The most successful bloggers have learned that if a blog post title doesn’t capture attention, then you’re dead in the water before you even start. That’s why you need a catchy title that grabs your readers by the shirt collar and stops ‘em in their tracks.
According to research by online marketing experts at HubSpot, headlines between 8 – 12 words in length get the most Twitter shares on average. On Facebook, headlines with either 12 or 14 words receive more likes. We already know that well-optimized titles can help you get found in search engines. So, it’s to your benefit to spend some time crafting attention-getting, optimized titles for each of your posts.
To help you out, below is a list of 101 catchy headline templates that you can use over and over again. Just replace the words in [brackets] with niche-focused terms that fit with the topics of your blog posts. Bookmark this post for future use!
1. The 10 Smartest Things You Can Do To [Get a Result]
Example: The 10 Smartest Things You Can Do to Improve Employee Communication
2. What I Wish I Knew About [Topic] When I First [Started Trying to Get a Result]
Example: What I Wish I Knew About Hiring Employees When I First Started Trying to Build my Team
3. [Number] Things You Never Knew About [Getting a Result]
Example: 7 Things You Never Knew About Communicating with Your Supervisor
4. The #1 Reason [Type of Person] [Gets Some Bad Result] (And How You Can Avoid It)
Example: The #1 Reason IT Teams Fall Apart in the First Three Months (…and How You Can Avoid It)
5. [Number] Secrets Your [Type of Person] Won’t Tell You About [Getting a Result]
Example: 7 Secrets Your Employees Won’t Tell You About What Motivates Them
6. The #1 Way to [Get a Good Result] (…That Almost No One Knows About)
Example: The #1 Way to Creating a Successful Team (…That Almost No One Knows About)
7. [Number] Surprising Reasons [Why You Get Or Do Not Get a Result] – [#X] Is Going To Blow Your Mind
Example: Six Surprising Reasons Why You Got Fired — #3 is Going To Blow Your Mind!
8. One Amazing Secret to Never [Getting a Bad Result Again]
Example: One Amazing Secret To Never Losing Your Best Employees Again
9. For People Who Want [To Get a Result], But [Don’t Know Where to Start or Keep Getting Some Bad Result]
Example: For People Who Want to Build a Successful Speaking Business, But Don’t Know Where to Begin
10. A Simple [Number] Step Formula for [Getting a Specific Result]
Example: A Simple Five-Step Formula For Hiring Awesome Employees
11. Here’s What a [Success Result] Looks Like
Example: Here’s What Team-Building Success Looks Like
12. The [Number] Simple Steps You Can Take Right Now to [Start Getting a Good Result]
Example: The Three Simple Steps You Can Take Right Now to Eliminate Employee Turnover
13. Here’s How to [Engage in Some Activity] Like [Some Expert]
Example: Here’s How to Write Like a Bestselling Author
14. [Number] Astonishing Secrets of [Getting Some Great Result]
Example: 10 Astonishing Secrets of Hiring the Best Employees
15. [Number] Little-Known Ways to [Get a Great Result]
Example: 3 Little-Known Ways To Get Classic-Car Parts At a Big Discount
16. Here’s a Surprisingly Quick and Easy Way to [Get Some Result]
Example: Here’s a Surprisingly Quick and Easy Way to Recruit Amazing New Employees
17. How to [Get Some Result], Even If [You Don’t Possess Some Skill, Experience, Etc]
Example: How To Get Hired, Even If You Totally Bombed Your Job Interview
18. Here’s How To [Create a Type of Thing] You Can Be Chest-Puffingly Proud Of
Example: Here’s How To Build an IT Team That You Can Be Chest-Puffingly Proud Of
19. [Number] [Amazing/Surprising] [Type Of] Lessons I Learned From [Some Activity or Person]
Example: 3 Surprising Supervisory Lessons I Learned From a Buffet Chef In Las Vegas
20. What [Some Activity, Event, Etc] Taught Me About [Some Topic or Result That’s Very Different From the Activity/Event]
Example: What The 24/7 Cable News Channels Taught Me About Training New Employees
21. The Essential Guide to [Getting Some Result]
Example: The Essential Guide to Launching Your First Successful Business
22. The Secrets of Mastering [Something] To [Get Some Great Result]
Example: The Secrets of Mastering Public Speaking to Get Your Ideal Job
