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All great headlines give the reader enough information so they understand WHAT this

piece of writing is about, WHO it's for, and WHY they should consider reading it—but
not enough where the headline reveals the final answer (requiring them to click). Said
differently, great headlines tell readers the beginning of the story & the end of the story,
but not the middle.

For example, take a look at the headline below. The bold line chopping the headline in

half is showing the beginning and end of the story—but notice how there's no "middle."
In order to learn what the "9 reasons writers suffer from writer's block & give up writing
forever" are, you have to click and read the article—and that's the point.

"Isn't That Clickbait?"

The BIG question we get from writers here is, "Well then isn't that clickbait?" And the
answer is no—as long as you keep your promise.

Clickbait is when a reader clicks on an essay or article thinking they are going to get
one thing, but then the writer fails to keep their promise. They use language that implies
some big, massively transformational outcome for the reader, and then the reader starts

reading and the information turns out to be vague, cliché, and nothing new. "I've been
baited," the reader says to themselves—not because of the way the headline was
written, but because the content of the piece didn't live up to the headline's PROMISE.

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How To Start Writing Online: The Ship 30 For 30 Ultimate Guide