Extra! Extra! Headlines sell papers and blogs. Headlines are the first thing people see before deciding to read your blog. Get it wrong and you risk having all your carefully created content overlooked! This being said, I cannot overstress the importance of a snappy headline. If you’re struggling for ideas, here are 7 archetypes of headlines that can help you.

How To

• How to supercharge your testimonials to attract more clients and opportunities
• How to re-programme your subconscious mind to get what you want
• Couples in business: How NOT to mix marriage and work
• Fear vs. intuition: How to tell the difference

Thanks to Google, when people are trying to understand something or learn a new skill, the internet is one of the first places they look. Using a “How To” headline will help you capture this traffic and give you a chance to impart some personal experience and tips which are unique to your blog.

A Twist on Current News

Examples of a twist on current news posts

• Loopy over Looper and 5 other unforgettable time travel films
• Has the bank kidnapped your money and hidden it in the basement for 10 years?
• 10 things you can learn about cheating from the Tiger Woods saga

Staying current is not optional on the internet. If a news story comes up that is relatable to the themes of your blog, you have to take the opportunity to comment on it! It may point a new audience in your direction, so don’t miss this trick!

The Unexpected or the Mystery Unknown

Examples of the unexpected or mystery unknown posts

• The single most important factor of your business
• What you do not know about Bangkok’s colours but should
• What do superheroes have in common with marketing?
• Possibly the greatest conversation on Twitter ever
• 9 free ways to become wealthy

This is a great type for grabbing the reader’s attention.  The more surprising and shocking the more chance you have of piquing someone’s curiosity.  But don’t forget you should always stay true to the tone of your blog, it’s your brand!

A Collection of Useful Tips or Examples

Examples of collection of useful tips posts

• 6 Tips how to make your references work for you
• Worst logo fails for all time
• 30 best perfectly timed animal photos
• 9 rules for turning endings into new beginnings
• 5 leadership lessons you won’t learn in business school
• 30 stunning examples of typography design

This headline type gives a lot of freedom to be creative and reflect the personality of your blog. So  have fun with it!

The two parter headline

Examples of two parter posts

• Fear vs. Intuition: How to tell the difference
• Why are numbers important in marketing? Here are 6 reasons!
• Want to see a great example of online personal branding? Meet Gina Romero!

The 2 parter headline gives you an opportunity to expand on a traditional headline and offer the reader more information.  People like to know what to expect and with a two part headline you have twice as much space to tell them! Many of the different types shown here can be merged together into a two part headline to create exciting new hybrids.

Step by step

Examples of step by step posts

• 5 easy steps to make your job descriptions go viral
• 7 steps to natural health and healing
• 6 Steps To Healing Yourself
• The quick 4-step test to find out if your headline sucks

Step by step articles are usually broken up by numbering each step. Using regular headings like this helps keep the reader’s attention and ensures you deliver a punchy and focused post.

A Story or Case Study (with a twist)

Examples of a story or case study post

• A social media quest (in tweets): genius tweets from Waterstones
• How Top Left Design is like Lionel Logue from the King’s Speech – helping clients communicate

Focusing on a story or case study provides an opportunity to keep your blog current and bring in new traffic.  Sharing or commenting on other peoples content is very important on a blog, it gives you a chance to promote others and in return your blog will be promoted! A story or case study can be particularly useful for corporate blogs as they can provide more varied and interesting content for the reader than company news and articles directed towards selling. Remember to put your own spin on the case study, people subscribe to a blog for the authors unique tone and perspective, so don’t lose your voice!

I hope these headlines give you some inspiration for your own blog! But remember, the headline only draws the audience in, the content is what will keep them coming back.