It is no secret that success of content marketing significantly depends on the headline. David Ogilvy says, On the average, 5 times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent 80 cents out of your dollar, so that's the power of a headline, if you worked it right you have almost sealed the prospects of success for your content marketing. While we all know this and try really hard to write the headline that appeals the readers, we often feel stuck in making it a Killer Headline. The tips given below would help you write a killer headline for a successful content marketing.
Straight and simple is successful
Make your way to the heart of your reader, and trust me there is no science behind that just be simple and straight. No matter how complex things and people are turning, a simple and straight headline would surely appeal the reader. With so much of smartness around, people are more interested in things that are straight and bang on point. A straight and simple headline is easy, time-saving and gives more reasons to trust than a headline that explains a lot or plays with words. Here are some examples of a straight and simple headline:
- An Entrepreneur's Guide To Startup Success
- FREE Subscription For A YEAR
- Pure Leather Bags: 40% OFF
Highlight the big benefit
Don't let your writer soul overpower the readers expectations. Yes, often we get carried away with our creative instincts and end up framing a headline which has least expression about the benefits reader would get out of the blog. So pay special attention in highlighting the core benefits that your reader would get from the blog post that you are writing. Just know what your audience is looking for and put across those benefits in the headline, and watch how your blog starts getting more clicks and reads. A headline, showing the benefit to the user, is one of the six essential items of a converting landing page. Here are some examples of headlines that highlight the big benefit.
- Quick And Easy Way To Boost Sales
- Simple Tips To Get More Leads
- How To Cook Delicious Chicken Breasts Effortlessly
Know the power of How to
Everyone wants to learn and grow. Cash in this urge by writing headlines that offer knowledge and information to the users. At the time of drafting a headline, you must consider such minuscule aspects and emphasize to fulfill them. Your headline must cater to some benefit or result, a reader may be seeking to fulfill. Remember to not include any process in your headline, which reader may find tedious to follow. Always aim at fulfilling reader's end result and cater to his actual expectations. Focus on what your audience may be interested in knowing and what they might be searching. Here are some examples of headlines that leverage the power of How To:
- How To Earn Money While Sitting At Home
- How To Cook Potato Wedges Without Oil
- How To Get Ready For A Job Interview
Add some action
Actionable headlines are the best way to grasp the attention of the readers. A headline that talks to the readers, suggests some actions, and commands them towards a certain path attracts more clicks. Offer an easy to follow path in the headline and command the users towards it. Instead of talking with the readers, make your headline talk to them. Avoid any conversational tone in such headlines. Add actions to the headline and make your reader follow these actions. Here are some headlines that are actionable in nature:
- Stop Wasting Your Time On Thinking, Start Blogging Now For B2B Success
- Register On Our Website And Get First Month Services Free
- Stop Punishing Your Body By Dieting, Get Slim With This 5 Minute Yoga Schedule
Adding You/ Your is magical
While writing a headline, it is important that you address the users directly. Adding you or your in the headline catches the attention of the reader instantly. It makes the reader feel connected to the headline. The survival instinct of the reader's brain makes them actively search for solutions for their problems and when they see that something directed towards them, they instantly feel the urge to open and read through it. It also feeds the self-interest of the people and lets them know what's inside the blog for them. Connect, relate, and engage with the readers by directly addressing them and making them feel that the blog is written specifically for them. Here are some examples of headlines that show adding you/your can be magical:
- Tips To Increase The Reach Of Your Blog
- How To Make A Muffler For Your Dog
- Ways To Increase Engagement With Your Audience
Play With Curiosity Of Reader
Play with the curiosity of the reader while writing the headline to attract more clicks. Cash in the psychology of the human mind to know what it doesn't. Make use of the curiosity gap phenomenon in your headline to create a deprivation in the minds of the reader by telling them something they actually want to know but don't. Don't give up the entire information in the headline and play with their curiosity. Make them open the link to find the missing information to fill the curiosity gap. Spark their curiosity with the headline by giving a bit of intriguing information but keeping the actual information a secret. Here are some examples of headlines that perfectly play with the curiosity of the reader:
- Why do Chinese URLs Use Numbers, Not Letters?
- The Countries Where It Is Easiest To Become A Self-Made Billionaire
These are some of the tips that you can follow for writing a killer headline for successful content marketing. Always remember what David Ogilvy said, When you have written your headline, you have spent 80 cents out of your dollar. So make your 80% of the dollar count by writing a headline that is simple yet effective in attracting the readers.