In most articles, regardless of whether it's an online article, a web content or something that you see in the newspaper, the headline of the article or the prelude to a particular part of the content plays a pivotal role in drawing people in. I've been asked before, 'How do you write a headline that grabs at peoples' attention?' I don't have a magical wand to do that and the rules to how to write such a headline changes all the time, so, but there are some rules that I follow when writing headlines.
Including your keywords into your headline when writing
This is part of my rule....I don't know about others. The reason for this rule is because I want it to be a little bit more SEO-friendly and also kick-ass. For example, if the keyword you want is 'cheap business deal', I would probably go with something like CHEAP BUSINESS DEALS SHOCKS COMMUNITY. If it's a new handbag designed for teens and the keyword is handbag, I'd go with something like CHIC TEEN BAGS HITS THE STREETS. Well, you get what I mean, the basic concept is to keep the keywords in the headlines.
Shout, exaggerate and blow things out of proportion
Some people try not to do this and frankly speaking, I don't like stretching the truth too far either but this is how you've got to do it if you want to write a really good headline that grabs people's attention. Nobody would give your news or article a second thought if it was something boring or normal.
If you don't want to exaggerate too much, during the second-edit, go back and 'tone it down a little' without changing it too much; for instance, use a milder word that does not stretch reality too far. Example; change CRAZY to UNBELIEVABLE or GUARANTEE to PROMISE.
But keep it big. That's my advice. Then you'd get the attention you want.
Keep to the current and understand the readers
People who are on top of the news snap their heads around when they hear of the latest breaking news....that's how CNN's breaking news work, isn't it? Your readers are always current and up-to-date, therefore, you'll have to do that when you write your headline as well. Boring old news, nothing new, blah. But if you shout at them and say something like ECONOMY DOWNTURN DOES NOT AFFECT THE INTERNET MARKET INDUSTRY, they turn around and look....and then think, why the hell did it not affect the internet market?
When you write, you want to push all the right buttons
In whatever it is that you write, it pays to remember the hot buttons. In each and every one of us, there are hot buttons to push. Words that will just send them into a frenzy whereby the impulsiveness just raises its head in even the most sober folks. FREE is a button. NOW is a button. As for slimming products, PAIN-FREE is a button. When you write, include all these buttons into your writing. It takes some time for you to realize what these words are but every time you publish something, take a look at it and gauge their effectiveness and then slowly try to find words that you have placed inside of that article and things will come to you.
The rule of thumb is this....your readers don't buy the things that they need from the Internet (if you're an ecommerce business owner)! Remember...the get the things that they need from the supermarket, not the internet! When you write, remember to incorporate words that would make then WANT to buy that from you, incite their excitement and desire to have what you're selling.
And you can do all of this with a headline that SHOUTS at the top of its lungs!
Showing posts with label writing headlines. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing headlines. Show all posts
Sunday, 22 April 2012
Friday, 6 April 2012
How To Write Powerful Headlines
I want to tell you how I go about writing headlines. I like to keep swap files of headlines around for future use. And how I go about doing it goes something like this...
I'll find a headline I like, wherever it may be, and then I don't copy it word for word, instead I'll use a "fill in the blank" approach. That way I get a generic headline that I can apply to almost any business.
For example, I find a headline I like that goes something like this:
"Give Me 5 Minutes And I'll Show You How To Put An Extra $1000 Into Your Pocket!"
In my swap file I would write it down using a "fill in the blank" approach:
"Give Me _____ And I'll _____!"
I could now take this generic headline and apply it to almost any business...
Car insurance for example:
"Give Me 60 Seconds And I'll Show You How To Slash Your Car Insurance Cost In Half Every Single Month!"
Do you follow me...?
You don't want to steal any headline word for word. That would be a bad thing. But you can recycle headlines by using a "fill in the blank" approach, and then applying that to whatever business you may be are a part of.
I mean gee... why reinvent the wheel? There are a ton of great headlines out there already!
Here's another example:
"Great New Discovery Kills Kitchen Odors Quick... Makes Indoor Air Country Fresh!
In my swap file I would write it down using a fill in the blank approach:
"Great New _____ .... Makes _____!"
I could now take this generic headline and apply it to almost any business...
Weight loss for example:
"Great New Diet Pill Burns Unwanted Fat... Makes Dieting Easy!"
So the moral of the story is... The next time you come across a headline that grabs your attention, don't just stare at it! Write it down in your swap file using a fill in the blank approach.
And over time, the next thing you know, you'll have so many fill in the blank generic headlines to choose from in your swap file....
You'll never be stuck for a headline to write ever again!
I'll find a headline I like, wherever it may be, and then I don't copy it word for word, instead I'll use a "fill in the blank" approach. That way I get a generic headline that I can apply to almost any business.
For example, I find a headline I like that goes something like this:
"Give Me 5 Minutes And I'll Show You How To Put An Extra $1000 Into Your Pocket!"
In my swap file I would write it down using a "fill in the blank" approach:
"Give Me _____ And I'll _____!"
I could now take this generic headline and apply it to almost any business...
Car insurance for example:
"Give Me 60 Seconds And I'll Show You How To Slash Your Car Insurance Cost In Half Every Single Month!"
Do you follow me...?
You don't want to steal any headline word for word. That would be a bad thing. But you can recycle headlines by using a "fill in the blank" approach, and then applying that to whatever business you may be are a part of.
I mean gee... why reinvent the wheel? There are a ton of great headlines out there already!
Here's another example:
"Great New Discovery Kills Kitchen Odors Quick... Makes Indoor Air Country Fresh!
In my swap file I would write it down using a fill in the blank approach:
"Great New _____ .... Makes _____!"
I could now take this generic headline and apply it to almost any business...
Weight loss for example:
"Great New Diet Pill Burns Unwanted Fat... Makes Dieting Easy!"
So the moral of the story is... The next time you come across a headline that grabs your attention, don't just stare at it! Write it down in your swap file using a fill in the blank approach.
And over time, the next thing you know, you'll have so many fill in the blank generic headlines to choose from in your swap file....
You'll never be stuck for a headline to write ever again!
Sunday, 25 March 2012
How to Write Attention-Grabbing Headlines that No Reader Can Resist!
One of the most important aspects of any article is the headline. You could write the best article ever, and without a great headline many people will simply pass over it. The headline, or title, is the part of the article that grabs a reader's interest and entices them to keep reading. Here are some tips that can help you write amazing headlines for any article:
Headlines should be kept short and sweet. Nothing turns a reader off more quickly than a headline that's too long. Avoid rambling and condense what you want to say into one or two sentences. Don't worry about complete sentences when writing headlines. Often the best headlines are fragments of sentences that would usually never be considered grammatically correct!