23. An Astonishing Secret That Will Completely Change the Way You [Think About or Do Something]
Example: An Astonishing Secret That Will Completely Change The Way You Deal with Difficult Employees
24. [Number] [Type of] Trends That Will [Describe What These Trends Will Do] This Year
Example: 5 Human Resources Trends That Will Significantly Boost Your Income in the Next Year
25. The [Number] Absolute Best [Tools/Resources] For [Getting a Result]
Example: The 7 Absolute Best Tools for Coaching Troubled Employees
26. The Shockingly Simple [Type of Tip/Trick/Secret] [Delivers Great Results/Gets People Excited
Example: The Shockingly Simple Supervisory Tip That’s Making Employees Very Happy
27. [Number] [Type Of People] Are Getting [Some Type of Awesome Results] With this Simple Trick
Example: 2,873 IT Experts Are Getting Hired Immediately Using this Simple Trick
28. What/How [Some Niche Expert] [Does That’s Niche Relevant]
Example: What Corporate CEOs Do When Their Employees Become Unmotivated
29. Uncover [Some Benefit] That Lay Hidden [In Some Place]
Example: Uncover the Savings That Lay Hidden in the Break Room of Your Retail Business
30. Warning: Don’t Even Think About [Taking Some Action] Until You Read This Eye-Opening Article
Example: Warning: Don’t Even Think About Hiring a New Employee Until You Read This Eye-Opening Article
31. Is Your [Product, Home, Etc] [Doing Some Awful Thing To You]?
Example: Is Your Favorite Employee Talking Behind Your Back?
32. Who Else Wants [Some Benefit] In Just [Short Time Period]?
Example: Who Else Wants to Double Their Sales Income in Just 48 Hours?
33. The #1 Way to [Get a Result]—This One is Backed By Science!
Example: The #1 Way to Increase Sales —This One Is Backed By Science!
34. What Do [Type of People] Know About [Topic or Getting a Result] That You Don’t?
Example: What Do Professional Opera Stars Know About Building an IT Team that You Don’t?
35. The Big List of [Some Type of Tools, Resources, Etc]
Example: The Big List Team-Building Games
36. Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About [Topic] (But Were Afraid To Ask]
Example: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Hiring New Employees (But Were Afraid To Ask)
37. To Anyone Who’s Ever Been [Embarrassed/Afraid/Other Negative Emotion] [About Some Issue]
Example: To Anyone Who’s Ever Been Embarrassed About their Crappy Performance Reviews
38. [Number] Super Quick And Easy Ways to [Get a Better Result]
Example: 3 Super Quick-and-Easy Ways to Become a Better Public Speaker
39. If You Can Do [Some Very Simple Thing], Then You [Can Get Some Benefit]
Example: If You Can Click a Mouse, then You, too, Can Write a Great Job Description
40. They Told Me I’d Never [Get Some Result]—But Just Look At Me Now!
Example: They Told Me I’d Never Get a High-Paying Sales Job —But Just Look At Me Now!
41. Would [Some Great Result] [Create Some Improvement In Your Life]?
Example: Would Doubling Your Sales Income Help You Sleep Better At Night?
42. The [Number] Uber-Effective Habits of [Some Type of Successful People]
Example: The 4 Uber-Effective Habits of Great Communicators
43. Give Me Just [Some Short of Amount Of Time], and I’ll [Give You/Show You Some Great Tool, Resource, etc]
Example: Give Me Just Five Minutes, And I’ll Show You How Increase Your Sales Income by Thousands
44. How a Simple [Type of Thing] Can [Deliver Great Results]
Example: How a Simple Notebook Can Help You Take Your Team to the Next Level
45. [Some Percent] [People] Will Fail [When They Try To Get Some Result] – Unless They Use This Simple Trick
Example: Nearly 88% of Managers Will Fail When They Hire New Employees – Unless They Use This Simple Trick
46. Here Are [Number] Great Reasons Why It’s Time to [Break Up With Something/Kiss Something Goodbye
Example: Here Are Six Great Reasons Why it’s Time to Kiss Your Loser Supervisor Goodbye
47. [Some Specific Thing] is Dead – Here’s What Smart [Types of People] Are [Using/Doing] Instead
Example: Real Estate Sales as We Know It is Dead — Here’s What Smart Agents Are Doing Instead
48. How to Make [Some Boring Thing] [Fun/Sexy/etc]
Example: How to Make Employee Reviews Fun
49. Do You Have [Type of] Worries? Here’s How to Fix Them!
Example: Do You Have Job Worries? Here’s How to Fix Them!
