When it comes to blog posts the first thing that people are greeted with is the title. But, what types of titles will ensure a good click-through rate and get the most amount of people reading your content, staying on your site, and becoming a loyal customer?

1. The 4 “U’s”

Firstly, the general type of headline that will generate clicks will have aspects of the following U’s;

Useful – People will click on a headline if it solves a problem. So create titles that help your customers with tip style content.

Urgent – Push people to click with titles that grab attention. Try to evoke the fear of missing out, by creating time-sensitive headlines. For example, use events or time constricted headlines such as “5 things to do before_” to encourage your customers to click on the link!

Unique – Use rare and unusual phrases in your headlines that will make your content stand out. Create witty puns on interesting topics that your readers will be more likely to click on.

Ultra-Specific – Try to be as niche and specific in your headline. For example, don’t write the title “5 weight loss ideas” write instead, “5 ways to lose weight via healthy eating” or “via exercise”. This will push people to read your content as it is not generalised and you are focusing on a specific area, that they probably used as a Google key search term.

2. Article Headlines

Another type of headline that engages readers is a title in the format of an article. This is the most common type and can generate click-throughs via its engaging and informative content. Often these can be controversial. This will generate attention, pulling in audiences and getting them to engage with your opinions and thoughts on industry-specific topics.

However, be careful not to be too controversial, as this can lead to a backlash and negative press. Consider these types of headlines to add an intriguing note to your content or to present engaging topics that you know your readers will want to read.

3. Answer the Question

Question type headlines will engage readers from the outset and are the best for getting your content found.

When people spot a question they automatically think of a response, therefore we naturally want to click through and read the article.

These titles are more likely to increase your SEO via voice automated search. Conversational, question style titles will be picked up by voice devices such as Siri, Alexa and Google Home, increasing your SEO and chances of being found by new customers.

4. Brand Acknowledgments

Using brand names in articles can be advantageous, however, consider whether this brand will be of interest to your key audience demographic. Use global brands or ones you know your audience will want to click through to read more about. Avoid using your own brand name in the title as this may deter some readers, and also wastes space where keywords could be used. Think about SEO carefully when devising a headline as keywords, meta descriptions and search results will all result in improved presence, and more likely to encourage active readers to click through to the article itself.

5. How-To Guides

According to a recent study, the “How-to” category provided the highest click-through rate and post-click engagement at 76% of readers. Use this title to highlight to your customers that you can solve their problems and offer advice that will benefit them.

Additionally, on average it takes a customer eight quality touches with a brand to become a customer. This means you need eight points of quality contact to secure their business. How-to headlines drive the most quality brand touches as audiences stay on the site longer and visit the resource more often than any other type of headline.

Therefore, a mixture of the above types of headlines may be just what your blog needs in order to drive traffic and generate good click-through rates. Experiment with the types of titles you use to create content and see which works best for your audiences. Work to create quality content that solves your audience’s problems so they return to your brand and make you an industry leader.