Don't be afraid of punctuation. Dashes, commas, colons, exclamation points and question marks can be used when writing headlines. However, there is no need to always use them, nor do you need to put a period at the end of a headline. Punctuation in headlines is mostly used for emphasis.
Use words that pack a wallop. Go for words and phrases that invoke emotion in the reader. Adjectives like amazing, great, fantastic, remarkable and the like can work well in a headline. Promise the reader something with your headline. Entice their curiosity. Let them know that you've got information that they need.
One way to do this is by asking a question in your headline and answering it with your article. Let's take this article for example. You could go for something like this:
Do You Want to Write Attention Getting Headlines? Read on!
Or, you can be direct with your headline and tell the reader exactly what they'll be learning with your article. Such as the title used for this article: How to Write Attention-Grabbing Headlines that No Reader Can Resist! This is an example of a straightforward headline that's simple and to the point.
Another strategy is promising the reader secret information. For example, the title of this article could be Secrets to Writing Attention-Grabbing Headlines. Let's review some attention-grabbing headlines for another article subject so you can get an idea of the different kinds of headlines you can try. Let's say the subject is working from home:
--> How to Find the Perfect Work at Home Job
--> Want to Work at Home? Here's How!
--> Secrets to Finding the Ideal Work at Home Job
--> Working from Home - How You Can Make the Dream a Reality
These are all effective headlines that are concise yet attention-getting. Using these examples, you can come up with amazing headlines for any article topic. Try to put yourself in the reader's shoes and create headlines that will capture the imagination and interest of your target audience.
Even if you're not a professional writer, you can create a headline like one! With the right combination of attention grabbing words and punctuation, you can craft amazing titles that draw readers in and keep them coming back to read more!
Headlines should be kept short and sweet. Nothing turns a reader off more quickly than a headline that's too long. Avoid rambling and condense what you want to say into one or two sentences. Don't worry about complete sentences when writing headlines. Often the best headlines are fragments of sentences that would usually never be considered grammatically correct!
Don't be afraid of punctuation. Dashes, commas, colons, exclamation points and question marks can be used when writing headlines. However, there is no need to always use them, nor do you need to put a period at the end of a headline. Punctuation in headlines is mostly used for emphasis.
Use words that pack a wallop. Go for words and phrases that invoke emotion in the reader. Adjectives like amazing, great, fantastic, remarkable and the like can work well in a headline. Promise the reader something with your headline. Entice their curiosity. Let them know that you've got information that they need.
One way to do this is by asking a question in your headline and answering it with your article. Let's take this article for example. You could go for something like this:
Do You Want to Write Attention Getting Headlines? Read on!
Or, you can be direct with your headline and tell the reader exactly what they'll be learning with your article. Such as the title used for this article: How to Write Attention-Grabbing Headlines that No Reader Can Resist! This is an example of a straightforward headline that's simple and to the point.
Another strategy is promising the reader secret information. For example, the title of this article could be Secrets to Writing Attention-Grabbing Headlines. Let's review some attention-grabbing headlines for another article subject so you can get an idea of the different kinds of headlines you can try. Let's say the subject is working from home:
--> How to Find the Perfect Work at Home Job
--> Want to Work at Home? Here's How!
--> Secrets to Finding the Ideal Work at Home Job
--> Working from Home - How You Can Make the Dream a Reality
These are all effective headlines that are concise yet attention-getting. Using these examples, you can come up with amazing headlines for any article topic. Try to put yourself in the reader's shoes and create headlines that will capture the imagination and interest of your target audience.
Even if you're not a professional writer, you can create a headline like one! With the right combination of attention grabbing words and punctuation, you can craft amazing titles that draw readers in and keep them coming back to read more!
Sunday, 19 February 2012
7 Ways To Write Attention Grabbing Headlines
Reach out and grab your readers with attractive, click persuasive and winning headlines. Watch as your promotional ROI (return on investment) increases fast! Follow the steps below and turn those browsers into buyers by sucking them into your advertisement or sales page with irresistible Headlines.
Below are 7 ways that you can attract readers and more importantly buyers of your product or service. If you use one or all of them it doesn’t matter, just use these techniques I have outlined for you.
How To… - This is one of the top performing headlines. People want to learn steps, how to do something. For example, “7 Ways to Write Attention Grabbing Headlines” or “How to Spot a Fake Louie Vuitton”. So tell them!
News Headline – Get to the point right off the bat. “Service Company Teams up To Fill in Gaps with Children’s Fundraiser.” Then write that inverted pyramid style with the most detailed information (who, what, when, where, why, how) on top.
Featured Benefit Headline – Disclose your biggest benefit right at the top. Draw attention by opening in grand style, “Marketers Get Over 50% of Their Emails Opened with New Auto responder Technology.” Do you see who was benefited in the preceding headline? It’s as plain as the nose on your face right? That’s how you want it to be. Do not make people guess or this will lead to confusion.
Solve A Problem – Pick a popular problem being discussed in your niche or industry and then use it to your advantage. For example, “Turn Your Private Label Products into Profits in 5 Minutes with This New Audio Mastery Series.” How about, “Double Your List Size in 7 Days With This Viral Software.” See how I got your attention with a headline proposing a solution to a problem?
Share Personal Discovery – Create interesting story angles out of your own would-be bloopers like, “Everyone Told Me I’d Never Be Able to Quit My Day Job, But I Did It in One Month and with only a $10 Investment!” Try this one, “Wrong Email to Wrong List Leads to Unexpected Profits!” Do not be afraid to admit mistakes. We are all human and letting your prospective customers and list members know this will improve your re pore with them.
Case Study or Testimonial Headline – Place the focus on those interesting story angles of others; for example, “Jack Stuffed My Mailer in the Trash, Then Dug It Out, Listened to the Audio Files, and Earned $12,457 in Just 30- Days!”
Guarantee Headliners – Add your bottom line up top, “Earn Your Money Back in 30 Days or Less or I’ll Double Your Money Back!” Also, “Double Your Money Back if You Don’t Double Your Money!”
Put any of these top formulas to work on your websites, articles and press releases. I can assure you that you will receive a better response to your ads than previous attempts. The ways to format your headlines above are tried and tested, don’t try and change the wheel on this one. Make it easy on yourself and just follow what has been proven to work.
Today it is harder than ever to get people to read what you want them to. Heck, it’s hard enough to get them to stop for a second to do so. Everyone is so busy these days and in a give it to me now society you have to give it to them now. Writing headlines that get straight to the point is what will cause people to stop and take notice. Make sure you put a lot of thought into your headlines and watch your ROI skyrocket!
Below are 7 ways that you can attract readers and more importantly buyers of your product or service. If you use one or all of them it doesn’t matter, just use these techniques I have outlined for you.
