How to Write Clickbait Titles (Rank High with 60 Symbols)

This post is sponsored by Semrush.

One of my new clients spent +100K for content creation each month, but traffic didn’t grow for two years. That was a big frustration for the entire team of writers, designers, SEOs, developers, sales people, etc. This company wasted around 3 million dollars, but Google didn’t rank this content.

I spoke with the founder who said to me, if I find the way to get more traffic for a month, then he will reward me with the biggest contract. Any professional can say SEO takes many months or even years. Email spammers and Fiverr freelancers only promise the fast ranking number one for $100 or less with guest posting and link building, but we know reality is different.

I accepted this challenge but honestly didn’t believe in success because it looked like Mission Impossible. Tom Cruise did it in 7 movies, so at least I could try one time in the real world.

My first step was to make an SEO audit with Semrush and other multifunctional tools to find out what can be the main reason for this stagnation.

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Content was good compared to other pages in the top 10, well-structured considering user-intent. This website had high authority and many backlinks that crossed out the second possible reason. Technical optimization was in a green zone over 90 for almost all pages according to Page Speed Insights.

However, one thing stuck with me – CTR was too low to the average data for these ranking positions. So I decided to dig in this direction.

Meta tags titles and descriptions were written for the sake of having them, just by having keywords, nothing special.

Users are not blind! They read before clicking and any title should give a strong reason to open your content. A short boring title in 60 symbols can destroy a long high-quality article with many valuable insights, but a slightly clickbait headline with the relevant keywords can catch attention and bring a lot of traffic to the average copy.

I rewrote all meta tags titles and descriptions on this website and a miracle happened. Traffic grew from 100K to 200K that cost a few million dollars. Something that a few SEOs and content creators couldn’t do for a long time. I got my contract with one single customer equal to 20 other small clients.

I decided to launch a free headline analyzer that can help with other projects to control the quality of meta tags with the following:

• Controlling the length of meta tags
• Checking powerful and emotional words
• Capitalization
• Recommending numbers and brackets
• Many other valuable tips.

Let’s unhide all these recommendations step-by-step that you can use and personalize to your own projects because each case is different.

How to Find the Right Length

Google doesn’t recommend any specific length for titles and descriptions, but best practices show that titles with 50-70 characters and descriptions around 140-160 get better results. It doesn’t mean you should consider the average data for all projects.

For example, I found that short simple titles with 15-35 characters and descriptions around 80-100 symbols provide better results in some card online games for adults like solitaire.

Amazon uses long titles and descriptions for many products to get 761M traffic according to Semrush data.

Most pages have +200 characters in titles and descriptions according to Unmiss Chrome Extension.

Google cuts and only shows a small part of this information.

I don’t recommend using the same strategy as Amazon does with over a billion products, but checking the top 10 ranking positions with your keywords can help to figure out the best length.

Add Brackets and Numbers

Moz found that adding numbers increased CTR by 36%, Hubspot found that adding brackets increased CTR by 38%. Simple twists can help to get extra 74% of traffic.

But don’t add numbers and brackets for the sake of having them. If users really need them, then go ahead, if they don’t or content doesn’t require – skip it.

Check out some examples on how to add brackets and numbers

Uncommon numbers can bring more trust and attention.

Or use fractions in your numbers.

Include Words That Resonate

After fixing lengths, adding brackets, and testing numbers, I noticed something was still missing—titles that emotionally connect. They weren’t bad, but they didn’t speak to the reader.

So, I explored which words spark curiosity, trust, urgency, or even inspiration. I found that power words aren’t just buzzwords—they’re magnets.

Let’s break them down:

• Action-Oriented: “Simple,” “Step-by-Step,” and “Proven” create the vibe that your guide actually helps.
• Scarcity or Exclusivity: “Limited Time,” “Secrets,” and “Exclusive” raise the stakes and drive FOMO.
• Trust & Authority: “Certified,” “Expert,” and “Guaranteed” ease skepticism.
• Emotional Pull: “Unbelievable,” “Surprising,” or “Inspiring” hook attention in a human way.
• Free & Discounts: These are still undefeated—“Free” or “Save 50%” does the job better than any vague benefit.

Just compare:

❌ “Ways to Grow a Business” – blah.
✅ “10 Proven Ways to Grow Your Business Fast” – gets clicks because it promises something tested, not theoretical.

But one thing I learned—don’t go full Buzzfeed. Overpromising with clickbait like “You Won’t Believe What Happens Next!” might trick users once. But they won’t trust you twice. Use power words when they fit. That’s where the sweet spot is.

Standard Capitalization = Professional Impression

Another silent killer of CTR is inconsistent capitalization.

Think about it—people are scanning. If your title looks like a random WhatsApp message, it doesn’t feel trustworthy. It doesn’t matter how good your content is if your title screams amateur.

There are plenty of options to format your titles right. Personally, I stick with APA or Chicago-style Title Case for SEO headlines. They’re easy to read, clean, and visually structured.

For example:

✅ The Top 10 SEO Tricks That Still Work in 2024
❌ the top 10 seo tricks that still work in 2024 – looks lazy.
❌ THE TOP 10 SEO TRICKS THAT STILL WORK – looks like yelling.

Your capitalization should reflect your audience. Use sentence case for email subject lines and title case for meta titles. Simple.

Final Thoughts

You can write the most brilliant article in your niche, but if the title is weak, it’s like wrapping gold in a newspaper.

That’s why we built the UNmiss Headline Analyzer — it’s not for robots or perfection. It’s for real marketers and content creators who want to earn clicks with honesty.

✅ Test your headlines before publishing
✅ Follow best practices, not myths
✅ And always ask: would you click that title?

Because if you wouldn’t, no one else will.