voice?)
—Doug Kessler
THE MAIN COURSE:
ENSURE READER SATISFACTION

11. FUEL READER EXCITEMENT WITH ACTIONABLE WORDS
You want your audience to take action as a result of reading your content, right? So why stifle the
excitement you are looking to create by speaking in a passive voice in your headlines?
TIP: Creating a headline that could also be used as a call to action will help get your readers in the
right mood to take the next step after reading your content.
EXAMPLE:
Win Your Battle for Content Marketing Buy-In
With This Checklist
RULE NO.9
Use actionable words like
“download” and “try” — it engages
people & asks them to act .
—Jade Phillips
THE MAIN COURSE:
ENSURE READER SATISFACTION

12. 9 RULES FOR SERVING UP AN
APPETIZING HEADLINE
1. Start with the essential ingredients.
2. Use just a dash of SEO-soning.
3. It’s OK to tease, but don’t disappoint.
4. Don’t stuff your readers full of “bread.”
5. Create snackable appetizers.
6. Survey the competition, but serve a signature dish.
7. Prepare the perfect pairing for your context.
8. Serve your patrons reliably and consistently.
9. Fuel reader excitement with actionable words.
http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2015/08/headlines-tips-tools

13. THE SIDE DISHES:
SERVE UP SOME ADDED FLAVOR
Once you’ve nailed down the basic recipe for headline success,
you can spice up your efforts by testing different headline
formulas, tapping into
the latest title trends, or
experimenting with creative
constructs that might broaden
your brand appeal.
Know all the formulas thatwork, but don’t get lazy aboutonly ever using them.
—Kristen Hicks

14. USE NUMBERS AND LISTS
Numerical headlines are effective, as they communicate how much information readers will be expected
to absorb and help set manageable expectations of how long it will take readers to walk away with the
information they came for. But be careful not to overuse the “listicle” format or force a headline to “take
a number” if it’s not a natural fit.
TIP: Consider using a number- or list-based headline when:
 It will help make difficult concepts or processes easier to
understand, remember, and execute on
 You are discussing a manageable, step-by-step
process — but be careful: Too many steps and you may
make your content sound more complicated than it is
 Your content is informative, or it offers entertainment value
 Your collection of content uses a range of other headline styles.
EXAMPLE:
7 Tips We Learned Analyzing 75 Content Marketing Examples
OPTION NO.1
Headlines with numbers (7 Ways…)
signal important things: utility, a
quick read and some structure.
Readers like these!
—Doug Kessler
THE SIDE DISHES:
SERVE UP SOME ADDED FLAVOR

15. PIQUE CURIOSITY AND OPEN UP A DIALOGUE
Readers appreciate it when their own questions, concerns, and opinions get addressed in the
content they receive. Help your audience see themselves in the content you create by asking
questions, soliciting input, sparking a debate, introducing a controversial point of view, or otherwise
demonstrating that you are interested in creating shared meaning through your content efforts.
EXAMPLE:
• Are LinkedIn Groups Worth the Trouble?
• What Advice Would You Give Your Younger Self
About Heartbreak?
• What’s Next in Your Content Marketing Career Evolution?
OPTION NO.2
That’s what a good tweet
should do: invite conversation.
—Martin Lieberman
THE SIDE DISHES:
SERVE UP SOME ADDED FLAVOR

16. GET SAUCY
Depending on your brand personality, adding humor, making clever quips, or injecting a little
lighthearted fun into your headlines can be a great way to win over an audience (just ask any class
clown). But it’s important that you have the creative skill to pull it off. Jokes can fall flat or get
misconstrued, and who wants to risk losing audience favor due to an avoidable error in judgment?
TIP: The ultimate goal of content marketing is to forge a lasting, trusted relationship with an
audience. So make sure your quest to be clever or to crack
a joke doesn’t mislead readers, confuse or offend them,
or detract from the clarity and value of your content.
EXAMPLE:
Is the Funnel Clouding Our Online Vision?
OPTION NO.3
Plays on words (good ones, at least)
are usually a good way to go.
—Kip Meacham
THE SIDE DISHES:
SERVE UP SOME ADDED FLAVOR

17. GO FOR EMOTION
The very best headlines are often those that capitalize on the laws of basic human psychology
by playing on emotions like fear and anxiety, anger, jealousy, or love and compassion. Moreover,
studies show that headlines that trigger emotions are more likely to be shared on social media.
TIP: The ultimate goal of content marketing is to forge a
lasting, trusted relationship with an audience. So make
sure your quest to be clever or to crack a joke doesn’t
mislead readers, confuse or offend them, or detract
from the clarity and value of your content.
EXAMPLE:
• The One Content Marketing Question You Need to Ask
(That May Scare You)
• Who Killed the Content? Make Sure You’re Never the Suspect
• Awful Plane Crash ‘Prank’ Will Actually Make You Feel Bad for Paris Hilton
OPTION NO.4
Write trigger headlines.
Triggers are things that set off
emotional bombs like shock,
joy, surprise, etc.
—Salma Jafri
THE SIDE DISHES:
SERVE UP SOME ADDED FLAVOR

18. MAKE IT TRENDY AND TOPICAL
Tying your headline to recent or upcoming happenings (like industry meetings or new technology
releases), seasonal interests (like holidays), popular online memes, or important current events is
a smart way to grab attention — not to mention it can convey that you are interested in the world
beyond your business.
Though their life cycle may be shorter than more evergreen topics, headlines that have built-in
expiration dates can also add a sense of urgency to your content by signaling that your content
should be read now, before it’s too late.
EXAMPLE:
• 36 Content Marketing Tips for 2015
• 60 Content Marketing Predictions for 2015
• 4 Tips to Combat Facebook’s Latest Algorithm Update
OPTION NO.5
THE SIDE DISHES:
SERVE UP SOME ADDED FLAVOR

19. THE LAST WORD ON HEADLINES
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you’ll find that a piece of content you were expecting to
become flavor of the month ends up leaving a bad taste in the mouths of audience members. But
fear not! The beauty of content marketing is that many failures can be fixed — and even those that
can’t might still serve as valuable teaching tools.
So what can you do if your headline falls flat?
Change it. You have opportunitiesto repurpose that content to youraudience. Living documents can
be changed/added/referenced.
—Carmella Lanni
If a headline isn’t working, think
about why. What can you learn?
Failure teaches.
—Doug Kessler
THE SIDE DISHES:
SERVE UP SOME ADDED FLAVOR

20. Looking for a little hands-on headline help? Check out our list of
tips and tools for generating unique headlines, evaluating their
performance, and attracting your target audience without the need for
shady headline gimmicks.
ABOUT CONTENT MARKETING INSTITUTE
Content Marketing Institute is the leading global content marketing education and training
organization, teaching enterprise brands how to attract and retain customers through compelling,
multi-channel storytelling. CMI’s Content Marketing World event, the largest content marketing-
focused event, is held every September in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, and the Intelligent Content
Conference event is held every spring. CMI publishes the bi-monthly magazine Chief Content
Officer, and provides strategic consulting and content marketing research for some of the
best-known brands in the world. CMI is a 2012, 2013 and 2014 Inc. 500 company.