How To… - This is one of the top performing headlines. People want to learn steps, how to do something. For example, “7 Ways to Write Attention Grabbing Headlines” or “How to Spot a Fake Louie Vuitton”. So tell them!
News Headline – Get to the point right off the bat. “Service Company Teams up To Fill in Gaps with Children’s Fundraiser.” Then write that inverted pyramid style with the most detailed information (who, what, when, where, why, how) on top.
Featured Benefit Headline – Disclose your biggest benefit right at the top. Draw attention by opening in grand style, “Marketers Get Over 50% of Their Emails Opened with New Auto responder Technology.” Do you see who was benefited in the preceding headline? It’s as plain as the nose on your face right? That’s how you want it to be. Do not make people guess or this will lead to confusion.
Solve A Problem – Pick a popular problem being discussed in your niche or industry and then use it to your advantage. For example, “Turn Your Private Label Products into Profits in 5 Minutes with This New Audio Mastery Series.” How about, “Double Your List Size in 7 Days With This Viral Software.” See how I got your attention with a headline proposing a solution to a problem?
Share Personal Discovery – Create interesting story angles out of your own would-be bloopers like, “Everyone Told Me I’d Never Be Able to Quit My Day Job, But I Did It in One Month and with only a $10 Investment!” Try this one, “Wrong Email to Wrong List Leads to Unexpected Profits!” Do not be afraid to admit mistakes. We are all human and letting your prospective customers and list members know this will improve your re pore with them.
Case Study or Testimonial Headline – Place the focus on those interesting story angles of others; for example, “Jack Stuffed My Mailer in the Trash, Then Dug It Out, Listened to the Audio Files, and Earned $12,457 in Just 30- Days!”
Guarantee Headliners – Add your bottom line up top, “Earn Your Money Back in 30 Days or Less or I’ll Double Your Money Back!” Also, “Double Your Money Back if You Don’t Double Your Money!”
Put any of these top formulas to work on your websites, articles and press releases. I can assure you that you will receive a better response to your ads than previous attempts. The ways to format your headlines above are tried and tested, don’t try and change the wheel on this one. Make it easy on yourself and just follow what has been proven to work.
Today it is harder than ever to get people to read what you want them to. Heck, it’s hard enough to get them to stop for a second to do so. Everyone is so busy these days and in a give it to me now society you have to give it to them now. Writing headlines that get straight to the point is what will cause people to stop and take notice. Make sure you put a lot of thought into your headlines and watch your ROI skyrocket!
Sunday, 12 February 2012
Do Your Headlines Come With a Snooze Button?
You will see e-book authors make ludicrous claims that the average North American reads at a sixth grade level. One author even claimed that Americans now read at a third grade level. This was no doubt to take away from the glaring spelling and grammatical mistakes he made throughout his book. It was as though this disclaimer excused his laziness in creating a low quality product.
The problem is not that we are becoming a nation of illiterates. The problem is that we are becoming a nation with an attention span of a two year old child. If what we see doesn't hold our attention we are merely one click away from the finding something that does. Experts say you now have three seconds to grab someone's attention. Your headline sells the article.
We all judge books by their covers and now we judge articles by their headlines. There is nothing wrong with doing this and in fact it is really nothing new. Newspapers have sensationalized headlines for decades in order to get people to read the story. The evening news took this concept even further with their commercial teasers. These advertisements would appear in the middle of a program and dropped little bombs so people would watch the news that evening. "Tonight, drinking a certain brand of milk can cause blindness. Tune in at seven to find out what you need to know to keep your sight."
Writing a good headline is considered to be a talent. Writing a good title is also an important talent. Which essay would your rather read, The Poems of Robert Frost or Frosty The Poem Man? While it is important for your article to have a catchy title, it is equally important that the headline accurately reflects the article. Some people have begun writing headlines with well paying keywords while the articles are about something else entirely. This will result in angry readers and may result in a punitive response from Google as well.
Look on your title as a call to action. Ask yourself what the main point of your article really is. Write down this point and begin to play around with it. What will happen if people will follow the advice in the article? What will happen if people do not follow the advice in the article? Now focus either on the benefits or the risks and try to narrow it down to a single phrase. Now look for some action words to punch up this phrase and you should have yourself a winning headline.
The problem is not that we are becoming a nation of illiterates. The problem is that we are becoming a nation with an attention span of a two year old child. If what we see doesn't hold our attention we are merely one click away from the finding something that does. Experts say you now have three seconds to grab someone's attention. Your headline sells the article.
We all judge books by their covers and now we judge articles by their headlines. There is nothing wrong with doing this and in fact it is really nothing new. Newspapers have sensationalized headlines for decades in order to get people to read the story. The evening news took this concept even further with their commercial teasers. These advertisements would appear in the middle of a program and dropped little bombs so people would watch the news that evening. "Tonight, drinking a certain brand of milk can cause blindness. Tune in at seven to find out what you need to know to keep your sight."
Writing a good headline is considered to be a talent. Writing a good title is also an important talent. Which essay would your rather read, The Poems of Robert Frost or Frosty The Poem Man? While it is important for your article to have a catchy title, it is equally important that the headline accurately reflects the article. Some people have begun writing headlines with well paying keywords while the articles are about something else entirely. This will result in angry readers and may result in a punitive response from Google as well.
Look on your title as a call to action. Ask yourself what the main point of your article really is. Write down this point and begin to play around with it. What will happen if people will follow the advice in the article? What will happen if people do not follow the advice in the article? Now focus either on the benefits or the risks and try to narrow it down to a single phrase. Now look for some action words to punch up this phrase and you should have yourself a winning headline.
Monday, 9 January 2012
Sales Letter - Writing Headlines
The most important part of any sales letter is the headline. The rest of the sales letter can be excellent, but if your headline sucks, your ad will fail. It's as easy as that.
Why are these few lines of a sales letter so important? Well, the headline is your first (and often last) chance to impress the reader. A good headline entices the reader to read the rest of the information. The simple fact is, if you have a bad heading the rest of the page won't matter because it won't be read.
The first purpose of the heading is to obtain the readers attention. Having said that, it is important to note that you don't want to attract everyone's attention. You want to attract the attention of people who would be interested in what you offer. This is called target audience.
What you don't want is lots of readers that is not interested in your offer. They'll realize this as soon as they get past the headline and you'll quickly lose them.
While you are attracting the wrong readers you may also be losing valuable readers that are interested.
You have to know your target audience, know what they want, and know what would grab they're attention. This is a vital part of writing your headline. You really have to walk a fine line to get it just right, this can only be achieved trough practice and testing.
Let's quickly look at how Claude Hopkins uses newspaper headlines to demonstrate the importance of targeting your audience through your headline:
"Suppose a newspaper article stated that a certain woman was the most beautiful woman in the city. That article would be of intense interest to that woman and her friends. But neither she nor her friends would ever read it if the headline was 'Egyptian Psychology' ".
