The Crucial Formula to Medium Success: Headlines 70% Stories 30%
Why holding yourself accountable to writing kickass headlines will either be your biggest asset or ultimate kryptonite
One of the greatest pieces of advice for writing online came from my writing hero, Tim Denning. If you look at the guy’s story titles, you’ll notice that they absolutely grab your attention in a click-bait way.
The difference between Tim’s impact on me versus some other writers’ is that he delivers quality content every single time. There has never been a time where I clicked on his badass title and was disappointed that I wasted my time.
Some of Tim’s most outstanding headlines include the following:
- How I Made $11,000 From Writing in 30 Days
- You Will Destroy Yourself Financially If You Save
- The CEO of Airbnb Taught Us an Extraordinary Lesson When He Fired 25% of His Company
When you read these titles for the very first time, you might be shocked and compelled to click. I sure was! Writing headlines is an art, and it’s going to be one of the biggest reasons you succeed or fail in the writing game.
Let’s talk about headlines and how you can take full advantage of getting attention in the busy online world.
Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes
When I was deployed overseas, my team leader always had the saying, “play stupid games, win stupid prizes.” The quote was a bit alarming to me at first, but it all makes sense.
If you don’t do your part by putting attention into your headlines, you’re going to get very few views. I can remember taking three hours to write one of my stories about five things every 20-something-year-old should know.
The story flopped because of the way I titled it, and only got seven views.
If I hadn’t played stupid games and done some digging before throwing a random title together, I wouldn’t have won the stupid prize of only seven views.
Play the right games when you’re writing, and you’ll surpass many of the greats. There’s a reason why “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck” has significantly more sales than “The Advantages and The Disadvantages.
The headline grabs readers and foreshadows the main point. Great headlines win incredible prizes.
People Enjoy Click-Bait That is Genuine
I can’t speak for everyone when I say this, but I personally like the click-bait titles that Sean Kernan, Ryan Fan, and Jordan Fraser write because they absolutely grab my attention.
Unfortunately, clickbait has such a negative connotation, but I’m here to say that they grabbed my attention emotionally, motivationally, or inspirationally, and had me hooked.
Each of these writers led me on with a golden ticket (the headline) and then delivered with the invite to their incredible chocolate factory (the story).
I want to say that I’ve gotten relatively better with my headlines, but there’s still plenty of room left to improve. There’s always room. You can never get too complacent.
In essence, write headlines that will grab more than 50% of readers’ attention, and then follow through by sharing some pretty cool stories they won’t forget and at least one insightful part that they’ve probably never heard before.
Some of My Best Performing Articles (probably based on headlines):
- Blogging is Like Long-Term Investing in The Stock Market
- Submitting to Publications is Like Applying to Colleges
- The 3-Day Running Rule That Will Make You a Successful Runner
- Why I Give 50 Claps on Every Article I Read
All of these stories performed exceptionally well and helped me grow my following. I have my solid headlines to thank for carrying my story’s success!
The Great Big Takeaway With Headlines
For you to be a successful writer online, it’s up to you to write kickass headlines and deliver kickass content.
I would say that the headline is 70% responsible for your success and the content inside your stories is responsible for the other 30%. One can’t thrive well without the other, but don’t discount the power of eye-grabbing headlines.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. People Enjoy Click-Bait That is Genuine.
We’re all trying to make it as writers and make an impact. Let’s all do ourselves a favor and write some badass headlines that make people compelled to click them.
There’s more than enough bland headlines to go around.
Strive to be different. Seek discomfort. And don’t be afraid to stand out.
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