Trends of outperforming headlines on Inc.com

1. 13 Noticeable Themes of Outperforming Inc.com Headlines
By Allison Fass, Inc.com deputy editor
I pored over the top headlines on Inc.om in each of the first 10 months of this year,
and noticed 13 patterns emerge about the headlines that consistently get the most
clicks. I compile these here not so that you copy them – duplicate headlines would
compete against each other in search results, not to mention potentially bore our
most active readers – but so that you take a cue from what gets clicked, learn from
it, and turn it into results of your own.
Several top columnists have told me this type of headline analysis, combined with
implementing the lessons learned, has made all the difference in their traffic
performance. I encourage you to look closely at the top headlines (provided
separately) and come up with your own observations.
Of course, keep in mind that the top headlines list is not the full story. You don’t
know from looking at the headlines alone if a post is getting a lot of traction on
search, or had a particularly snarky and effective Facebook post. It also doesn’t,
admittedly, indicate if a given piece is a slideshow, say, which also inherently
generates more clicks. Nonetheless, here goes:
1. Numbers
In this case, I’m not talking about listicle headlines. I’m talking about looking at the
monthly traffic per top post to acknowledge what kind of traffic is possible in a
given month (sometimes well over 100,000 pageviews) and strive for it.
2. Immediacy
In your headlines, use words that convey immediacy like Daily, Now, Monday
Morning, Immediately, Today, Must Do.
Real example headlines that outperformed:
10 Daily Habits of Exceptionally Happy People
9 Big Idea Business Books You Need to Read Now
15 Things Successful People Do on Monday Mornings
12 Things Successful People Do Before Breakfast
3 Employees You Should Fire Immediately
9 Employees You Should Fire Today
10 Books Every Entrepreneur Must Read Before Starting Up
3. Easy Tasks
In your headlines, describe the payoff for clicking as something that will be easy-to-read
and simple-to-implement.
Real example headlines that outperformed:
The 20-Minute Morning Routine Guaranteed to Make Your Day Better

2. One Interview Question Every Job Candidate Needs to Ask
One Word That Kills Your Credibility.
4. Curiosity Gap
Treat the headline as a curtain raiser. It should make the reader feel she or he is
missing out on crucial information if she or he doesn’t click and read the post right
away. Don’t give the answer away in the headline or dek but make the reader click
first to find out the answer.
Real example headlines that outperformed:
The Biggest Mistake You Don’t Know You’re Making on Social Media
4 Speaking Tricks You’ve Got to Try
1 Weekly Habit That Will Push You to Peak Performance
This Is What Happens When a Startup Fails
5. Real Utility
Make it clear with just a few words in the headline that the payoff for reading will be
substantive information – not fluff – worth clicking on.
Real example headlines that outperformed:
10 Overrated Business Books (and What to Read Instead)
10 Gadgets for Equipping Your Perfect Desk
5 Scientifically-Proven Ways to Work Smarter, Not Harder
6. Big Names
Use really big names of individuals and companies. The names that keep cropping
up in top headlines: Malcolm Gladwell, Steve Jobs, Richard Branson, Mark Cuban,
Apple, TED Talks, Matthew McConaughey
Real example columnist headline that outperformed:
Why Google’s Best Leaders Aren’t Stanford Grads With Perfect SATs
7. Universalize Something Specific
When covering an event or the story of an entrepreneur, or even summarizing a
book, think more broadly than the specific story, and make the headline about a
more universal lesson that any entrepreneur—any leader, really—can learn from.
Real example headlines that outperformed:
How to Command a Room Without Saying a Word
 This piece summarized an HBR study about How to Wield Influence, a
much dryer, academic topic. The headline brought it to life for a much
broader audience, all the while staying ‘on brand.’
6 Magic Traits of Indispensible Employees
 Another academic-type study, this headline universalized the piece for an
entrepreneur, leader, or employee.
Malcolm Gladwell on What Really Makes People Disruptive

3.  This piece was largely about one entrepreneur in the transportation
industry. If the headline just mentioned him, or the event where Gladwell
was speaking, it would not have garnered nearly the traffic of this far more
universal lesson and curiosity-piquing payoff.
8. Content Topics That Consistently Appear in Top Headlines
It’s all about the habits, gestures, word choices, phrases, body language, and
thoughts of super-successful, happy, or confident people. Also, the habits, gestures,
word choices, body language of very unsuccessful people that readers want to avoid.
(Real example: 3 Things a Great Leader Would Never Say.) Other topics: Self
Improvement, Leadership, Hiring, Productivity, Efficiency, How to be
Likeable/Charming, Interviews, Quotes, Public Speaking, the
Books/Talks/Apps/Fill-in-the-Blank Entrepreneurs Must
Read/Watch/Download/etc.
9. Wacky Numbers
Oddball numbers drive clicks.
Real example headlines that outperformed:
17 Things Extraordinary People Do Every Day
32 Incorrectly Used Words That Can Make You Look Bad
20 Unusual Things 20 Successful People Do Every Day
13 Ways to Teach Yourself to Be More Confident
10. Common Words
Secrets, Tricks, Habits, Awesome, Magic, Genius, First Impression, Tips,
Characteristics, Success, Rich, Brilliant, Power
11. Strong Adjectives
Scientifically-Proven, Remarkable, True, Really, Unusual, Indispensible, Powerful
12. Big Dollar Amounts
Real example headlines that outperformed:
A Billion-Dollar Company With No Bosses? Yes, It Exists
How I Run a $16 Million Company Out of My Living Room
This 12-Year Old CEO Runs a $150,000 Business
13. Real Information Hard to Find Elsewhere
Take advantage of your own impressive work experience at or with big-name
companies and universalize it for broad audiences.
Real example headlines that outperformed:
What I Wish I’d Known Before Selling to Google (columnist)
The Biggest Lesson I Learned as an Apple Designer (columnist)
How to Make Money by Blogging on LinkedIn (columnist)
Buzzfeed’s Secret Weapon (staff)

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