Not Getting Your Content Clicked? Try This Evidence-Based Hack [3.3x More Effective]

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🖋️ Get 3.3x More Clicks

Triple Your Clicks By Adding A Number To Your Headlines

You can spend hours or even days on a piece of content…

And still get zero clicks because the headline wasn’t good enough.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover”, they used to tell me.

Well, it turns out that when it comes to content - that advice is useless.

In 2013, Conductor published a study on the types of headlines that get clicks.

Let’s dig into why this is and how to use it to your advantage.

Headline Preferences: Conductor Study [2013]

They examined headline patterns in major online publications (eg. Buzzfeed and Huffington Post).

Method: They categorized headlines into five types and had respondents choose the one that resonated the most.

Results: "Number" headlines were the clear favorite, outperforming other types by at least 15%.

They were 3.3x more effective than the least popular “Question” headlines.

Don’t get me wrong - I’m not happy about this.

Adding a number to a headline takes literally less than 10 seconds.

It’s about as low-effort as it gets.

But who am I to argue with the data?

4 Reasons Headlines With Numbers Get More Clicks

We can make some psychology-based assumptions about why people love to click on headlines with numbers in them:

Substance: Headlines with numbers suggest substantial content with specific benefits. It reduces the risk of disappointment from irrelevant information.

Structure: Numbered lists provide a clear, logically structured format, making it easier for the audience to follow along.

Speed Reading: Busy readers/viewers appreciate numbered posts for quick scanning.

Focus: Numbered headlines suggest that the content is focused on a single topic and doesn’t wander too much.

How To Use Numbers In Your Headlines

• Listicles: “10 Tips for Better Gardening” - Lists are digestible and easy for readers to scan.

• Data-Driven Insights: “Survey Reveals 75% of Marketers…” - Use statistics to add credibility and interest.

• Time-Specific Advice: “5-Minute Yoga Routines” - Indicate the time investment or efficiency.

• Ranking Systems: “Top 3 Budget Smartphones of 2023” - Offer ranked choices or comparisons.

• Quantifying Results: “Increase Your Productivity by 50% with These 5 Techniques” - Show potential outcomes or benefits.

Your Next 3 Steps:

1. Use Numbers: Start adding numbers to your headlines for listicles, data-driven insights, and time-specific advice.

2. Focus On Clarity And Specificity: Make sure your headlines convey the content’s benefits and structure. Use numbers to promise focused, easy-to-navigate content.

3. Experiment And Analyze: Experiment with different numerical headlines and track their impact.

🐰 rabbit holes and resources

🍫 Today’s link candy for content creators:

• Why Google Sheets should be your to-do list (with template) [link]

• 9 great newsletter landing pages you can learn from and use to grow faster [link]

• Watch a sponsorship expert fix a veteran creator’s sponsorship strategy [link]