Often online businesses spend millions to get clicks on an article, ads, or almost any content that is available online.
It sounds insane but think about it — how many times a person surfing through the internet rabbit hole will come across your page.
They notice the headline and make a decision whether they want to click on it or not. You instantly lost a potential user just because your headline was not perfect.
A headline is the first piece of content your prospects notice.
5 times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. – David Ogilvy
You can write the most well-researched content, but it would be a waste of time if the headline doesn’t convince readers to check it beyond the headline.
Writing attention-grabbing headlines is a skill you need to build a sustainable and profitable online business. This is not the only factor, but it is definitely one of the most critical factors.
Do not worry if you are not good at writing unique headlines. I have explained a NO BS step-by-step process to write solid and eye-grabbing headlines.
Great Headlines Are Backed Up By Great Research
You can never write a great headline unless you are aware of the insights of the industry. You must know your target audience, competitors, similar products, market size, and demographics before you sit down to write a headline.
Why?
Because great headlines convey emotions in your target audience. When they search on Google, they will find 99 of your competitors only on the first page.
How would you stand out?
By writing a click-worthy headline.
What do you need to create a click-worthy headline?
In-depth knowledge of the industry.
I have shared some proven headline templates in this article. But before that, take a look at nine important principles of writing click-worthy headlines.
9 Best Practices For Creating A Strong, Attention Grabbing, Headline
Yes, these headline writing principles are one of the most effective ones but don’t stop here. Keep experimenting.
Sometimes, the best headlines are the ones that follow no rules. But yeah, as a beginner, you should be aware of the basic principles of headline writing.
1. Know your audience as in-depth as possible
Learn about your audience to the core of their lifestyle and habits. If you have in-depth insights into your audience, you can persuade them at your will.
This is the biggest secret of writing persuasive copy. There’s no magic around it. Just research and execution.
2. Stop trying to create that ONE big idea
A marketing copy aims to sell, not take some likes, trend on social media for a few days, and vanish after that. New marketers often make the mistake of believing that copywriting is about writing intelligent copy that raises eyebrows or sounds clever to the audience.
Instead, try to sound crystal clear to your audience. Clarity wins over creativity all the time. The idea is to get consistent results and not to win a lottery.
Keep the language simple and be 100% clear with your message.
3. Be as specific as possible in your writing and claims
Let’s learn it with a few examples…
Vague: How To Make Money Online
Specific: How Fresh Graduates Are Making $5000 Online Every Month With This Proven Blueprint
Vague: How To Lose Weight Fast
Specific: How Girls Suffering From PCOD Can Lose 10 Kg Within 28 Days With This Keto Diet
One formula never fits everyone. Stop writing for a general audience. If you want to increase click-through rate, write for a specific audience.
Your copy looks more believable when you use numbers, facts, figures, names, and proof points. Nothing special; it’s just how human psychology works.
4. Write VISUALLY and make them imagine things
A famous Rolls Royce ad by the father of modern advertising, David Ogilvy,
Now, this is how you write a headline with a creative explanation. You can literally visualize the headline, can’t you?
I can imagine myself driving a Rolls Royce at high speed on a no-traffic highway, and there’s no sound of the engine or anything except the wristwatch in my case.
5. Emotions >>> Logic everytime
Doesn’t matter how much a person pretends to be a rational thinker or an intellectual; when it comes to making buy decisions, emotions are always there.
No one buys based on logic alone.
This is human behavior that we make decisions and then justify them using logic.
If you want your audience to take action, create headlines based on the strongest emotions they experience every day. Significantly, how does your product or service can help them overcome that emotion or enhance it?
6. Never make claims that you can’t fulfill
No one likes to feel scammed. Especially if they are your potential prospects. E.g., “Generate 200 Leads Daily On Automation With No Website, No Money, and No Audience”
If you have this magical formula, just tell me your PayPal address right now.
But, do not make such claims if you can’t justify them to your audience. They’ll feel cheated, and you will never be able to sell them the same product again.
Creating hyped-up claims is an essential part of writing amazing headlines because weak claims never grab anyone’s attention.
An ad that has done it right is by Jim Rutz, which is about providing a solution to a critical health problem.
Headline: “Read this or Die”
You can’t ignore this headline, and there’s no false claim around it.
7. Become part of your readers’ conversations
Most marketers and businesses only talk about themselves, bigging up themselves and their own achievements and talking about points their customers don’t care less about (e.g., we’re award-winning, we pride ourselves on XYZ, we are the best because ABC, we have an amazing track record in blah blah blah).
Focus on your readers’ problem in the headline and how you can offer them a solution.
8. Use “Curiosity” wherever possible.
Humans are the most curious species on the planet Earth. You can use this psychological factor to attract visitors to your website. Wherever you find the opportunity, use “curiosity” to your benefit.
Buzzfeed has become a $150 million visitors per month blog just by using this factor.
9. Solve problems. Period.
What’s better than giving solutions to the most burning problems of your audience. Especially if it’s a product or a service. The headline must assure your audience that they are in it for a fantastic experience.
This sounds too obvious but trust me, only a handful of companies execute successfully on it.
Here’s 20 Proven Fill In The Blank Headline Formulas
This list is not exclusive or exhaustive. There are 100’s more proven formulas and headline types you can use, though it’s a good starting point.
1. Did You Know [Blank]?
2. Do You Make These [X] [Blank] Mistakes?
3. Who Else Wants [blank]?
4. How To [Blank]
5. How To [Blank] Like [Blank]
6. The One Secret To [Blank]
7. ‘X’ Secrets These [Blank] Experts Don’t Want You To Know
8. ‘X’ Obscure Facts About [Blank]
9. The Simple Guide To [Blank]
10. How To Get Rid Of [Blank] Once And For All
11. The ‘X’ Minute Guide To [Blank]
12. Is Your [Blank] Making You [Blank]?
13. Are You Safe From [Blank]?
14. X’ Signs You’re [Blank], And You Don’t Even Know It
15. The Shocking Truth About [Blank]
16. ‘X’ Reasons Why [Blank]
17. ‘X’ Habits Of [Blank]
18. ‘X’ Things Only [Blank] Will/Would Understand
19. The Lazy Persons Guide To [Blank]
20. Stop Wasting Your Time Doing [Blank]