When marketing online, headlines are going to be one of your most important tools. From blog posts to sales letters to web pages, a carefully crafted headline can gain the attention you need and want for your content.
However, if you’re not a writer by profession or an SEO like Ysias SEO, you may feel a little stressed about writing great headlines. How do you know when you’ve got it right? With so much weighing on the importance of an awesome headline, you need to know how to do this to the best of your ability.
Here is what we focus on, you need to know about how to write killer headlines:
- Understand the job of your headline – Before you can begin to write a fantastic headline, you need to understand its job and function. The goal of a headline is to draw in the reader. You want to get their attention amidst the sea of information online. You also want to get them excited or interested to read more.
- Know how to create excitement – If your reader isn’t excited or intrigued by your headline, they’re going to click away in a matter of seconds and move on to something else on the internet. You want to craft your headlines with carefully chosen words that will draw them in.
- Be truthful and not too “hypey” – While you want to get their attention, you also don’t want to oversell the hype or be off-putting with superfluous language. Be honest with your headlines at all times.
- Answer the important questions – Your readers want to know “What’s in it for me?” and your headline should answer this for them quickly and easily. You can go into details with the rest of the copy but get the most important question out of the way in the headline whenever you can.
- Remember your USP – Your USP is your unique selling proposition. This is what makes your product or service different and better than others out there. It’s basically your most important benefit. This should be highlighted in your headlines.
- Learn to stir emotions – People make purchases based on their emotions. You want to write headlines that can stir the right emotions in your readers. You can do this by describing the benefits of your product rather than its features.
- Focus on the customer – As excited as you are about your product or service, your headlines should be focused on the customer. How does it help them? What are the benefits they will receive? What will they feel or think when they have it?
- Show the result – Tell them what result they will get from the product or service and show it clearly in your headlines and the rest of your copy.
- Think outside the box – You might not even be aware of all the actual benefits of your product or service. When brainstorming for your headlines, take some time to write down all the benefits of your product. Ask for input from others, too, so you can think outside the box and be creative.
- Use short words and active voice – You want your headline to draw them in and encourage them to take action. Short, simple words and active verbs that arouse emotion will be key.
In addition to these tips, you need to understand that it’s not about just one headline. On a sales page, for example, you’ll also need several subheadings. If you’re writing product descriptions, you need them for each product that you offer.
You will want to brainstorm 10-20 headlines, if possible, or even more if you keep going. And then you can narrow it down to the very best ones and use those. Don’t just go with the first thing to pop into your head and expect it to be gold. It’s a process. Allow that creative flow to come. I also recommend sleeping on it a day or two before choosing from your batch of headlines. This allows you to come back to it with a fresh mind and fresh eyes.
The right headlines can make or break the sale, and it’s essential you learn to do them correctly. It will get better and easier with time, but these tips should help you get started on the right foot. Take these tips and then go forth and practice, practice, practice! You’ll be writing killer headlines in no time.
