How to write a headline (part two)
How do you write a headline that hooks your reader in? Find out in this week’s video and blog post. For the first video in this two-part series, see How to write a headline (part 1).
Below is a transcript of the video.
Writing headlines is a vital skill for any business writer. Luckily, there’s a tried and tested copywriting formula that can help you make your headlines much more compelling: the four U’s.
Let’s take a look at them.
The first of the four U’s is that your headline should offer something useful to the reader. In other words, it should offer a benefit or promise to solve a problem. A great example of a headline that offers value is a ‘how to’ headline, such as ‘how to write headlines that sell’.
It’s even better if you can make your headline unique - in other words, you don’t just offer something useful, you offer something that no one else is offering your reader. This is where you need to get creative with your word choice.
So avoid corporate clichés about innovative solutions, delivering success or driving growth. Instead, use powerful, emotive and unusual words.
For example, two of the most successful posts of all time on my blog were titled:
Ten ways to stop that verbose exec from mangling your copy
And a follow-up post:
Six more sneaky ways to make them say it your way
And one reason for these headlines’ success is the use of unusual words like verbose, mangling and sneaky. They’re also useful because they offer the target reader - in this case, a harried copywriter - clever ways to get buy-in for her work.
Notice, too, how both those headlines used numbers in them? This also makes them ultra-specific. The reader knows exactly what they’re going to get from reading on.
Another way to make your headline ultra-specific is to make it clear who your target reader is. For example, in the headline Seven mistakes every new dad makes in the first year, you’re actually naming who your target reader is. And understanding your target audience and creating content and headlines that appeal to them is really important.
And finally, make your headline urgent. This is about compelling your reader to read on sooner rather than later.
One way to do that is to offer something of such value that your reader can’t ignore it. All these headlines have some degree of urgency. If you’re a new dad, you’re going to want to know right away what those mistakes you’re making are. If you’re a frustrated copywriter who is sick of clients rewriting their work, you’ll want to put those tips into practice right away. And if you’re insecure about your ability to write a winning headline, you’re going to want to click on that ‘how to’.
Other ways you can up the urgency factor is to make your headlines deadline driven. For example: Offer ends midnight tonight.
In all likelihood, not every headline you write will contain all four Us, useful, unique, ultra-specific and urgent. But if you can weave at least two of them into any headline, you’ll be doing great.
For more writing advice, enrol in my online course, Writing With Confidence, available at the Doris and Bertie Writing School.