For a more contemporary example, we can look to Google AdWords.
Let's say you have a website that sells specialty teas and you want to drive traffic to a product on special, let's say a delicious Earl Grey.
You can only use a limited number of characters so you have to be very careful of the words you use. You see, if you use a very general headline like "Specialty Teas", the traffic you would receive won't be very targeted.
You would likely get a lot of "tire-kickers" who are just browsing or looking for free stuff. Since you pay for traffic by using AdWords, you would be spending good advertising money on bad traffic.
Instead, a heading like "Earl Grey Discount Ends Today".
This, off the top of my head example, shows how you could target someone who are looking for earl grey tea.
Someone who sees your ad will immediately know:
1. You have exactly what they are looking for
2. They can save money because of the discounted price.
3. The discount ends today so they have to act fast
The power of 5 simple words can't be emphasized enough. See how tightly targeted it is? The people who click on the ad will be very likely to buy.
While people who are only interested in free information about chamomile tea will know not to bother.
Why are these few lines of a sales letter so important? Well, the headline is your first (and often last) chance to impress the reader. A good headline entices the reader to read the rest of the information. The simple fact is, if you have a bad heading the rest of the page won't matter because it won't be read.
The first purpose of the heading is to obtain the readers attention. Having said that, it is important to note that you don't want to attract everyone's attention. You want to attract the attention of people who would be interested in what you offer. This is called target audience.
What you don't want is lots of readers that is not interested in your offer. They'll realize this as soon as they get past the headline and you'll quickly lose them.
While you are attracting the wrong readers you may also be losing valuable readers that are interested.
You have to know your target audience, know what they want, and know what would grab they're attention. This is a vital part of writing your headline. You really have to walk a fine line to get it just right, this can only be achieved trough practice and testing.
Let's quickly look at how Claude Hopkins uses newspaper headlines to demonstrate the importance of targeting your audience through your headline:
"Suppose a newspaper article stated that a certain woman was the most beautiful woman in the city. That article would be of intense interest to that woman and her friends. But neither she nor her friends would ever read it if the headline was 'Egyptian Psychology' ".
For a more contemporary example, we can look to Google AdWords.
Let's say you have a website that sells specialty teas and you want to drive traffic to a product on special, let's say a delicious Earl Grey.
You can only use a limited number of characters so you have to be very careful of the words you use. You see, if you use a very general headline like "Specialty Teas", the traffic you would receive won't be very targeted.
You would likely get a lot of "tire-kickers" who are just browsing or looking for free stuff. Since you pay for traffic by using AdWords, you would be spending good advertising money on bad traffic.
Instead, a heading like "Earl Grey Discount Ends Today".
This, off the top of my head example, shows how you could target someone who are looking for earl grey tea.
Someone who sees your ad will immediately know:
1. You have exactly what they are looking for
2. They can save money because of the discounted price.
3. The discount ends today so they have to act fast
The power of 5 simple words can't be emphasized enough. See how tightly targeted it is? The people who click on the ad will be very likely to buy.
While people who are only interested in free information about chamomile tea will know not to bother.
Saturday, 24 December 2011
3 Things to Include When Writing Sales Page Headlines
Your headline is the most important part of your sales page because if you can't capture people;s attention and make them want to read more, it doesn't matter what else you've written, it will never get seen. Your headline needs to catch your target market's attention and make them want to read more, and trying to write a headline is a sticking point for many business owners writing their own copy. So, here I've included the top 3 things you'll want to include when writing your sales page headline.
A mention to your specific target audience or their problem
For maximum effect, you want to make sure your sales page is in front of the eyes of your specific target market, so if you can, give them a direct mention in the headline so that they know exactly who it is this will appeal to.
For example:
"Worried about hair loss?"
"Aged between 18-23 and trying to figure out your next career move?"
"Calling all Bluegrass fans looking for live music..."
Can you see how in an instant a reader knows if this is going to be relevant to his or her situation? That's what you want in your headline.
Highlight the problem
In the above examples, we've already touched on this, but to build on identifying your target market, you next need to remind them of the problem that they are having. So for example wit "worried about hair loss", it isn't just speaking to people who are losing their hair, it is speaking to people who have the problem of worrying about losing their hair. In your headline try to capture an element of the problem your customer is having as this will remind them of whatever discomfort they have that you can solve.
Promise a solution
Now that you've identified your target market, reminded them of their problem, you want to show them that what you have can solve that problem. This is what's going to pull them in to read the rest of your sales page because you are now talking to someone who wants a solution that you have.
For example:
"Embarrassed about stained teeth? White-glo returns your teeth to their natural whiteness simply in minutes"
"Hate writing headlines for your sales page? Download our free templates for instant headlines today"
Now, those are the 3 main things to include but as a bonus point, if you can include some kind of urgency, or some kind of surprise benefit (such as solving the problem in minutes) you're going to attract even more people to your sales page.
A mention to your specific target audience or their problem
For maximum effect, you want to make sure your sales page is in front of the eyes of your specific target market, so if you can, give them a direct mention in the headline so that they know exactly who it is this will appeal to.
For example:
"Worried about hair loss?"
"Aged between 18-23 and trying to figure out your next career move?"
"Calling all Bluegrass fans looking for live music..."
Can you see how in an instant a reader knows if this is going to be relevant to his or her situation? That's what you want in your headline.
Highlight the problem
In the above examples, we've already touched on this, but to build on identifying your target market, you next need to remind them of the problem that they are having. So for example wit "worried about hair loss", it isn't just speaking to people who are losing their hair, it is speaking to people who have the problem of worrying about losing their hair. In your headline try to capture an element of the problem your customer is having as this will remind them of whatever discomfort they have that you can solve.
Promise a solution
Now that you've identified your target market, reminded them of their problem, you want to show them that what you have can solve that problem. This is what's going to pull them in to read the rest of your sales page because you are now talking to someone who wants a solution that you have.
For example:
"Embarrassed about stained teeth? White-glo returns your teeth to their natural whiteness simply in minutes"
"Hate writing headlines for your sales page? Download our free templates for instant headlines today"
Now, those are the 3 main things to include but as a bonus point, if you can include some kind of urgency, or some kind of surprise benefit (such as solving the problem in minutes) you're going to attract even more people to your sales page.
Monday, 24 October 2011
Tips to Writing a Great Attention Grabbing Headline
How Good Headlines Will Grab And Hold Your Readers Attention, Then Entice Them Into Your Article.
Writing a great attention grabbing headline for your ad, article or blog post is as important as writing a good headline for a newspaper. You need to grab your visitors attention in the few seconds you have them on your page, and you need to use SEO (Search Engine Optimization) techniques as well. Keep on reading to discover examples of attention grabbing headlines.
