What Makes a Great Headline?

Chances are, you spend lots of time creating riveting and engaging content to promote your business, right? Well, how much time are you spending on creating an attention –grabbing headline? Chances are, you’re spending very little time and effort on this key piece of your content.

The good news is that 80 percent of the population will read your headline, but you will be losing the remaining clients that won’t see all the important information you filled your article with. They didn’t read below the headline because it wasn’t powerful enough to make them want to know more about what you have to say about that particular topic.

Now that you know how important a headline is to your content, you probably want to know more about how to create that perfect, engaging headline, right?

First of all, the truth is, you should spend a lot of time crafting the perfect article that lets your potential clients see all that you have to offer them. When you don’t take your time and write an engaging headline, you are doing yourself a disservice. You always want to make sure that your information is reaching the eyes it is intended for and it begins with the headline.
Following are three tips for creating the perfect headline for your content:

Tap the emotions of your prospect

Psychologists say that our decisions on whether or not to purchase an item or service are tied to our emotions regarding that product/service. Make sure that you use words in your headline that call for a strong, emotional reaction. Some of the most popular words to use are: powerful, sexy, profitable, confident, in control, smart, and pampered. For instance, “New Study Finds Plants Improve Life” tells the readers about the product, but doesn’t tap their emotions. The headline would be better read by the masses with something like, “Certain Plants Proven to Help You Fight Common Illnesses.”

Use Active Language

In order to call your readers to action, you must use active language. For example, something like “Stop Sugar Cravings Now with This Easy Trick” is a great headline- but it doesn’t really call the reader to find out what this “easy trick” is. Now, on the other hand, if the headline read, “Conquer Sugar Cravings Quickly and Easily with this Easy Trick” it would catch the readers’ attention. That headline calls them to read on so that they too, can stop being addicted to sugar.

Make Sure Readers are Aware of Their Importance

Using the word “You” in your headline is a very powerful move. It tells your readers that you’re speaking directly to them and want to help them solve their problems. You should avoid using: me, we, or I in your headlines. For example: “Conquer those Sugar Cravings with Our Easy System” is much less likely to be read than “ Conquer Your Sugar Cravings with this Easy Trick.”

Three More Tricks for Headlines

• Headlines should offer readers a promise: “Save 10% on Your Auto Insurance Today!” Many readers are looking for their way to save more money each month and for many, auto insurance is a necessary expense that affects the bank account each month. When a person sees this headline, they will want to find out if they can save each month.
• Headlines should be helpful to reader: “How You Can Learn to Save Money the Right Way” This headline not only reaches out to the reader in a way that will have meaning, it will also give a way in which the reader can follow through on the headline. Saving money is something that many people struggle with, so this headline will have special meaning to those that have never been able to save.
• Headlines should pose a question: “Is Your Future Financially Secure?” Headlines that ask a question and make you think about your own situation are helpful. These articles are likelier to be read by those who answer no to this question.

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