Focus on Quality First

One tip new writers often get is that an attention-grabbing headline is key. But there’s a fine line between a good headline and a clickbaity one. The later is a bit like chomping into an overripe apple: no crunch and it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. If you’ve ever stumbled onto Buzzfeed and clicked on an enticing headline, you know what I'm talking about.

Here’s the thing: Clickbait headlines can harm your writing. And sooner or later, it will cost you readers and followers. Read on to learn about this practice and how to avoid using clickbait in your writing.

What is Clickbait?

Clickbait serves one purpose: Get the reader to click a link. Why is that important?

Clicking on a link increases the number of page views a website gets. Most clickbait creators want to boost their page statistics or earn money for each click. The problem is that clickbaity content is usually low-quality content. A hallmark of clickbait is that it doesn’t deliver on the promise of the headline. What you usually get: sensationalized, vague content - often disinformation and fake news.

A Clickbait Headline Can Hurt Your Writing

A good headline is a delicate balance between catching a reader’s attention and not leaving them disappointed with your content.

New writers may feel that a clickbaity headline is a good way to tempt people into reading their content. And it might work at first. But search engines like Google are wise to clickbait tactics. If a headline has nothing to do with the content, Google’s bots will know. Once the gods of search are on to you, it can affect your ranking. Lower rankings mean that readers can't find you through organic search.

True, a clickbait headline can initially draw a reader to your work. But that reader is less likely to engage with your page if your content doesn’t fulfill the promise of your headline. When a reader leaves your page without engaging, it's called Bounce Rate. It shows how many people visit your website and leave without taking action. A high Bounce Rate means people aren't clicking more links and hanging out on your site. Another number to look for is Average Time Spent on Page. A low number suggests readers aren't finding the content compelling enough to stick around. If someone clicks onto your page, only to quickly leave, you may have a clickbaity headline.

Google Analytics has tools to help you analyze page performance. Issues with bounce rate or average time spent on page are worth investigating deeper. It can point to an opportunity to make your content more robust or revise your headline.

Clickbait Red Flags

How can you tell if you’ve created a clickbait headline? Review your headline for common red flags:

1. A vague headline that leaves the reader wondering what the article or post is about

2. An outrageous or startling thumbnail image that has nothing to do with your article or post

3. Sensational language that targets an emotional response

4. All caps or using caps to emphasize certain words in your headline

Here are some examples of clickbait headlines:

“You won’t believe…”

“This trick is guaranteed to…”

“The shocking truth about…”

“You’ll never guess…”

“I was AMAZED to discover…”

“____ things you need to know to ____”

Ways to Avoid Writing Clickbait Headlines

The last thing you want is to trick your readers into clicking onto your page. You don't want to leave them disappointed after realizing they wasted 10 minutes of their life reading bad content. Yet you want to catch the reader’s attention.

A good headline, optimized for SEO can help reach that goal. A good headline promises to give the reader something in exchange for their time. Make sure your content delivers on that promise. If you want to improve your headline and content quality, try taking these four steps:

Step 1: Create robust content that engages your readers

Good writing informs, educates or entertains (sometimes all three). Whether you write a listicle, a how-to, or a life lesson, strive to build a relationship with your readers. Give them what they want: quality content. When write a new piece, I try to answer four basic questions:

1. What (a clear description of the subject)

2. Why (why the reader should care)

3. How (how-to/how you did it)

4. So What? (How does this apply to your reader’s life)

Here are a couple examples of this in action:

Example 1: Car Repair Made Easy

• What: How to change the spark plugs on a 1966 Ford Mustang

• Why: Your 1966 Mustang has a bad spark plug and you can’t afford to take it to a mechanic

• How: A step-by-step walk through for changing spark plugs

• So What?: You can save a ton of money doing this yourself

Example 2: Skincare – how to deal with acne breakouts

• What: 5 things to help reduce annoying acne breakouts

• Why: Acne can lower your self-confidence, but there are solutions

• How: 5 things I did to get clearer skin

• So What?: You too can manage breakouts for clearer skin and more confidence

Step 2: Create a Clear Headline That’s Easy to Understand

A good headline should give readers a preview of what your article or post is about. Work to cut out words and phrases typical of clickbait. Then use a tool like CoSchedule Headline Analyzer to help you refine and optimize your headline for SEO.

Step 3: Add a Subheadline

A subheadline is a secondary headline. It appears right below your headline, usually in a smaller font. A subheadline gives the reader more information about your content. Use a subheadline to help your reader answer two questions, (1) “Is this content for me?” and (2) “Is reading this worth my time?”

Step 4: Make Your Content Easy to Read with Subheadings

People are busy and readers often skim through content looking for specific nuggets of information. If your reader is in a hurry, bad formatting can cause them to click off your page before they find it. Bold subheadings help guide readers through your article or post. This is especially helpful with longer form content where readers can get lost in a sea of text.

To Recap:

Content quality is key to building readership.

1. Begin with quality content that delivers on the promise of your headline

2. Write clear, understandable headlines

3. Use subheadlines to add context and clarity to your headline

4. Use subheadings to make your content skimmable

Your headline is like a welcome sign hanging outside your home. Invite readers in with content that’s relevant to their needs and they will enter. Once inside, feed them quality content that adds value, educates, informs, or inspires them to act. Delivering on the promise of your headline gives you credibility and improves your search rankings. Both will help you build a loyal following of fans over time.