Curating eye-catching headlines: How to stand out in a crowded online landscape

Public relations, like many communications industries, is a field that is saturated in text. Between press releases, media pitches, fact sheets, blogs, brochures, extensive crisis communications plans, and more, writing quickly becomes second nature.

Yet, with so many other professionals out there doing the same, writing every day in hopes of an opportunity for their client, how can you make sure your writing truly stands out from the crowd?

Well, the simple answer is, that first impressions matter.

When you go to click on a story or open up a document, what is usually the first thing you see, in big, sometimes bold letters?

Yes, that would be your infamous headline.

Why Headlines Matter

For the most part, we have all been in the shoes of the reader, we have skimmed through emails, news articles, blogs, and more, looking for something to stop our ongoing scrolling and truly make us curious.

We know that we, as the readers hold the power to decide what we consume that given day and what we skip, usually to be forgotten about instantly.

According to an article released by the popular networking platform, LinkedIn, headlines may seem like a small nuance but they mean everything to your business and organization.

The article states, “A good headline can boost your traffic, engagement, and conversions, while a bad headline can ruin your chances of reaching your goals. Therefore, you need to spend some time and effort to create headlines that work for your audience and your purpose.”

Who knew a few words could trigger such a rippling impact?

The truth is, today, headlines mean everything. In our fast-paced digital world, information and content overflow onto our plates constantly, so much so that we are all immune to it. With so much to tackle, it is harder than before to get through to readers and capture their undivided attention for longer than a glance.

But, with practice and perfecting the craft, I think it is possible, and what better way to learn than from others?

Captivating, Clear, Compelling

Since your headline is your story’s selling point, it must check these three boxes:

• Captivate the attention of your reader

• Communicate in a clear manner

• Compel them to take action and look out for the next steps

Achieving these three essentials fulfills both the needs of the reader and the business or organization because it encourages the consumer to get personally involved in facets related to your client or brand.

According to a blog by CoSchedule, these three checklist items can be broken down even further. The blog suggests that headlines utilize emotional language, as we as humans are inherently emotional creatures looking to feel something and foster a connection. Additionally using action verbs can be effective in roping your reader in and deepening their level of investment. This is because they need to feel the timeliness and urgency of what you are communicating and this cannot be done effectively using a passive voice. Headlines are also most impactful when they are relevant, and what better way to maintain relevance than keeping your finger on the pulse of the media and educating yourself on hot topics and keywords floating around the industry? Lastly, you want to make your headline easy to skim, showcasing the right amount of vital information but leaving out just enough to pique their curiosity, also known as “curiosity gaps.” These gaps of knowledge inspire clicks and reads, positioning readers as detectives on the hunt to bridge the gap between what they know and what they have yet to discover.

Let’s put all of these aspects together and brainstorm how we can check all of these boxes while creating a new mock headline for this article…

Current headline: Curating eye-catching headlines: How to stand out in a crowded online landscape

Adding emotional language: Curating powerful headlines that resonate: How to stand out in a crowded online landscape

Adding action verbs: Crafting powerful headlines that resonate: Standing out in a crowded online landscape

Making it easy to skim and offering “curiosity gaps”: Crafting powerful headlines: Standing out in online crowds

After reading this new and improved headline, the reader knows the article is about crafting powerful headlines and standing out in online crowds, and the gap of knowledge that they need to fill in is the “how” in terms of achieving this goal.

Realistically, it doesn’t take long to put in the effort of maximizing your headline in this way, and it becomes a no-brainer once you are able to see the impact these minimal revisions have on your business goals and objectives.

So, next time you are in front of your computer writing once again, keep this toolkit of powerful tips and tricks in mind before you hit “send” or “publish,” and watch your mighty headlines do what they do best, open new doors of opportunity.

Hi there! I’m Madison Morris.

I am a creative public relations and marketing strategist looking to make my mark on the communications industry.

I have a love for cultivating and facilitating relationships and a strong passion for uncovering growth opportunities. Let's work together to help your business thrive!