how to create clickable content without selling your soul, by david griner

First, a few things about me and Adweek:

@Griner on TwitterCurrently: Digital Managing Editor Prior life: VP of Digital Content at Birmingham-based agency Luckie & Company

First, a few things about me and Adweek:

Adweek: Founded in 1978Launched our AdFreak blog 10 years agoMonthly site traffic is up 36% - 103% so far this year(and up 246% over 2013) Now averaging around 15 million views a month

Most of our growth can be attributed to three key factors:

1. Better use of social2. Increased focus on headlines and images3. Experimentation and constant evolution

The old thinking:

A good headline is short and SEO-driven.

The new reality:

A good headline is a shareable headline.

So what makes a great headline?

A great headline…

Is personal and insightful

A great headline…

Should stop you in your tracks

A great headline…

Should be provocative without being salacious

A great headline…

Isn't clickbait

Clickbait is a false promise. It's a tease with no substance. It's an entire post that could exist in a single tweet.

"80% of the time people preferred headlines that helped them decide if they wanted to read the full article before they had to click through." - Facebook Newsroom, Aug. 25, 2014

A great headline…

Presents a mystery that can only be solved by reading further

A great headline…

Makes you emotionally curious

A great headline…

Is conversational

A great headline…

Is rarely written alone

David Griner (G-mail)

hey, could use some headline helpNot feeling the magic on this oneAds Use Real Google Autocompletes to Show How Women Are Belittled WorldwideTim Nudd

ok let me thinkReal Google Searches Capture Scope of Oppression in Powerful Ads for Women's Rightssomething like that?i think Autocompletes is just a little cumbersome for a headlineand when you have the art there, it works withoutDavid Griner (G-mail)

yeah, I'm probably overthinking the fact that autocompletes aren't necessarily so much searches as results, if that makes senseTim Nudd

but the images show a search in progressi also question whether these really are "real" searchesselectively edited, i would thinkDavid Griner (G-mail)

I actually tested one or twoTim Nudd

yeah, they don't matchat least for meDavid Griner (G-mail)I didn't try them all, but one was pretty close, and the one they omitted was still pretty badTim Nudd

the "women need to" one is way offbe wantedfeel safeare two of the top 4

David Griner (G-mail)

Good point, I'll add a mention....might depend on where you areTim Nudd

shut up and grow up are the other onesnone of the 4 in the adDavid Griner (G-mail)

like, women cannot talk in church is probably regionalI get the other results, thoughTim Nudd

maybe justGoogle Searches Capture Scope of Oppression in Powerful Ads for Women's RightsDavid Griner (G-mail)

be trusted, be pastorsnotice it's pastors here instead of bishopsTim Nudd

yeah i suppose it depends on where you aremaybe the results are a lot worse somewhere elseDavid Griner (G-mail)

Powerful Ads Use Real Google Searches to Show the Scope of Sexism WorldwideI like having real in there, and good to mention it's globalTim Nudd

sounds goodDavid Griner (G-mail)

Thanks for the help. Couldn't get my head around that oneTim Nudd

any time

A great headline…

Is as long as it needs to be

Headline analysis of our Top 10 Stories of 2014:Avg. # of words: 14 | Avg. # of characters: 80 | Avg. impressions: 2.6 million

A great headline…

Is one that works

If you come up with a headline that goes against every piece of advice in this presentation, GREAT.

Always question. Always experiment. Always measure.

● Is it accurate?● Does it oversell?● Does it undersell?● Is it short enough to tweet?● Is it long enough to make sense?● Is this how I would explain this article to a

friend?● Is it clear what's in it for the reader?● Would I click it if I didn't write it?

Our headline checklist:

Thanks for your time.

David GrinerTwitter: @Griner | @Adweek | @AdFreakInstagram: @DavidGriner | @Adweek