50. The Incredible [Type of] [Secret/Strategy/Etc] That Almost No One Knows About
Example: The Incredible Team-Building Secret that Almost No One Knows About
51. [Number] [Facts/Stats/Resources/Etc] That Explain Why [Topic]
Example: Three Facts that Explain Why You Can’t Fire Employees Who are Always Late
52. How to Use [Some Resource or Strategy] To [Get Some Good Result]
Example: How To Use Social Media Marketing To Establish Yourself As An Expert In Your Niche
53. The Incredible True Story [Of How a Person Got Results]
Example: The Incredible True Story of a Sales Manager Who Quadrupled Her Sales in Just 12 Months
54. The Ultimate [List/Checklist/Resource] For [Getting Some Great Result]
Example: The Ultimate Supervisor’s Checklist For Finding & Hiring the Employees of Your Dreams
55. What If You Could [Get Some Result] Without [Doing Something Hard]?
Example: What If You Could Increase Sales Without Spending Any More Time at Work?
56. The [Number] [Types of Things] No [Type Of Person] Should Ever [Do]
Example: The Three Pieces of Clothing No Supervisor Should Ever Wear to the Office
57. The [Number] Most Important [Type Of] Questions You Need To Answer [Before You Do Something]
Example: The Five Most Important Technical Questions You Need to Answer Before You Get a New Job
58. [Number] Clever [Type Of] Ideas That Really Work
Example: Three Clever Credibility-Building Ideas That Really Work
59. Here’s How to Make Your [Item A] Work Beautifully With [Item B]
Example: Here’s How To Make Your Worst Employee Work Beautifully With Your Best Employee
60. Compare Your [Type of] [Strategy/Products/Etc] To What the Pros Use To Get Great Results
Example: Compare Your Sales Funnel Strategy to What the Pros Use to Get Great Results
61. Your Big [Type Of] Breakthrough Is Just One Click Away
Example: Your Big Real Estate Sales Breakthrough is Just One Click Away!
62. The Most Innovative Way You’ve Ever Seen To [Get Some Result]
Example: The Most Innovative Way You’ve Ever Seen To Build a Team of Great Employees
63. [Number] Amazingly Effective Ideas for [Turning Something Mediocre Into Something Better]
Example: Two Amazingly Effective Ideas For Transforming Lazy Employees Into Stellar RockStars
64. Your Search For The Perfect [Type of Strategy or Product or Idea] is Over
Example: Your Search For the Perfect Employee Evaluation Form is Over
65. [Some Type of Secret Or Trick] Exposed!
Example: The High-Producing Sales Team’s Tricks… Exposed!
66. This Is The [Last/Only] [Type of][Strategy/Product] You’ll Ever Need
Example: This is the Only Sales Management Book You’ll Ever Need
67. The [Type Of] Quiz: What Is Your Score?
Example: The Successful Supervisor Quiz: What Is Your Score?
68. Avoid This [Type Of] Mistake To [Get Some Better Results]
Example: Avoid This Hiring Mistake to Save Your Company at Least $10,000
69. [Number] Simple [Tips/Tricks/Strategies] That Will Immediately [Get You Better Results]
Example: Five Simple Sales Team Ideas That Will Immediately Motivate Your New Employees
70. Take The Guesswork Out Of [Topic] With This [Resource]
Example: Take The Guesswork Out of Managing a Successful Department With This Amazing eBook
71. One Simple Piece of [Type Of] Advice That Could [Rock Your World]
Example: One Simple Piece of Sales Advice That Could Earn You Another $10,000
72. The Surprising Truth About [Getting Some Result]
Example: The Surprising Truth About Managing an IT Department
73. [Number] Absolutely Insane Ways to [Get a Result]
Example: Three Absolutely Insane Ways To Find Your Next Sales Job
74. The [Number] Lies Your [Type Of Person] Tells You
Example: The Six Lies Your Sales Manager Tells You
75. Here’s a [Type of] [Trick/Strategy/Etc] That Works Like Magic
Example: Here’s an Employee Hiring Secret That Works Like Magic
76. [Getting Some Result] Just Got a Whole Lot Easier
Example: Hiring New Employees Just Got a Whole Lot Easier
77. Now You Too Can Take Advantage Of [Some Specific Thing]
Example: Now You Too Can Take Advantage of this New Employee Hiring Strategy
78. [Number] Good Reasons To [Take Some Specific Action]
Example: Seven Good Reasons To Write Your Own Kindle Book
79. Jump Start Your [Specific Thing] With [These Strategies, Secrets, etc]
