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How to Write Better Headlines

If you want to sell more on your website or your client's website, then no piece of text is more important than your headline. Your sales copy still need to convince prospective buyers to buy, but if your headline is dull or ineffective, then people won't stay on your page to read what else you have to say. Many statistics show people will only look at a site for a few seconds before deciding whether to stay or go somewhere else.

Not only does your headline have to grab people's attention, but it also needs to identify things that make your product or service different or stand out from the competition.

While we are looking mainly at the main headline, these tips can also help with subheadings. Because most people will just scan your page before making their decision, subheadings will help capture their attention, build curiosity, or point out benefits.

New copywriters often find it difficult to come up with ideas for headlines. Remember you can use offline ideas online. Watch commercials and infomercials to get ideas. These advertisers spend big money on their ads, so they tend to have some of the strongest headlines. The first few words of a broadcast commercial are the equivalent of a headline, but this is not always the case as the visual element is present.

Even the evening news often uses a 'tease' to get you interested in an upcoming story - this is nothing more than a headline that uses curiosity. You can also study newspapers for headline ideas. By the same token, don't forget to look at the headlines on the covers of magazines, too. Again, all of these are designed to sell.

Another trick that will help you put zing into your headline is to start it with a verb or command.

The importance of your headline can't be stressed enough. Take the time to write down 20 to 100 different headline ideas before selecting the strongest one. That may seem like a lot, but a strong headline is vital to sales, and finding the right one rarely happens on the first few tries.

Just as with copywriting itself, there is some debate as to how long the ideal headline should be. Long or short? That depends on the audience and the strength of the headline, but what it really comes down to is this:

Headlines need to be just long enough to get people wanting to read more.

Here are three types of headlines that you can use.

Headline #1:

Bold claim: "Our Product Shows Anyone How To Lose Weight And Become A Millionaire"

When you use this headline, you are sure to capture people's attention. However, make sure the rest of your copy supports the headline. Bolder claims will require more proof. A downside to this type of headline is that it may turn off some people because it sounds too much like hype.

Headline # 2:

Empathy: "Tired Of Drowning In Debt?"

You can think of this headline as sharing the pain of your readers. Of course, your offer will eliminate their problem. This tactic will appeal to the targeted group of people who are experiencing the same problem. At the same time, it will eliminate those who don't have the problem, and wouldn't have taken your offer anyway.

To make an empathy headline more effective you need to keep building rapport with your reader. One way to do this is to tell the story of your struggle in a conversational tone. Let them know that you too have been there, but found a solution.

Headline # 3:

News report: "Former Truck Driver Quits Job After Discovering Million Dollar Secret"

People are programmed to accept news as factual, and this type of headline plays on that. This headline sounds informative, so the reader will want to read your page to learn more. You can continue your sales letter or advertorial to sound like a news item. This can be tricky because you have to strike the right balance of informing and selling.

The news report headline doesn't appeal to everyone, but if your product informs people or reveals something new, then a newslike tie-in can work.

Regardless of which headline you choose, you have to prove any claims it makes with the rest of your copy. Remember, a headline gets people to notice your message and gets people interested in reading more. One final tip: test and tweak your headlines to get the best results. A change of even a single word can have a large impact on your results.

Brian Scott is the author of the newly-released book/audio book, SOCIAL COPYWRITING 2.0, available at www.PaydayPublishing.com. Listen to free audio samples on copywriting for today's social media. Or sign up to our Affiliate Program and earn 50% commissions on our products!

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