How to Create Attention-Grabbing Headlines FAST

If you’re creating any content online – sales pages, emails, blog posts, social media posts… you need headlines that will grab the attention of your ideal audience so they’re excited to read more!

But trying to brainstorm a great headline idea from a blank page can be painful and time-consuming.  That’s where headline templates come in SUPER handy!

Just fill in the blanks with your topic and what you’re sharing, and ka-pow instantly excellent blog post headline!  

If you can fill in a blank or two, you can write snappy, attention-grabbing headlines with the templates below.

1. "How to..."

“How to” headlines are attached to some of the most popular posts on many websites and blogs.

Why?  Because you know right from the headline exactly what you’re going to find out how to do.  Boom–simple, obvious promise of results!

The Templates: 

  • How to _____________________ (Straightforward, just exactly what you’re sharing how to do)
  • How to _________ and ____________ (If you can do the first, you’ll get the second)
  • How to _________ Even If _______________ (End with what’s stopping people so they know why that isn’t an excuse anymore)
  • How to _________ in ________ (Add a time qualifier to how long it will take to achieve)
  • How to _________ so that you can __________ (What happens when your readers can do what you’re showing them how to do?)
  • How to _________ Like __________ (Who do your readers idolize?)
  • How to _________ Without ___________ (What do your readers want, and what do they NOT want to do or give up to get that result?)
  • How to be ______________ (What do your readers want to become?)    
        

Quick Imaginary Examples:

  • How to Decorate Your Bedroom Like a Pro Even if You Can’t Tell Red from Purple or Silk from Chiffon
  • How to Write Better Blog Post Headlines in 10 Minutes Without Becoming a Sleazy Used Car Salesman
  • How to Learn Enough French in Less Than 10 Days to Survive Paris with Style
  • How to Write Blog Post Headlines that Go Viral
  • How to Re-Enter the Limelight and Create Your Own Comeback Like the Clintons
  • How Dozens of  Smart Men Screwed Up a Country by Ignoring the Sage Words of Thomas Jefferson
  • How Focus Groups Deliver the Worst Possible Guidance and What to Do Instead When Testing Your Advertising
  • How a Stay at Home Mom Lost 50 Pounds and Got into Shape–Without Cutting Calories or Fat From Her Diet   
         

Real Life Examples:

  • How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie (You’ve heard of this super best seller, right?)
  • The Science of Instagram: How to Get More Followers and Likes – QuickSprout  
        

Two Cool Twists:

  • Turn the “How to” into a personal story and increase curiosity with a “How I…” or “How (person) (achieved results)”
  • Twist this into “How NOT to… like…” and go with someone they really don’t love or aren’t impressed with

2. “I’ve Got the Answer to Your Question”

Your readers have questions.  Do you have answers?  Tell them right in the headline by ASKING the questions in their heads or showing them the answer.

You want to ask a question that triggers one of these responses in your readers’ mind: “Yes!!”, “No!”, or “I’ve Gotta Know!”

What do your readers struggle with and really want to fix or understand?

The Templates:

  • Are You Making this Mistake When ________________?
  • Is This Why You Aren’t Succeeding With ___________________?
  • Do You Struggle to ___________?  Read This Now. (Or, “Don’t Miss This” or some other action phrase at the end)
  • Stop ___________ with ______________  (First blank, the problem or challenge; Second blank, the solution)
  • End Your Struggle to ________________
  • Little Known Secrets to ________________
  • Do You Wonder How ______ Almost Always _________?  (First blank, group of successful people; second blank, their results)
  • One Quick Way to _____________
  • If You’re Frustrated By _______ Try ______________ (First blank, problem; Second blank, hint at your solution but don’t give it away yet!)
  • You Can ________ even if _________ with _________ (First blank, big problem; Second blank why it’s been a problem; Third blank, strategy/secret/formula/tip/etc.)
  • What You’ve Got to Know About _________________
  • Do You Know These ___________ to Avoid ___________?  (First blank, something like “three keys” or “five secrets”; Second blank, big scary problem)
       

Quick Imaginary Examples:

  • Are Your Blog Posts Boring Your Readers to Sleep?
  • Do You Struggle with Confidence?  Don’t Miss this Guide to Finding Your Hidden Inner Rockstar
  • Do You Wonder How Some Bloggers Get All the Attention (When Your Content is Just as Good)?
  • One Quick Way to Write a Rockin’ Blog Post in Half the Time
  • If You’re Frustrated by Your Frizzy Hair in the Summer, This Quick Fix Worked for Me
  • You Can Get Clients With a Blog, Even if You Hate to Write
  • Revealed: Little Known Secrets of Accountants that Make Tax Time Painless for Entrepreneurs
       

Real Life Examples:

  • Can Honest Copywriting Succeed? – Shel Horowitz
  • How Far Should You Go to Make a Sale in Your Copy? – Mind Valley Insights
  • Can you REALLY Make Money Blogging? [7 Things I Know About Making Money from Blogging] – ProBlogger

3. “You Can Be Successful, Too!”

If You Can Fill in a Blank, You Can Write Great Blog Post Headlines that Get Readers to Your Blog — that’s the promise of this post, right?  Did it grab YOUR attention?

