Top 10 Tips for Writing Great Headlines
Writing headlines for the pages on your website can be a bit of a juggling act between appealing to your target market as well as getting your chosen keyword or phrase in there for SEO purposes.
Your headlines have the potential to make or break your online fortunes so read our top 10 tips for writing great headlines for your website below because you only get a few seconds to make a positive first impression;
- Use “How to” headlines
The “How to” headline has been proven to be very effective when writing for online and offline media (you may have noticed we use it a lot ourselves!) and those two words are a great starting point for your website headlines. They also allow you to get your chosen keyword or phrase in their easily too.
- Be direct
Not all headlines have to be direct but they can have an instant impact on the reader and make them want to find out more. For example if you are a personal trainer, a direct headline such as “Lose Weight Faster” may work very well and help to engage your target audience.
- Ask a question
As human beings we have a healthy sense of curiosity which is why asking a question in your headline can be so powerful. Starting a headline with “Did you know” or “Would you believe” is an effective way to make people curious and encourage them to read on.
- Keep it short and simple
Remember that your headline is not part of your body copy, so keep it short and simple. Headlines with too many words can lack impact and if you also use unfamiliar words or jargon then you’re onto a loser straight away.
The average headline is reckoned to be 5 words long although of course you can go over this amount, just don’t get too carried away and write 25 as it will not only likely be ineffective, it won’t look great on your website either.
- Don’t buy…
With so many companies urging us to buy their products or use their services every day, using a different approach in the form of a headline that starts with “Don’t buy…” can make people sit up and take notice.
A good example would be “Don’t buy home insulation until you’ve seen our quote” which will get the reader to delay their buying decision and request a quote from you.
- Include a price in your headline
Price is an important factor in most people’s decision making process so it makes sense to include a price in your headline if appropriate. Price should just make up part of the overall headline and an example would be “Carpet Cleaning in Edinburgh for Only £9.99”.
- Talk directly to your market
Another style of effective headline is achieved by speaking directly to your target market. For example starting the headline with “New Mothers:” “Car Owners:” or whoever your target market is will instantly grab their attention and make them want to learn more about what you’re offering.
- Start your headline with “New”
People like new things and they like to think they’re among the first to buy a new product or use a service that’s just come onto the market. A headline such as “New Golf Ball Gives You More Control” is an example of how this can be used to good effect.
- Use a free offer
As well as liking new things people like getting a bargain too and if you’re able to offer a free trial of your product or service then it’s a good idea to incorporate this into your headline. For example a driving school may offer a free lesson when you book a block of 10 lessons.
- Use facts and figures
Using facts and figures in a headline can help you communicate a benefit to your target audience and give it more credibility. Using golf balls as an example again you could write something like “Hit Your Drives 28% Further” which is more powerful than just saying “Hit Your Drives Further”.
If you enjoyed reading this post you may also like my beginner’s guide to writing website copy
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