Last updated on March 3, 2023 at 06:52 pm

Whenever you share content on any communication channel, it’s always important to start with your goal in mind. Why am I sharing this content? What do I want my employees to say, think, feel, or do as a result of engaging with it? And what metrics for success will I use to measure its effectiveness? For many of us, getting that open rate up is a big first step. In order to get more people to take action on communication, they have to click on it or watch it first. But how!? It can require some testing to learn exactly what works for your audience, but titles are just as important as the content itself. Here are our top five tips to write content titles that boost mobile app engagement.

Tip 1: Clickbait

This one doesn’t work for certain operational or serious messages, but for recognition, contests, your newsletter, and other daily updates, this can be a great tactic that breaks through.

EXAMPLE:

Imagine that you’re a shift supervisor and you share shift notes at the end of each week on the app that recaps wins, challenges, recognition, and reviews reminders from your in-person shift meetings. You can make a clickbait title and include some details in the caption so nothing important gets missed or left out.

Plain title: End of Week Recap

Clickbait title: One of You Won! (Caption: Read the end of week recap for reminders, our focus for next week, and to find out who the lucky winner is!)

Tip 2: Ask yourself, would I click on that?

This is a great gut check when drafting content for your employee app. Trust your instincts: if you think it’s boring, it’s boring.

But it begs the question: what would you click on?

Aside from shameless clickbait, consider writing content titles with a very clear call to action (CTA). These are titles that make the why and the “what’s in it for me?” really obvious.

And remember, employee app content is at its best when you support your title with a good caption and image that screams “click me!”

EXAMPLE

Generic title: End of Week Recap

Descriptive title: Weekly Recap: Big Rocks, Focus, and Victories

Urgency title: Open Immediately: Our Team’s Weekly Recap

Tip 3: SOMETIMES, ALL CAPS HELPS

Don’t overdo it, but sometimes using all caps for your title—or part of it—can visually attract the eye of someone scrolling through their news feed and improve mobile app engagement. But it can feel like being yelled at, so try not to USE CAPS ALL THE TIME FOR EVERYTHING.

See what I did there?

A little bit goes a long way.

EXAMPLE

We love these for event reminders, contests, or trying to get employee feedback, as this can increase mobile app engagement. Say, you’re a regional field leader trying to encourage your team to register for the Town Hall that they now have access to thanks to the app!

Before: Heads Up Team: Last Chance to Register for the Town Hall

After: LAST CHANCE: Register for the Town Hall Today; HEADS UP: Today’s the last day to register for the Town Hall

Tip 4: Give Clear Action

If you want a certain action to be taken on a post, tell it to your audience straight. Don’t make them search for what is expected of them. Whether you want them to click on a new safety procedure or comment on a new hire post, you can include the call to action in your title.

EXAMPLE

Before: Welcome, Michael Scott!

After: Join Me in Welcoming Michael Scott to the team!

Before: New Hand Washing Procedure

After: Check Out the New Hand Washing Procedure Today

Tip 5: Lose the Formality

Again, unless you have a post to share that requires a more serious tone, the app is designed to be more fun than traditional comms channels. Use humor. Be more casual. And speak like you would to your team.

This is much more like how people talk on social media, but there’s a reason your internal channels don’t get the same kind of engagement. You’re a real person. Your audience is full of real people. Real people don’t talk like corporate jargon robots. So, embrace conversational language!

EXAMPLE

Say you won a Best Place to Work Award (go you!). Have fun getting the word out about that.

Before: We’ve been named a best place to work!

After:

• And the winner is…!
• WE DID IT!
• Best. Place. To. Work! 👏

Want Better Mobile App Engagement? Start Today.

Writing employee app content titles that activate and engage your employees doesn’t have to be difficult. Like with everything you communicate, just remember:

1. Your purpose for communicating
2. The goal of your message
3. Who your audience is and what they want

About the Author

Sydney Lauro is the Demand Generation Manager for theEMPLOYEEapp. Prior to joining the team at theEMPLOYEEapp, Sydney worked in internal communications for Chipotle Mexican Grill. She users her internal comms expertise and passion for improving communication and the employee experience to create content and share best practices to help other communications professionals.