Here's Another Way To Increase Blog Traffic

In a recent study by the content network Outbrain, a sure-fire way to increase blog traffic is to avoid using pushy headlines.

An interesting trend emerged during the study, which analysed a sample of over 100,000 paid links, attempting to discover what headlines affect reader engagement. Outbrain noted that words that are overly pushy, salesy, or spammy had a negative effect on the headline click-through rate.

"The chart below illustrates the negative effect of headlines that directly address the reader or make use of demands."

 

increase blog traffic
Source

Interestingly, headlines that contain words that reference the reader such as “you”, “your” or “you’re” tended to perform 21% worse than headlines that did not reference the reader.

"The attempt to make readers feel as though they’re being spoken to directly appears to do more harm than good."

 

Additionally, headlines that contain an imperative (“must” or “need”) also garnered 20% less clicks than titles that did not.

Simple Advice To Help Increase Blog Traffic

According to the study, it appears that readers prefer not to be directly referenced in blog headlines and don’t appreciate words that demand action or attention.

A separate study by Conductor discovered the same effects, as we discussed in 3 Simple Ways To Increase Headline Click-Through Rates.

In their study, “Reader Addressing” headlines performed 15% worse than “Number” headlines, as seen in this chart.

overall headline preference

The conclusion is this: don’t “push” your readers, but instead “pull” them in with enticing headlines.

Author

  • Danielle Dahl

    Hello, I'm Danielle Dahl. With a Master's degree in Management and Leadership, and with my role as a Life Coach, I bring a unique blend of skills to my work. Drawing from my professional and personal experiences, I'm passionate about writing on a wide range of topics, including team and self-development, trauma, motivation, and other inspirational messages. I firmly believe in the power of continuous improvement, and I've found that even activities like skilled-based gaming can offer valuable lessons for personal growth. Beyond my professional pursuits, I reside in the beautiful state of Montana with my loving husband and two wonderful children. When I'm not immersed in writing, you can often find me engrossed in a good book, experimenting in the kitchen, or extending a helping hand to others as they navigate life's challenges.

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