1. Create a Great Headline

Use keywords in your title. This is great for SEO. It also let’s the person searching on google know what you are writing about is what they are searching for.

There may be times when a creative headline can serve your purpose better. Yet for the most part, I like to include my keywords in the title. This keeps it simple when crafting my article or blog post.

You can add creativity to your headline AND include your keyword. Sure, you are slightly limited, but trying thinking outside the box.

For example, the keyword phrase I chose for this article is ‘keep your readers attention.’ I added ‘How to’ at the beginning. I also added ‘It’s easier than you think’ as a sub-head. Not the most ingenious thing I’ve ever written but it served my purpose. Hope it makes my point.

In crafting an article that keeps the reader's attention, you must give them a reason to continue. This is where a great headline gets you moving in the right direction.

The goal of the headline is get the person to read the next line.

The goal of the next line is the get the person to read the next line. And, the goal of that line is...I think you get the point.

What does this mean for you? You must think of ways to grab them by the arm and make them want to read on.

Here are a few practical ways to do this:

A. Ask a question. There is something hardwired into the human brain that hates for a question to go unanswered. When you begin by posing a question, it compels them to read to find the answer.

B. Make a challenging, provocative statement. There is nothing like a statement that evokes emotion. Whether you are talking politics. Sports. Or relationships. If you make a statement that provokes the person to action, you’ve won. Even if they disagree.

NOTE: Use this sparingly. It takes a special breed of person to be able to build a business on the platform of provocation. Be smart. But you can use it to your advantage at times.

Here's an example. Beginning an article on SEO with a statement challenging traditional thinking can cause the reader to want to read more. By opening with ‘Content may not be king after all. Read this and I’ll prove it!” would certainly get many bloggers and writers sucked in.

C. Tell an interesting story. We love stories. Culture is built around story. Use it to get your readers involved.

Want to add a double whammy? Ask a provocative question, then answer it with a great story!

Readers seem to love it when you tell them what they are about to learn. It baits their appetite.

The simple and perhaps the best way to do this is by saying: “Here’s What You Will Learn.” Stuart Walker does this in just about every article he writes.

You can always vary it a bit.

• ‘What’s Included’
• ‘Here’s What You’ll Discover’
• ‘The Big Picture’

No matter how you say it, just tell them. They will appreciate it.

You don’t have to go into great detail, just use short, simple bullet points to let them know what’s ahead. You should be able to pull these from your article if you’ve done good research and have a flow to your writing.

This accomplishes several things:

1. It lets them know you have done your research
2. It lets them know what's ahead
3. It teases them to read further
4. It helps them navigate the article
5. It answers the question in their mind, 'Why should I read this?'