17 Must-Use Words in Your Headlines [+Examples]
Interested in how to write headlines that make articles and/or blog posts go viral? Then your first step as a professional copywriter is to learn what words are the most effective at grabbing your readers attention. Here is a list of proven words that you can use in headlines and titles to gain more interest from your readers and promote sharing on social media.
1. Secret
It's a fairly well-known fact that using terms like "secret" foster the idea of mystery and exclusivity in the mind of the reader.
Example: 9 Secrets About Writing Viral Headlines
2. New
Like the word "secret," the term "new" is one that has the power to catch and keep the attention of your prospective audience.
Example: Amazing Uses for New 3D Printers!
3. Now
"Now" is interesting because it suggests immediacy.
Example: 5 Projects to Start Right Now
4. Facts
People are interested in facts about everything under the sun. Including the term to boost engagement and sharing.
Example: 12 Amazing Facts About Everyday Breakfast Foods
5. Bargain
Writing an article about money-saving techniques or great deals with the world “bargain” in the title can be eye-catching.
Example: New Bargain Beauty Tips You Won't Want to Miss!
6. Exclusive
The term exclusive connotes, well, exclusivity. Most people like to feel as if they have access to valuable information that others don't know about.
Example: Exclusive Sneak Peek Into XYZ
7. How To
We live in an era of do-it-yourself projects, and many readers are interested in "How To" articles that provide them with information to fix or create things. Incorporating phrases like
"How To" in your headlines and titles is sure to get attention.
Example: How To Build Nearly Anything Out of Wood Pallets
8. Breakthrough
The term "breakthrough" is a great word to include in your headlines and titles because it conveys excitement and immediacy.
Example: Have You Seen These Stunning Breakthroughs in 3D Printing?
9. You & Your
Using the word "you" and “your” in titles and headlines is effective because it implies that the information conveyed in the article or blog post pertains to directly to the reader.In short, it suggests that the article or blog is directly applicable to the reader.
Example: "Your Winter Fashion Guide" suggests that there are certain clothes and fashion ideas that will directly benefit the reader.
10. Amazing
We all want to be amazed, and the promise of new, entertaining and informative information that will elicit
strong emotions will entice readers to click and read more often than not.
Example: 14 Amazing Masterpieces Created in a Day
11. This
"This" is a great term to place in one's headlines and/or titles because it connotes specificity and immediate information.
Example: "Is This The Right Car For You?"
12. What/Which/When
What, which, and when are all good terms to use because they are "question" terms.
Question terms are great to use in headlines and titles because they suggest that the writer will provide a significant answer to an important inquiry.
Example: How To Determine Which Car is Right For You
Image Source: Jared Cherup via Flickr
13. Why
Like the "what/which/when" medley, "why" is a great term to use in a title or headline because it promises a significant explanation.
Example: 7 Great Reasons Why Costa Rica Rocks for Vacations
14. People
Using the world people in a headline plays into our natural curiosity about others, especially if the information promises tips on how we can become more successful or beautiful. We also like sneaking a peek into other people’s lives.
Example: 12 Famous People Whose Names You Don't Know
15. Video
As many internet marketing experts know, people are much more likely to watch an online video than read an online article. If your article will contain an interesting and/or informative video, it's a good idea to advertise this fact in the title by including the term "video" there.
Example: The Only Uplifting Video You Need to See Today
16. Shocking
This works much like “Amazing” in a title, suggesting that reading the post will make us feel a strong emotion and give us new information.
Example: A Shocking Look Into the Life of a Hoarder
17. >Insert Number Here<
People love lists! Combined with any of the above-mentioned words,
a number can be a powerful force in headlines.
Example: 11 Shocking New Scientific Breakthroughs!
Words pack a punch, some more so than others. Writing eye-catching headlines and titles can help you create more viral content and grow your readership.
Do you have any favorite words or phrases that you use in headlines or never fail to grab your attention?
Comments (35)
For #2 “New” example, the word “new” isn’t present.
Aside from that, it’s a great article. :) Personally, I think that facts, breakthroughs, and secrets are the best words of the entire list.
Cheers,
Jonathan
Jonathan John,
Good eye! I must have accidentally deleted it while editing. Go figure.
I like those as well, but I’m personally drawn to How To, especially when reading.
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5/13/2019 Like the website– extremely informative and a lot of stuff to think about!
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Juicy and useable information!
Lisa, thanks for stopping by. Come back for more :)
5/13/2019 I’m gratified with the way that writtent.com handles this kind of subject matter. Generally on point, often controversial, always thoughtful as well as thought-provoking.
maxiefouhy44.co
A useful artícule, with 17 good examples, however there is one word missing which has more impact than all those listed..
The Word is…Free!
Dave, absolutely true – Free should be on the list :)
Like writtent.com– extremely informative and lots to see!
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5/13/2019 writtent.com does it again! Quite a thoughtful site and a good post. Thanks!
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Thank you Karri,
Great article. I will definitely incorporate this words in my gig titles.
Eric Rub.
Thanks for your kind words, Eric.
I’m pleased by the manner in which writtent.com covers this type of subject! Generally on point, often controversial, consistently well-written and more often than not quite challenging.
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Hi,
Useful and interesting article. Thanks for sharing.
Regards,
Gills
Gills, glad to hear the article was helpful!
5/13/2019 writtent.com does it yet again! Quite a informative site and a well-written post. Nice work!
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Appreciate the site– very easy to navigate and tons of stuff to see!
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hi, you write awesome send me tips too please!
Thanks for the compliment.
5/13/2019 @ 14:57:45 In my opinion, writtent.com does a great job of handling subjects of this type! While sometimes intentionally polemic, the material posted is in the main well-written and challenging.
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A very well crafted article. A great help for upcoming writers!
5/13/2019 I’m gratified with the way that writtent.com deals with this sort of topic! Usually on point, often polemic, without fail thoughtful and challenging.
maxiefouhy44.co
It’s easy to let headlines take the back seat in your writing process. Headlines can wind up as a quick afterthought, but really should be treated with much more consideration. In fact, your headline is arguably more important than the article itself. After all, who cares how great your blog post is if no one even reads it?
Thanks for sharing these thoughts with us, Karry.
Useful!
Regards:
Mike B.
A customer @ customerso
I like your list of important words. Thanks.
Great post, thank you for sharing. keep it up
Hi Karri
I really appreciate this blog post about creating title. It will very helpful for those who are writing article
Love this site– extremely easy to navigate and lots to consider!
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Fuck this clickbait spam bullshit. I hate these shitty headlines, they appeal to only the most braindead morons.
writtent.com is quite a good read. I just forwarded this on 5/13/2019 to a coworker who’s been involved in some work of her own on the topic. To say thanks, he just bought me dinner! So, I should probably say: Cheers for the drink!
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5/13/2019 I’m gratified by the manner in which writtent.com deals with this kind of subject. Usually on point, often polemic, consistently thoughtful and more often than not quite stimulating.
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Older article but I just found it. I have to disagree on #11. The word ‘this’ is being abused as hell in headlines nowadays. “This Service Helps With This While Doing This.” It’s become a way for sites to completely ditch the topic from the headline thinking it’ll entice people to click through to even figure out what the article is about. “How to use 123-App to track your progress” is much more enticing to me than “How to use this app to track your this.”
Thank you for sharing value able information.
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