Headline Tips That Are Actually Useful
This is an article from The Business Boost & Build Newsletter.
It’s once a week and includes one tip from me and three resources from others.
This week I want to talk about crafting awesome headlines.
Why?
Because 8 out of 10 people read a headline, but only 2 out of 10 read the rest.
That means 80% of headlines SUCK.
I’ve been tweeting about it a lot recently.
Since deciding to grow my audience on Twitter, it’s a skill I’m studying in great detail.
And it’s serving me well…
Headlines Serve 3 Purposes
- Grab attention
- Build curiosity
- Establish groundwork
Most people refer to a headline as a hook, and that’s a great way to think about it.
Just like you would catch a fish with a hook, you need to catch the reader with your headlines.
I want to show you a quick example (arguably the best of all time).
David Ogilvy wrote this ad in 1958.
Instead of talking about the engineering details, which most wouldn’t understand or be interested in.
It invites the reader to imagine driving in the car.
The rest of the copy is great as well, you should read it all.
Most headlines these days (and copy) just don’t stand up to this quality.
Check out my twitter thread for more tips on crafting these irresistible headlines.
3 Copywriting Tips From Others
These Are All Free
- Copywriting Crash Course from Kieran Drew
- Write Better YouTube Titles In 1 Hour from Jay Clouse’s Podcast with Jake Thomas (includes video interview)
- Killer Hooks Resource from Eve Arnold
Bonus Tip
When you’re writing a headline, ask yourself these questions:
- Does the headline address something or someone specific?
- Does the headline paint a mental picture?
- Does the headline create urgency?
- Does the headline grab attention?
- Is the headline too long or short?
- Is the headline clear and direct?
- Do I deliver on the headline?