In part 1 we covered the importance of writing a great headline to grab your readers attention & get them to read your article in full.
Now we take a look at other ways of developing your headline style.
You need to think about your audience. Who is it that you are writing for?
For gossip and entertainment?
For those looking for financial advice - facts and figures?
For someone looking for exercise or health information - reliable and assuring?
For those browsing for ideas and pastimes?
Who are they and what are they looking for? Answering these two questions will set you on the right route to plan and write an article that will capture their attention... and from this you can then style the headline.
For example say that you're writing an article aimed at someone who is searching for the right mortgage. That person will look for 'facts', 'figures', 'surveys' and even maybe a case study that they can identify with. The language will be business like & authoritative. Anyone reading would not expect lots of jokey thoughts and gossip in the article. On the other hand if you are writing your article aimed at someone searching for news on their favourite pop star, gossip, jokes and light frothy sentences will hit the mark.
You've got 5 seconds!
When writing your headlines remember that you only have about 5 seconds to grab your potential readers attention.
If they scan the list of headlines and yours doesn't 'pop out' you've lost them forever.
Here are a few more styles that can help you to write a great headline.
The 'Testimonial' Headline
"I used 'XY's' formula B ... now I earn $ssss and have financial freedom"
Testimonials are very powerful, when they sound believable. Use them to help you sell a new product or idea.
The 'News' Headline - Make an announcement
"It's here at last! The breakthrough in internet marketing has arrived"
A great way for announcing new products and services, making the reader feel that they're in at the beginning.
Also you may have noticed that I didn't say 'what' it was... so you add an element of curiosity in the headline too.
The 'Formula' headline - tell them 'how to'
"Follow these 3 simple steps to increase your writing speed"
How often are you looking for the solution to the problem? Well if the headline tells you that you can find the solution in just 3 simple steps... aren't you going to want to read 'what' those simple steps are?
Often these headline begin with words like "How to" ... "how to loose 5lb's in 1 week... with just 5 minutes a day". The secret is that the headline suggest that the solution will be revealed in the article.
The 'Question' Headline
"Do you hate the Gym? - How to have a gym workout without ever stepping inside one again"
The secret to this type of headline is to pose the question that you know most people will answer in a certain way... then you suggest that the answer will be given in the article. When writing this sort of headline... you need to be sure that the majority of your readers are going to agree with you ... or they may just say "No... I love the gym" and never read on.
The 'Order' Headline... Do it now!
"Act now and save £1000 on your insurance this year!"
Giving a command focuses attention on a desired action that you want the reader to take on reading the article.
What ever style of headline you choose... make sure that you 'Deliver'
What I mean is, if you suggest that you are going to tell them the solution to the problem, in the headline, you must give that solution in the article or at least tell them where the reader must go to find the solution.
Don't refer to something in your headline and then not mention it in the article. This leaves the reader confused and cross... they'll feel cheated and won't trust you or read your articles again!
Add Value to your headline
Turn an 'ok' headline like "How to write a good headline" into a great one "Get your articles read - Writing headlines that GRAB!"
Short and sweet.
7 words is a good guide. If you've got more to say then put it in a sub-headline.
Need some more ideas... here are some words and run-ins that'll help to attract readers attention:
Activate, Achieve, Affordable, Amaze, Amazing, Avoid,
Best, Breakthrough, Banish, Bounce back from ..., Beginners guide to..., (the) Best & Worst ways to ...., Budget,
Captivate, Create, Cash in on..., Complete guide to ..., ..... on the Cheap
Discover, Discovery, Deliver, ..... Dreams come true,
Eliminate, Essential, Energise, Essential elements, Exciting,
Formula, Fantastic,
Great, Gigantic, Guaranteed, Gain the..., Get the edge..., Good news when....,
How to ..., Hidden secret ..., Hot tips on...,
Incredible, Ingenious, Impossible (to miss),
Just out..., Judge for yourself...,
Kill, Killing,
Love, Loveliest, Looking for..., Longing for..., (the) Last word on...,
Master, Mastering, Must have, Must-know,
No more, New, Newest, Never .... again, No-fail guide to....,
Outrageous, Outrage, One time offer...,
Powerful, Profit from, Perfect (solution, birthday gift, holiday,etc)
Quick guide to, Questions & Answers to..., Questions that you must ask about....,
Results, Revealed, Revelation, (the) Real...., Read this before....,
Simple, Simplest, Secrets, Scientific, Shocking, Special report...., Strategies for..., Straight answers about..., (the) Solution to...,
Ten Quick Tips, Tips, Tricks, Time-tested, Tactics, Top, Techniques, Thrifty
Unbelievable, User-friendly ways to..., Unleash, Unlimited, Unique,
Value added, Valuable,
(7) Ways to..., What's HOT and What's NOT in..., When to ... and when not, (the) Worst thing you....,
You must try this...., You need to know how....,
I'm sure you'll begin to think of hundreds of variations and improvements.... start writing them down now... and when you see a good headline... adapt it for your use.
Enjoy your writing
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