Your great, attention grabbing headline needs to have good keywords, so your creative freedom starts to be diminished. Did you know that you also have the option to write a great subtitle in most cases? A subtitle lets you increase the attention of your readers as they will read the subtitle as well as the title. When choosing what to use for your attention grabbing headline and subtitle, what is the best option to use?
Questions are good. People love to have questions answered. If you're using a question, make sure you ask one your readers will have an interest in having answered. It creates curiosity.
People like to be shocked. Read the magazine headlines and tabloids to prove the point. Readers also like humour, ideas that are new and exciting, to be stunned and everyone knows sex sells.
So let's examine some of the options I could have used for:
The Curiosity Question:
"Are your readers glued to your page, forced to read on, because you create emotional hooks in your headlines?
The Identification Question:
"Who else has trouble creating an attention grabbing headline that sucks your readers into your article?"
The Scientific Method:
"Newest Research Show That 62% More People Click On Emotionally Charged Headlines"
- I made up the percentage, but you can see the idea.
Sexy (suggestive) Headline:
"Enticing Headline Ideas To Draw In Your Readers Like A Magnet"
New and Exciting:
"Brand New Never Before Seen Ideas To Creating Exciting Headlines Easily"
Secrets Revealed:
"Jealously Guarded Copywriting Secrets To Writing Compelling Headlines Revealed"
Solving A Problem:
"How To Write Compelling Headlines In 3 Easy Steps"
Humour:
"How A Great Headline Affects Your Bottom Line"
Authoritative:
"Learn How To Create Attention Grabbing Headlines In Less Than 5 Minutes"
Writing a great headline takes time. Write down several options before you choose the final one. That is what professional copywriters do. Take your time to craft your headline that will catch your readers attention and compel them to read your entire article or copy.
Writing a great attention grabbing headline for your ad, article or blog post is as important as writing a good headline for a newspaper. You need to grab your visitors attention in the few seconds you have them on your page, and you need to use SEO (Search Engine Optimization) techniques as well. Keep on reading to discover examples of attention grabbing headlines.
Your great, attention grabbing headline needs to have good keywords, so your creative freedom starts to be diminished. Did you know that you also have the option to write a great subtitle in most cases? A subtitle lets you increase the attention of your readers as they will read the subtitle as well as the title. When choosing what to use for your attention grabbing headline and subtitle, what is the best option to use?
Questions are good. People love to have questions answered. If you're using a question, make sure you ask one your readers will have an interest in having answered. It creates curiosity.
People like to be shocked. Read the magazine headlines and tabloids to prove the point. Readers also like humour, ideas that are new and exciting, to be stunned and everyone knows sex sells.
So let's examine some of the options I could have used for:
The Curiosity Question:
"Are your readers glued to your page, forced to read on, because you create emotional hooks in your headlines?
The Identification Question:
"Who else has trouble creating an attention grabbing headline that sucks your readers into your article?"
The Scientific Method:
"Newest Research Show That 62% More People Click On Emotionally Charged Headlines"
- I made up the percentage, but you can see the idea.
Sexy (suggestive) Headline:
"Enticing Headline Ideas To Draw In Your Readers Like A Magnet"
New and Exciting:
"Brand New Never Before Seen Ideas To Creating Exciting Headlines Easily"
Secrets Revealed:
"Jealously Guarded Copywriting Secrets To Writing Compelling Headlines Revealed"
Solving A Problem:
"How To Write Compelling Headlines In 3 Easy Steps"
Humour:
"How A Great Headline Affects Your Bottom Line"
Authoritative:
"Learn How To Create Attention Grabbing Headlines In Less Than 5 Minutes"
Writing a great headline takes time. Write down several options before you choose the final one. That is what professional copywriters do. Take your time to craft your headline that will catch your readers attention and compel them to read your entire article or copy.
Saturday, 17 September 2011
5 Rules For Writing Effective Article Headlines
Not enough attention is placed on the #1 component of any piece of advertising material or news article. Most people only read headlines before deciding whether or not to continue reading. Here are five ways to grab your reader's attention and hold it from the start:
1- Get self interest in to every headline that you write
Always try to make your headline suggest to the reader that there is something there that they want. I can't stress enough how fundamental this rule is. The self interest element of the headline should be very obvious yet this rule is violated on a daily basis by millions of writers.
2- Use the news in your headline
If you've got news such as a brand-new product that you're coming out with or promoting, or a new way to use an old product, always try to use that news by incorporating it into your headline and in a prominent way.
3- Try to avoid headlines that only provoke curiosity
If you combine curiosity with news or self interests, then that's an excellent way of adding more punch to your headline. Curiosity by itself is not enough to attract and hold the reader's attention long enough to continue reading the rest of your copy.
4- Try to refrain if possible from negativity
There are many that use negative headlines to attract readers. Some people call it the "roadside crash" or "rubbernecking" technique. This may seem to work in the short run, but in the long run they can negatively brand your products or services. I like to always stay positive, therefore attracting people that want to be positive and that are actively looking for information or products that can positively impact their lives and the lives of the people they care about.
5 - Suggest quick and easy
Use your headline to suggest that there is a quick and easy way for your target audience to get something they want. Most people, and especially Americans, are always looking for a faster, more time saving, easier way of doing things. If you can suggest that idea in your headline, then you have a much greater possibility of that person continuing to read the rest of your copy to find out more about your solution.
These five rules have been religiously followed by some of the biggest and best advertising agencies in the world. If they use these rules to make their clients and themselves millions of dollars then it must be working, right? The wonderful thing is that you can use the same techniques to boost your off-line or online business.
1- Get self interest in to every headline that you write
Always try to make your headline suggest to the reader that there is something there that they want. I can't stress enough how fundamental this rule is. The self interest element of the headline should be very obvious yet this rule is violated on a daily basis by millions of writers.
2- Use the news in your headline
If you've got news such as a brand-new product that you're coming out with or promoting, or a new way to use an old product, always try to use that news by incorporating it into your headline and in a prominent way.
3- Try to avoid headlines that only provoke curiosity
If you combine curiosity with news or self interests, then that's an excellent way of adding more punch to your headline. Curiosity by itself is not enough to attract and hold the reader's attention long enough to continue reading the rest of your copy.
4- Try to refrain if possible from negativity
There are many that use negative headlines to attract readers. Some people call it the "roadside crash" or "rubbernecking" technique. This may seem to work in the short run, but in the long run they can negatively brand your products or services. I like to always stay positive, therefore attracting people that want to be positive and that are actively looking for information or products that can positively impact their lives and the lives of the people they care about.
5 - Suggest quick and easy
Use your headline to suggest that there is a quick and easy way for your target audience to get something they want. Most people, and especially Americans, are always looking for a faster, more time saving, easier way of doing things. If you can suggest that idea in your headline, then you have a much greater possibility of that person continuing to read the rest of your copy to find out more about your solution.
