Search Engine Optimization When Writing Headlines

Introduction to SEO Headlines

A staggering 80% of readers don’t go beyond the headline. Of the few that do, most won’t stick around long. In our digital era, catching a reader’s attention quickly is critical—and often, your first impression is made by an algorithm rather than a human. For this reason, mastering the art of crafting SEO-friendly headlines that engage both algorithms and human readers is essential for every marketer.

For bloggers aiming to boost brand visibility or drive sales, the ability to get your content seen by an audience is paramount. Even the most compelling or innovative articles can fall flat if they aren’t optimized for search engines—akin to writing them on paper only to toss them out.

SEO is a crucial element in the marketing strategy funnel, yet it’s common for marketers to overemphasize SEO tactics at the expense of engaging the actual readers.

Renowned advertiser David Ogilvy highlighted the importance of headlines in the 1960s, famously stating in Confessions of an Advertising Man, “On average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body of the article. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents of your dollar.” The takeaway? A vast majority of readers never move past the headline.

How to Craft SEO-Friendly Headlines

Ensuring headlines are both clickable and readable is vital for transitioning users from the search engine results page (SERP) to your website. Engaging titles not only draw more traffic from various sources like paid ads, emails, and social media but also signal to Google the value of your content.

Writing headlines is a blend of creativity and technical skill. Here are strategies for composing headlines that resonate with people as much as they conform to SEO standards:

1. Understand Your Audience

It may sound straightforward, but deeply knowing your audience is what makes or breaks the click-through rate. While it’s tempting to write solely for search engines, such headlines will not realize their full potential if they don’t resonate on a human level. Audiences appreciate a touch of personality and creativity, so let your unique voice shine through, demonstrating that your headlines are crafted by humans, for humans.

Achieving the right mix of human and algorithmic appeal is key, but ultimately, it’s a human who will decide to click and read further. Understanding your target market’s preferences and behaviors is crucial, as emphasized by Katelyn Bourgoin on our Digital Marketing Troop podcast, where she discusses the psychological triggers behind consumer purchases.

2. Conduct Thorough Keyword Research

Solid keyword research is foundational to any SEO effort, including headline creation. Your aim is to identify keywords that potential readers might use to find answers your content provides. This involves exploring both broad keywords and more specific long-tail phrases.

An effective method is to start with Google itself. Search for your primary keyword and note the autocomplete suggestions and related queries. These insights, driven by user behavior, can guide your keyword selection.

Another useful resource is the “People also ask” box in Google’s search results, which offers additional keyword ideas based on common user questions.

Remember, it’s not just about how you refer to your product or service; consider how your target audience might be searching for it. Insights can often be gained from customer feedback or reviews of similar products.

Once you’ve compiled a list of potential keywords, evaluate them based on their search volume and competitiveness to ensure they are both viable and practical targets for your SEO goals.

Understanding Your Users’ Search Intent

When crafting SEO-friendly headlines, it’s crucial to consider the four main types of search intent: informational, navigational, commercial, and transactional. At MXD Marketing, we utilize tools like SEMRush to distinguish these search intents, which guides our headline creation. Your headline should mirror the type of content you are presenting, tailored to the specific search intent preferred by your audience.

Narrow Down Keyword List Based on Opportunity

Beyond just search volume and competition, it’s essential to identify other opportunity indicators through a detailed SERP analysis. Questions to consider include: Is there a featured snippet you could aim for? Are there prevalent local results or reviews? Monitoring your existing keyword performance in tools like SEMRush or Moz is also valuable. If available, leveraging Google Search Console can highlight additional SEO opportunities.

Write Several Headline Options Per Post

At MXD Marketing, we usually develop our content first, allowing the primary keyword to guide our on-page SEO, and craft the headline last. Some may choose to start with a compelling headline and then construct a post to match. Regardless of the approach, it’s beneficial to create multiple headline drafts. David Ogilvy, a legend in advertising, famously drafted his best headline 104 times. You may not need as many, but investing significant effort into your headline is crucial.

Many effective headlines result from tried-and-tested formulas. Resources like “headline swipe files” can provide proven SEO-friendly headline patterns. Additionally, tools such as BuzzSumo, HubSpot’s blog topic generator, and CoSchedule’s Free Headline Analyzer can offer inspiration and feedback, helping you refine your headlines to ensure they are concise and impactful, ideally under 60 characters to meet metadata standards.

Select an SEO-Friendly Headline

With several strong headline drafts in hand, the next step is to select the most suitable one. It should incorporate your target keyword, stay within the 60-character limit, and ideally, achieve a high score on headline analysis tools like CoSchedule’s analyzer. Aiming for a score of 75 or higher is advisable, while discarding any options scoring under 60.

Tips for Writing SEO-Friendly Headlines

A great headline evokes emotions, sets clear expectations, and conveys the message simply and directly. Avoid clickbait tactics that can lead to high bounce rates and potentially damage your site’s credibility and rankings. Instead, focus on honesty and clarity to build trust with your audience. Keep your language straightforward and avoid unnecessary jargon to ensure your headlines are accessible and engaging.

Utilize proven headline formulas to maintain consistency and effectiveness in your headline creation, adapting them with your unique style and voice to ensure originality.

Write Headlines for the Content You Have

It might sound obvious, but it’s important to base your headline on the actual content of your article. While it’s common to start with a working title, the final headline should be decided after the article is complete. This approach prevents a mismatch between the expectations set by the headline and the content delivered, ensuring that your headline accurately reflects the substance of the article.

The Role of AI in Writing Headlines

Although AI tools are incredibly useful for generating ideas, optimizing headlines, or updating older posts, the final headline should feel personal and human-crafted. AI can support the creative process, but the final touch should always be human, ensuring the headline connects genuinely with readers.

Good (and Bad) SEO Headline Examples

Effective headlines are specific and targeted. For example, “Why You Need Audience Research in Paid Media” clearly addresses those involved in paid media, indicating that the article will discuss the benefits of audience research in this field. Similarly, “Internal Linking for SEO: How to Audit + Best Practices” promises specific, actionable advice for a distinct audience interested in SEO.

Conversely, less effective headlines fail to communicate clearly or target too broadly. “Amazing Tips for Cooking Healthy Meals and Fixing Your Car’s Engine” mixes unrelated topics, confusing both the audience and search engines. “How to Buy the Best Clothes Online” is vague, lacking a clear audience or value proposition. Lastly, “Make $10,000 a Week With Cryptocurrency!” appears unrealistic and clickbaity, lacking substance and potentially misleading readers.

Final Thoughts on Writing Outstanding SEO Headlines

Headlines are crucial in today’s vast sea of digital content, where distractions abound. A strong headline must give readers a compelling reason to select your content over countless others encountered via search engines, social media feeds, or other digital platforms. It’s essential to integrate effective SEO practices with genuine, engaging writing to capture and retain reader interest without sacrificing search relevance.