Just like a football player can’t be the starting quarterback in the NFL without spending years learning from the great ones who came before him, songwriters can’t succeed at writing hit songs if they don’t spend time studying what the great songwriters did. Spend time working on your songwriting every day and listening to current chart-toppers to learn how the songwriters in today’s market are creating songs that resonate with listeners.
There are a number of different ways to answer this question, but the most important thing to remember is that the most successful songs in the world are those that tell a story that people can connect with. This could be a story of love, heartbreak, good times or bad times.
Another key point to keep in mind is that the melodies of each song section (verse, chorus, etc) should be DISTINCT from one another. If you hear the same melody in multiple sections of a song, it becomes boring to the listener.
Lastly, it’s important to decide what your goals are as a songwriter. Are you trying to write a pop hit or are you just writing for your own enjoyment? Once you know what you want to achieve, it will be easier to write a song that will appeal to listeners.