These five rules have been religiously followed by some of the biggest and best advertising agencies in the world. If they use these rules to make their clients and themselves millions of dollars then it must be working, right? The wonderful thing is that you can use the same techniques to boost your off-line or online business.
Saturday, 27 August 2011
5 Sure-Fire Ways For Writing Headlines That Grab
Your headline is your first impression. It should stop, fascinate and persuade your readers, or else you risk losing them in the blink of an eye.
Headlines that grab generally perform two important functions. Firstly they should get your readers attention. Then they need to communicate the overall theme of the message without revealing any of the answers. Their mission is to stop your audience in their tracks and intrigue them enough to continue reading.
What is more, your headline should create a sense of curiosity. Curiosity helps lure the reader onto your copy and further into the body text. When you spark your readers curiosity they inevitably will want to learn more.
It is very common for professional copywriters to use newspapers and magazines to research their headlines. Publications such as Cosmo, Vanity Fair and Who Magazine provide a great source of ideas. In addition, they collect any successful ads or headlines in what they call a 'swipe file.' They can then adapt the headlines to suit their own needs.
This is actually a great way for an amateur copywriter to practice writing headlines. Start collecting ads for a swipe file and then replace words in the headline for words that suit your product or service.
Over time as you start looking at ads and website copy from the viewpoint of a copywriter, you will notice the headlines that get used repeatedly. These headlines are the ones that work. Be sure to write these ones down or add them to your own swipe file.
Lets now look at 5 sure-fire triggers that will guarantee your headlines get attention:
1. Curiosity
New!
Introducing!
At Last!
People love the thought of anything new and exciting. These words are perfect for announcing new products. Just note however that it is illegal to claim a product is 'new' unless is has been created with the last 6 months.
2. Calling Out
Dentists!
Home Owners!
Bad Headaches?
These words used at the beginning of a headline specifically call out to your target audience. They are definitely attention grabbing.
3. Customer Benefits
Free from Migraines in 10 minutes!
Buy One Lamp - Get the Second one free!
Learn To Sing in 2 Days with New Method!
Selling the benefits is always a key to successful selling. People may note the features (such as promoting a '4 wheel drive' vehicle) but will be sold on the benefits ('enjoy the freedom and adventure you will experience when you head off-road').
4. The Captivating Question
What If I Could Double Your Profits in 10 Days?
Do You Make These Five Copywriting Mistakes?
What Powerful Antioxidant Will Turn Back The Clock?
This type of headline uses an open ended question. One which your reader is unable to answer with either "yes" or "no". They will immediately want to know what mistake it is, or what product will bring that result. Fantastic for sparking the curiosity factor.
5. The 'How To' Headline
How to Get Rid Of Eczema Naturally
How to Find Out If Your Husband Is Cheating
How to Find Positive Cash Flow Investments in Any Market
People commonly search the internet to find information. Using 'how to' in a headline answers the exact question they are asking themselves. Extremely powerful when you match the right headline to the right target market.
Learning to write headlines that sell is an ongoing process. Try to study and then model successful copywriters continually. Just be sure to always use your own personality and unique style.
In the highly competitive online world, knowing how to write captivating copy and to persuade your audience is vital to the success of your business. Discover Powerful Copywriting Techniques from professional copywriters with years of success.
Headlines that grab generally perform two important functions. Firstly they should get your readers attention. Then they need to communicate the overall theme of the message without revealing any of the answers. Their mission is to stop your audience in their tracks and intrigue them enough to continue reading.
What is more, your headline should create a sense of curiosity. Curiosity helps lure the reader onto your copy and further into the body text. When you spark your readers curiosity they inevitably will want to learn more.
It is very common for professional copywriters to use newspapers and magazines to research their headlines. Publications such as Cosmo, Vanity Fair and Who Magazine provide a great source of ideas. In addition, they collect any successful ads or headlines in what they call a 'swipe file.' They can then adapt the headlines to suit their own needs.
This is actually a great way for an amateur copywriter to practice writing headlines. Start collecting ads for a swipe file and then replace words in the headline for words that suit your product or service.
Over time as you start looking at ads and website copy from the viewpoint of a copywriter, you will notice the headlines that get used repeatedly. These headlines are the ones that work. Be sure to write these ones down or add them to your own swipe file.
Lets now look at 5 sure-fire triggers that will guarantee your headlines get attention:
1. Curiosity
New!
Introducing!
At Last!
People love the thought of anything new and exciting. These words are perfect for announcing new products. Just note however that it is illegal to claim a product is 'new' unless is has been created with the last 6 months.
2. Calling Out
Dentists!
Home Owners!
Bad Headaches?
These words used at the beginning of a headline specifically call out to your target audience. They are definitely attention grabbing.
3. Customer Benefits
Free from Migraines in 10 minutes!
Buy One Lamp - Get the Second one free!
Learn To Sing in 2 Days with New Method!
Selling the benefits is always a key to successful selling. People may note the features (such as promoting a '4 wheel drive' vehicle) but will be sold on the benefits ('enjoy the freedom and adventure you will experience when you head off-road').
4. The Captivating Question
What If I Could Double Your Profits in 10 Days?
Do You Make These Five Copywriting Mistakes?
What Powerful Antioxidant Will Turn Back The Clock?
This type of headline uses an open ended question. One which your reader is unable to answer with either "yes" or "no". They will immediately want to know what mistake it is, or what product will bring that result. Fantastic for sparking the curiosity factor.
5. The 'How To' Headline
How to Get Rid Of Eczema Naturally
How to Find Out If Your Husband Is Cheating
How to Find Positive Cash Flow Investments in Any Market
People commonly search the internet to find information. Using 'how to' in a headline answers the exact question they are asking themselves. Extremely powerful when you match the right headline to the right target market.
Learning to write headlines that sell is an ongoing process. Try to study and then model successful copywriters continually. Just be sure to always use your own personality and unique style.
In the highly competitive online world, knowing how to write captivating copy and to persuade your audience is vital to the success of your business. Discover Powerful Copywriting Techniques from professional copywriters with years of success.
Thursday, 11 August 2011
Writing Headlines For Advertising and Online Marketing
If you are like me you will no doubt struggle writing headlines for your advertising and marketing. I recently attended a very useful seminar on this very topic and picked up some great tips.
As I am writing this off the top of my head I realise how difficult it is to remember the rules that apply to writing great headlines.
So I will consult my notes before I add any more - meaning the next part will be added and edited later, this is all part of the solution.
If you live in the UK I can highly recommend business link for their services including free to attend seminars - they have many of these throughout the year and all over the country - look out for the Internet marketing related seminars in your area.