Example: Jump Start Your Blog With These Three Writing Tricks
80. The Complete A to Z Guide For [Getting Some Result]
Example: The Complete A to Z Guide For Hiring Part-Time Employees and Contractors
81. The Quick And Dirty Way to [Get Some Result]
Example: The Quick And Dirty Way To Increase Your Sales Numbers Fast
82. The Art and Science of [Getting Some Result]
Example: The Art and Science of Getting Respect from Your Employees
83. How [Some Bad Thing] [Destroys/Damages/Etc] [Some Good Thing]
Example: How Negativity Absolutely Destroys Your Sales Team
84. Just When You Thought You’d Never [You’d Get Some Result], This [Secret/Product/Strategy] Came Along
Example: Just When You Thought You’d Never Find that Ideal Employee, This Hiring Secret Came Along
85. Everyone Focuses On [Strategy]—But [This Strategy] Is the One That Gets Results
Example: Everyone Focuses on Relationship Selling – But Is The One Technique That Gets Great Results
86. Get Rid Of [Some Bad Thing] Once and For All
Example: Get Rid Of Your Job-Related Anxiety Once And For All
87. Here’s An Amazingly Simple System For [Getting Some Good Result]
Example: Here’s An Amazingly Simple System For Hiring High-Quality Employees
88. Is It [Bad/Cheating/Etc] To [Do Some Thing]?
Example: Is It Bad to Hold Employee Meetings at the Local Bar?
89. You Won’t Know You’re Making This [Type Of] Mistake Until [Something Happens]—And By Then It Will Be Too Late
Example: You Won’t Know You’re Making This Hiring Mistake Until Your Sales Team is Totally Trashed – and, By Then, It Will Be Too Late
90. The Astonishing Confessions Of [Type Of Person]
Example: The Astonishing Confessions of a Sales Manager Who Made Millions
91. Here’s The Perfect Way to [Get a Result] If You [Don’t Have Some Requirement or Possession]
Example: Here’s The Perfect Way To Create a Bestselling Novel if You Didn’t Pass Your English Classes in High School
92. Here Are [Number] Weird But Totally Effective Ways to [Get a Result]
Example: Here Are Four Weird But Totally Effective Ways To Train Your New Employees
93. Are You Still [Using Some Outdated Method or Product] [To Get Some Result]?
Example: Are You Still Using Joomla to Manage Your Website?
94. Imagine [Doing Something Awesome]
Example: Imagine Working with the Best Sales Team EVER
95. Here Are [Number] [Tricks/Strategies] [That Some Experts] Swear By
Example: Here Are Six Hiring Tricks That HR Specialists Swear By
96. [Getting Some Specific Result] Just Got a Whole Lot Easier
Example: Firing Your Terrible Employee Just Got a Whole Lot Easier
97. I Used To Laugh At People Who [Tried To Accomplish Some Goal]—And Then The Most Amazing Thing Happened…
Example: I Used To Laugh At People Who Tried To Make a Living Online By Selling Stuff Online — and Then The Most Amazing Thing Happened…
98. [Specific Or Generalized Number Of People] Have [Gotten a Great Result] With This [Strategy/Product/Etc]
Example: Thousands of Employees Have Saved Their Jobs With This Amazing Relationship Strategy
99. [Number] Brilliant [Ways] To [Get Some Type of Results Faster or Easier]
Example: Six Brilliant Ways To Generate All the Real Estate Sales You’ll Ever Need
100. Do You Remember [When Things Were Easier, When You Could Do Something and Still Get Great Results]?
Example: Do You Remember When All You Had To Do Was Have a Fancy Resume to get a Good Job?
101. I Dare You To Find a Better Way to [Get Some Result]
Example: I Dare You To Find a Better Way To Build an Amazing Sales Team!
— — — —
Bottom line… make your headlines intriguing, clever, and niche-focused. Be sure to include keywords or phrases that coincide with the topic of the blog post, but write for humans and not just the search engines. Follow these guidelines and you’ll be on your way to increasing the readership of your blog!
Cynthia works closely with emerging professional speakers as they grow from speaking as a hobby to getting paid to speak full-time. In addition to creating websites exclusively for professional speakers, she consults in the areas of online presence & credibility, public relations, and content & product creation. She is passionate about helping speakers share their messages while impacting thousands of people around the world!
