Favor odd numbers — and more
My longtime editor John Elsasser just told me that my year-end roundup posts always rank Nos. 1 or 2 for the year on PRSA’s Issues & Trends blog. ☺️
That’s because they include numerals, like “7 writing tips for the New Year.”
Numbers sell. Headlines with numerals, like Top 10 or 7 Steps, promise quantifiable value. And that draws readers.
But not all numerals are created equal. To choose the best numerals for your headlines:
- Favor odd numbers. Oddly, odd numbers sell better than even ones, according to Folio. So 7 Steps may be more effective than 10 Tips.
- Choose specific numbers. “101 or 99 work better than 100,” writes Richard Riccelli, president of Post Rd, Inc. “65 is better than 75.” 59 seconds is more compelling than one minute, for instance.
- Better yet, make it 7. That number seems to appeal to readers. The number 13, on the other hand, does not.
- Don’t overwhelm readers. I’m not looking for “66 steps to 6-pack abs.” “Saying ‘35 best exercises’ is too many,” Men’s Health editor Dave Zinczenko told The New York Times. “But ‘789 great new tips for summer’ is fine. That says value without saying work.”
- But don’t underwhelm readers, either. Posts with headlines promoting seven or more items outperformed those with six or fewer, according to an internal study of HubSpot’s blog.
- Avoid numbers for serious subjects. “14 ways to deal with breast cancer,” for instance, sounds flip.