So when writing headlines follow these rules-
It should be clear in a few seconds to catch attention-
Keep it concise- edit it down-
Make it compelling, what does the reader want and need-
Structure- make it flow from one paragraph to the next-
Keep the paragraphs short- 25 to 30 words are best-
Use dashes not commas- as here
So the next thing is to practice just start writing and see how you go, you may be surprised how easy it comes to you, write as if telling a friend the message you want to get across. Of course you can cheat by using headline writing software, I have recently acquired such a programme with re-sale rights so watch this space I will be making it available soon.
Enjoy your writing and do please come back and check out my future insights into all aspects of internet marketing, Gordon Bloomfield (February 2010)
As I am writing this off the top of my head I realise how difficult it is to remember the rules that apply to writing great headlines.
So I will consult my notes before I add any more - meaning the next part will be added and edited later, this is all part of the solution.
If you live in the UK I can highly recommend business link for their services including free to attend seminars - they have many of these throughout the year and all over the country - look out for the Internet marketing related seminars in your area.
So when writing headlines follow these rules-
It should be clear in a few seconds to catch attention-
Keep it concise- edit it down-
Make it compelling, what does the reader want and need-
Structure- make it flow from one paragraph to the next-
Keep the paragraphs short- 25 to 30 words are best-
Use dashes not commas- as here
So the next thing is to practice just start writing and see how you go, you may be surprised how easy it comes to you, write as if telling a friend the message you want to get across. Of course you can cheat by using headline writing software, I have recently acquired such a programme with re-sale rights so watch this space I will be making it available soon.
Enjoy your writing and do please come back and check out my future insights into all aspects of internet marketing, Gordon Bloomfield (February 2010)
Friday, 15 July 2011
Attention Internet Marketers, Get Urgent Help Writing Headlines
As an internet marketer you will constantly be polishing and practicing your copywriting skills in order to create the most compelling headlines for your target audience. Headlines are the foundation for anything you do as an online marketer. Whether you are writing ads, emails, sales letters, articles, blog posts or web site landing pages, you must continuously build your repertoire of skills in order to write killer headlines that emotionally engage your selected audience or niche market.
If you are new to the business, you may be thinking to yourself, "Why would I care about writing headlines? I just want to build my team, sell my product and make tons of money..."
Let's dissect that thought a moment.
Building your team will require you to communicate with people, right? If you are working on-line you will need to "write" something to your potential prospects in order to convey your message, unless you plan on buying a list and calling each person individually having a conversation with them over the phone. However, you will still need a place to send them with your offer, which will require copy.
If you want to market your product, share your opportunity, build a list, establish relationships and brand yourself as a leader, then the ability to write eye catching, tantalizing, thought provoking headlines will be imperative. The better you get at copywriting, the better results you will have in your business.
Even if you believe you are the most incredible video marketer on the face of the planet, and video marketing will be your primary strategy, you will still be required to write headlines to promote them.
You may contemplate outsourcing, paying someone else to take over the responsibility. Outsourcing certainly can save you time but your true authentic self will not shine through. You will be sabotaging your personal brand and leadership presence.
Writing headlines is inevitable & vital to your on-line endeavors.
How to get started today!
If writing isn't your fortes, start by being aware of headlines that you are exposed to on a daily basis. Notice the headlines that are on the covers of magazines and newspapers when you check out at the grocery store, especially The National Inquirer or other popular tabloids. The copywriters are some of the highest paid in the industry. They have the ability to twist the reader into emotional knots while standing in line at the checkout.
Notice what words pull your personal emotional heartstrings and understand why. You can use this in your own writing when sharing your personal story with others.
Collect Compelling Content
When you're online begin collecting samples of other people's work that you can later twist and tweak to fit your needs. Continuously add samples to your personal toolbox of compelling content you can adapt to your specific niche. Use these as a guide being certain not to copy word for word.
Get Creative and Outrageous
Identify your ideal prospect's problem and provide them a solution. Step out of your comfort zone and explore your copywriting horizons, be bold, confident and engaging. Practice writing the most emotionally packed content with the least amount of words. Do your key word research for your niche market, tweak and test!
You will soon discover a creative outlet for yourself, a way to express and convey your message. Have fun! Make yourself laugh and your partners envious. Continue practicing the art of writing captivating headlines and you'll be well on your way to ensuring your on-line business success.�
Lynn Clarke, in her former life, taught our youth how to become life long learners while teaching in the public school system. Today she inspires entrepreneurial parents to becoming life long earners, living their best years ahead leaving a legacy behind. Lynn inspires others to recognize the opportunities that are available to the internet marketer and home based business owners through the revolutionary education platform she offers to a global community. While your there check out her recent e-book, The New Home Based Business Power Tool.
If you are new to the business, you may be thinking to yourself, "Why would I care about writing headlines? I just want to build my team, sell my product and make tons of money..."
Let's dissect that thought a moment.
Building your team will require you to communicate with people, right? If you are working on-line you will need to "write" something to your potential prospects in order to convey your message, unless you plan on buying a list and calling each person individually having a conversation with them over the phone. However, you will still need a place to send them with your offer, which will require copy.
If you want to market your product, share your opportunity, build a list, establish relationships and brand yourself as a leader, then the ability to write eye catching, tantalizing, thought provoking headlines will be imperative. The better you get at copywriting, the better results you will have in your business.
Even if you believe you are the most incredible video marketer on the face of the planet, and video marketing will be your primary strategy, you will still be required to write headlines to promote them.
You may contemplate outsourcing, paying someone else to take over the responsibility. Outsourcing certainly can save you time but your true authentic self will not shine through. You will be sabotaging your personal brand and leadership presence.
Writing headlines is inevitable & vital to your on-line endeavors.
How to get started today!
If writing isn't your fortes, start by being aware of headlines that you are exposed to on a daily basis. Notice the headlines that are on the covers of magazines and newspapers when you check out at the grocery store, especially The National Inquirer or other popular tabloids. The copywriters are some of the highest paid in the industry. They have the ability to twist the reader into emotional knots while standing in line at the checkout.
Notice what words pull your personal emotional heartstrings and understand why. You can use this in your own writing when sharing your personal story with others.
Collect Compelling Content
When you're online begin collecting samples of other people's work that you can later twist and tweak to fit your needs. Continuously add samples to your personal toolbox of compelling content you can adapt to your specific niche. Use these as a guide being certain not to copy word for word.
Get Creative and Outrageous
Identify your ideal prospect's problem and provide them a solution. Step out of your comfort zone and explore your copywriting horizons, be bold, confident and engaging. Practice writing the most emotionally packed content with the least amount of words. Do your key word research for your niche market, tweak and test!