The Templates:

  • If ________ Then _________ (First blank, simple action or skill; Second blank, result your readers want)
  • __________ Like ______________ (First blank, big goal or dream; Second blank, someone famous who’s done it)
  • Create ___________ You _________ (First blank, something people want; Second blank, why they want it)
  • Why ____________ Always ___________ (First blank, group of people; Second blank, results they get)
  • The ______ Guide to ________ (First blank, adjective that describes how your readers see themselves or what they wish for – “A-List Blogger’s” or “Lazy Blogger’s”; Second blank, result)
  • Become ____________ Without _____________ (First blank, what your readers want; Second blank, the obstacle or challenge that stops them)  
        

Quick Imaginary Examples:

  • Create the Dream Business You Want So You Can Travel the World and Work From Anywhere
  • The One Secret Workout Twist that Will Help You Sculpt a Body You’ll Love
  • The Stay at Home Mom’s Guide to Making Money from a Laptop
  • If You Can Write an Email, You Can Build a Profitable Blog
  • How to Brand Yourself Big Like (Insert Currently Cool Celebrity Here)
  • Why Smart Bloggers Always Test Their Headlines (And How to Test Yours in 3 Simple Steps)
  • The 5 Steps to Build a 6 Figure Consulting Business Without Working 7 Days a Week   
       

Real Life Examples:

  • ________ for Dummies (the Wiley brand that covers everything from Computers to Dating and Beyond)
  • The Complete Idiot’s Guide to…
  • A Cheatsheet for Optimizing Your WordPress Blog for Search Engines Without Cheating – QuickSprout
  • Risk Reversal: My Favorite Jay Abraham Technique for Kick-Starting Your Online Sales – Mind Valley Insights

4. “Watch Out! Protect Yourself! Warning!”

Grab your readers’ attention and jar them out of complacency with a big ol’ warning headline.

Tabloids and sensationalist news publications use this technique frequently, as in: “Deadly Poison Shooting Insect Creature From Venus Invades Small Town–This Common Household Item is Your Only Effective Defense!”

You can do it without the alien references (or with, if your readers are sci-fi fans).

Make it “us” against “them” — what others in your industry or profession won’t tell your readers that you will.

The Templates:

  • Are You Making These _____ Mistakes When You ________?  (Fill in with a number or action word, then your topic)
  • The ____ Biggest Problems with ________ (First a number, then your topic)
  • _____ Massive ____________ Mistakes You’re Probably Making Now (Start with a number then add your topic)
  • _____ Ways to Avoid ____________ (Number, then a big fear)
  • The Secret _______ to _____________ (Share a Secret Formula, Strategy, etc.)
  • Avoid _______ When You ________ (First blank, “looking stupid” or an equally undesirable result; Second blank, process/action)
  • The ______________ Hoax (or Hoodwink or another “hey they fooled you!” phrase)
  • What ______ Won’t Tell You About ___________ (First blank, authority figure; Second blank, your topic)
  • The Real Truth Behind _____________
  • Lies _________ Tell About _____________
  • ____ Warning Signs of ___________ (What “ailment” might your audience be suffering from?)
       

Quick Imaginary Examples:

  • 5 Massive Mistakes You’re Probably Making that Scare Readers Away from Your Blog
  • What You Absolutely Must Know to Use Pinterest Safely
  • What Your Doctor Won’t Tell You About the Real Risks of Hormone Replacement Therapy
  • 7 Ways to Avoid Buying Gifts that Get “Re-Gifted”
  • The Client Attraction Hoax: What Most Marketing Consultants Aren’t Telling You
  • Avoid Looking Stupid at the Club: Simple Dance Moves Anyone Can Pull Off
       

Real Life Examples:

  • It’s 10 o’Clock: Do You Know Where Your Credit History Is? a press release title by Shel Horowitz (notice this one is also a question)
  • ObamaCare Survival Guide by Nick Tate (haven’t read this but it’s on Amazon’s bestseller list for 2013)
  • Don’t Believe What Politicians Say About Your Uterus – Cosmopolitan (which is worth browsing just for the headlines)
  • 15 WordPress User Errors that Make You Look Silly – Copyblogger
  • The Myth of Focus & Why Many Great Entrepreneurs Pursued Multiple Projects at Once – Mind Valley Insights
  • How Clutter Affects Your Brain & What You Can Do About It – LifeHacker

5.  “Easy Button: List Post, Checklist, Template, or Step by Step Guide”

Ah yes, the mythical easy button… but is it always mythical?  If you’ve been struggling to write your blog post headlines, doesn’t having simple templates like the ones in this post make it easier?

We don’t want yet more information but we do want simple solutions and easy buttons that make us feel like a result is achievable.

Promise your readers a helpful list, checklist, template, or step by step (often in a post starting with a number) and they’ll be breathing a sigh of relief before they’ve even read your post!

The Templates:

  • _____ Ways to _______
  • _____ Tips to Help You _______
  • Avoid ______ in ___ Easy Steps
  • The _____ Guide to _______ (Fill in the first blank with popular words like Ultimate, Zen, Minimalist, Lazy Person’s, Smart Person’s, etc.)
  • Learn ________ Step by Step and __________
  • ______ Shortcuts to __________ Success
       

Quick Imaginary Examples:

  • Avoid that Expensive (and Embarrassing) Speeding Ticket with these 5 Magic Words
  • The Ultimate Guide to Looking Stylish on a Shoestring Budget
  • 5 Shortcuts to Monetizing Your Blog Quickly
  • 10 Tips to Help You Attract the Right Clients to Your Next Paint Your Toenails Tiger Striped Purple Workshop
  • Three Simple Ways to Get Noticed by the Media Using Unique Holidays
       

Real Life Examples:

  • 31 Days to Build a Better Blog – ProBlogger 
  • The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts – Gary Chapman
  • The Hotel Room Workout: 5 Exercises When You Can’t Get to the Gym – Entrepreneur.com
  • 109 Ways to Make Your Business Irresistible to the Media – Copyblogger
  • 56 Ways to Market Your Business on Pinterest – Copyblogger
  • 6 Ways to Spice Up Your Copywriting and Sell Without Even a Dash of Hype – Marcia Yudkin at The Word Chef

Ready to Infuse Your Magic into Your Copy?