99% of copywriters will tell you that headlines are the most important part of any piece of content. But what exactly makes them important?
Well, that’s what we’ll discuss today.
Funnily enough, when I’m writing a newsletter, landing page or blog article, I never start with the headline.
I begin with a placeholder that later gets replaced by the finished headline… a finished headline inspired by the body of my content.
The reason why I do this is because writing headlines is bloody hard. If it misses the mark even by a little, it can severely impact the success of our content.
So, I spent the last three weeks looking at headlines from top copywriters and content creators, and analysing the elements that make them engaging and effective. And after much research and experimentation, I’ve narrowed it down to these key elements.
Make it specific
There’s a famous copywriter called Claude Hopkins, who once said “Platitudes and generalities roll off the human understanding like water from a duck”.
In other words, don’t use generic or vague language in your headline.
Make it specific and tangible.
For example, instead of saying “How to Lose Weight,” say “Lose 10 Pounds in 30 Days with These Simple Tips”.
The latter is much more compelling because it gives the reader a clear idea of what they can expect to achieve by reading your content.
Claude was also the master of calling out his target audience in headlines. For example, “To Men Who Want to Quit Work Someday”.
This immediately grabs the attention of men who have a desire to retire early and draws them into the content.
Make it provable
Another element of an engaging headline is making a promise or claim that can be proven within the content.
For example, “Increase Your Website Traffic by 50% in One Week with These Simple Strategies” or “Timeless Copywriting Advice That Never Goes Out of Fashion“, are great ones.
By including specific numbers and timeframes, you are giving your readers a measurable goal to strive towards, which makes your headline more appealing.
However, it’s important to not make false promises or exaggerations just for the sake of an attention-grabbing headline.
You can’t write, “Learn How to Get Barrelled at Pipeline in Just One Week”, simply to pull clicks.
You’ll be torpedoing your credibility and damaging your relationship with your audience.
Make it jarring
Pattern interrupt is a psychological technique used in marketing to grab the attention of your audience.
It involves disrupting their thought process with something unexpected or surprising, making them stop and pay attention.
In the right hands, pattern interrupt can make for a highly engaging headline.
For example, “Your Surfboard Fins Suck. Here’s Why”, is a jarring headline that would make any surfer stop and read the content.
In the wrong hands, you can get into dangerously click-baity territory.
When writing jarring headlines, ask yourself whether the shock value is worth potentially turning off readers who are looking for genuine and valuable content.
If the article title is something like “10 Shocking Ways to Paddle Faster”, chances are you’re fishing for clicks.
Make it unique
What’s something only you could say? Is there any unique experience, perspective or insight you could offer in your headline?
If so, use it!
Uniqueness makes your content stand out from the rest and can pique the curiosity of readers. They’ll be eager to find out what makes your content different from others on the same topic.
This is a notoriously tricky one to work with.
Personally, I love it. But it can be challenging to come up with something truly unique in a world where everything has seemingly been said and done.
Don’t let that discourage you.
New Balance has a great one with “Worn by Supermodels in London and Dads in Ohio”.
I suggest you think along the same lines.
Make it formulaic
Harry Dry is one of my favorite copywriters, and he’s known for using a formulaic approach to headline writing.
He breaks it down into four simple steps.
Step 1: Write down the value you provide
For Christenson Surfboards, it would be their high-end surfboards.
Step 2: Write a common objection
They’re expensive.
Step 3: Battle that objection
For this, we want to show the value of their high-end surfboards, thus making them worth the cost.
I’ll say, “Because your best surfing ever comes at a price”.
It’s not perfect, I’ll admit, but you get the idea.
Make it urgent
Urgency is a powerful motivator.
If readers feel like they need to act now or they’ll miss out, they’re more likely to click through and read your content.
Think about it.
We’ve just come through Black Friday. That means you’ve most likely been bombarded with emails offering Black Friday deals (check out my own article on Black Friday messaging).
I always disregard the first few emails. But when I get to the third or fourth and they say something like “Last Chance! Only 2 Hours Left!”, suddenly I feel a sense of urgency to take action.
You can use the same tactic in your headlines by using phrases like “Limited Time Offer” or “Act Now”.
Just make sure it is genuine and not a false scarcity tactic.
Make it emotional
Robert Collier is a copywriter from the early 1900s.
He said, “Appeal to the reason, by all means. Give people a logical excuse for buying that they can tell to their friends and use to salve their own consciences. But if you want to sell goods, if you want action of any kind, base your real urge upon some primary emotion”.
This doesn’t mean you should manipulate your readers’ emotions, but rather use emotional triggers in your headline to connect with them on a deeper level.
For example, a surf forecasting website could leverage your fear of missing out with a title like, “Sick of Hearing That You Should’ve Been Here Yesterday?”.
Tapping into readers’ emotions makes them more likely to engage with your content and take action.
So there you have it!
If you ever implement these tips, I’d love to know. I’m always so stoked when I see someone use my advice to improve their business or writing.
Happy headlining!