You will soon discover a creative outlet for yourself, a way to express and convey your message. Have fun! Make yourself laugh and your partners envious. Continue practicing the art of writing captivating headlines and you'll be well on your way to ensuring your on-line business success.�
Lynn Clarke, in her former life, taught our youth how to become life long learners while teaching in the public school system. Today she inspires entrepreneurial parents to becoming life long earners, living their best years ahead leaving a legacy behind. Lynn inspires others to recognize the opportunities that are available to the internet marketer and home based business owners through the revolutionary education platform she offers to a global community. While your there check out her recent e-book, The New Home Based Business Power Tool.
Wednesday, 29 June 2011
How To Write Headlines - Writing Headlines That Get Your Articles Read - Part 1
The secret ingredient to all successful articles is writing a great 'Headline'. Whoever your reader is:
Website visitor
Robot web spider
Other website owners
All great articles that are optimised for your website have one thing in common.
A great Headline!
What is a Headline?
Why is writing a great Headline important?
How do you write a great Headline?
What is a Headline?
It's the bulletins that open up the news on the radio or TV.
It's what's written on the front of the news stand.
It announces the content of the article.
Headlines are used to pull the eyes to the page & compel the reader to read on... If they have searched for a specific word then, if your headline contains that word, they will be drawn to it.
Why is writing a great Headline important?
In a world of news, reports, sounds & pictures we suffer information overload - Headlines help focus the readers attention - grab their interest & give a reason for them to spend time reading your article. You do write your articles to be read, don't you? I know that some write articles just so that they include their website links or affiliate links, but these empty, badly planned articles are not the most successful on the web.
How do you go about writing a good Headline for an article.
Consider the following:
learn the secret formula to .....
I made the fatal mistake ......, make sure you don't!
Why ..... & ...... grab your customers attention.
The last word on ........
Cash in on ....... before others do.
OH NO... Bush has done it again!
Didn't they all say 'read me' I have something important to say? Didn't they all indicate the nature of the article to come? Didn't they all have an element of curiosity about them? Didn't they all have impact?
Writing a good headline for an article is an art that one gets better and better at.
But here are some simple rules to follow and help you supercharge your Headlines:
1. Appeal to your readers biggest desires
Make money.
Get healthy.
Loose weight.
Achive more.
Look ten years younger.
Find love.
Readers are often looking for solutions to their problems. If your Headline is the answer to their problem then they will read on.
2. Acknowledge their fears.
Avoid making this costly mistake.
Act now ... don't loose out!
The terrible truth about 'X' and how to avoid it.
Sometimes readers haven't acknowledged a problem or are only just becoming aware of it. By suggesting that you know the problem and can help with the solution will get them to read on.
3. Ignite their emotions.
Why we all hate our boss!
No more Monday morning blues!
Throw away your glasses forever.
Why rubbish is YOUR fault!
Sometimes you need to grab those readers and compell them to read your articles by raising their emotion levels. Sometimes you are actually challenging them to argue with you.
4. Appeal to their curiosity.
How 'X' & 'Y' made a million from 1 simple widget.
Double your Adsense income overnight with this one simple strategy.
What New Year resolutions did Madonna make this year?
Make sure that you use your Keywords, that you've based your article on. Those looking for information on the a particular subject, for example 'How To Write a Great Headline' will likely choose your article to read over another that doesn't use the keywords that they searched on. Look at my headline and you see that it includes 'writing', 'headlines', 'write', 'read', 'articles'. I have a good chance that both the human visitors will use these keywords when searching for information on 'how to write a good headline' but I am also including information so that the search engines might give a high value to my article too.
In How to write headlines - writing headlines that get your articles read - Part 2 I look at more strategies to get those time poor internet readers choosing your article to read.
Brian Cotsen writes articles & reviews tools to help you succeed with your website or online internet affiliate marketing. Visit http://www.simplewebsitemarketing.com
Website visitor
Robot web spider
Other website owners
All great articles that are optimised for your website have one thing in common.
A great Headline!
What is a Headline?
Why is writing a great Headline important?
How do you write a great Headline?
What is a Headline?
It's the bulletins that open up the news on the radio or TV.
It's what's written on the front of the news stand.
It announces the content of the article.
Headlines are used to pull the eyes to the page & compel the reader to read on... If they have searched for a specific word then, if your headline contains that word, they will be drawn to it.
Why is writing a great Headline important?
In a world of news, reports, sounds & pictures we suffer information overload - Headlines help focus the readers attention - grab their interest & give a reason for them to spend time reading your article. You do write your articles to be read, don't you? I know that some write articles just so that they include their website links or affiliate links, but these empty, badly planned articles are not the most successful on the web.
How do you go about writing a good Headline for an article.
Consider the following:
learn the secret formula to .....
I made the fatal mistake ......, make sure you don't!
Why ..... & ...... grab your customers attention.
The last word on ........
Cash in on ....... before others do.
OH NO... Bush has done it again!
Didn't they all say 'read me' I have something important to say? Didn't they all indicate the nature of the article to come? Didn't they all have an element of curiosity about them? Didn't they all have impact?
Writing a good headline for an article is an art that one gets better and better at.
But here are some simple rules to follow and help you supercharge your Headlines:
1. Appeal to your readers biggest desires
Make money.
Get healthy.
Loose weight.
Achive more.
Look ten years younger.
Find love.
Readers are often looking for solutions to their problems. If your Headline is the answer to their problem then they will read on.
2. Acknowledge their fears.
Avoid making this costly mistake.
Act now ... don't loose out!
The terrible truth about 'X' and how to avoid it.
Sometimes readers haven't acknowledged a problem or are only just becoming aware of it. By suggesting that you know the problem and can help with the solution will get them to read on.
3. Ignite their emotions.
Why we all hate our boss!
No more Monday morning blues!
Throw away your glasses forever.
Why rubbish is YOUR fault!
Sometimes you need to grab those readers and compell them to read your articles by raising their emotion levels. Sometimes you are actually challenging them to argue with you.
4. Appeal to their curiosity.
How 'X' & 'Y' made a million from 1 simple widget.
Double your Adsense income overnight with this one simple strategy.
What New Year resolutions did Madonna make this year?
Make sure that you use your Keywords, that you've based your article on. Those looking for information on the a particular subject, for example 'How To Write a Great Headline' will likely choose your article to read over another that doesn't use the keywords that they searched on. Look at my headline and you see that it includes 'writing', 'headlines', 'write', 'read', 'articles'. I have a good chance that both the human visitors will use these keywords when searching for information on 'how to write a good headline' but I am also including information so that the search engines might give a high value to my article too.
In How to write headlines - writing headlines that get your articles read - Part 2 I look at more strategies to get those time poor internet readers choosing your article to read.
Brian Cotsen writes articles & reviews tools to help you succeed with your website or online internet affiliate marketing. Visit http://www.simplewebsitemarketing.com
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