This post from Performable on writing catchy headlines is a good read.
In particular, the concept of these seven basic types of headlines is useful not only from the perspective of driving traffic but also as a basis for developing the content in the first place.
Here’s the list in brief:
- The Know-it-All
- The Teacher
- The Gossip
- The Instigator
- The Nay-Sayer
- The Campaigner
- The Connector
I, for one, should start mixing up my own headlines a little more. I think I rely on numbers one and two a little too much.