Headline Writing Tips – How To Get Attention

Use “How to” in your headlines
People are naturally curious and if you can promise to tell them how to do something in your headline then they are more likely to want to read on.
The “How to” headline is frequently used because it’s known to work. It also makes it relatively easy to incorporate your chosen keyword or phrase into your headline.
Use a direct headline
Using a direct headline is also a good way of making people sit up and take notice. Writing a direct headline that appeals to your target market can be very effective. For example if you’re a hypnotherapist, you could use a headline such as “Stop Smoking Now” rather than a less powerful headline such as “We could help you give up smoking”.
Use your headlines to ask questions
Following on from point #1 you can also use questions to arouse people’s curiosity and make them want to read the content on your website.
For example a headline such as “Can you imagine dropping a dress size by Christmas?” may be a good headline for a personal trainer or local gym to use to target female clients.
Use short and simple headlines
The headlines on your website should be all about creating impact. The key to achieving this is to keep your headlines short and simple.
If your current website headlines are 10 words in length or more, have a look at how you could cut these down to make them more powerful and to the point.
Dare to be different
As consumers we’re exposed to thousands of different advertising messages every day telling us why we should buy certain products and services.
With so many companies urging us to buy their products or use their services every day, using a slightly different headline can make people stop and take notice. A good example of this is starting your headline with “Don’t buy…” so you could use “Don’t buy golf clubs online until you’ve seen our prices” to make people stop and think about their buying decision.
Use prices in your headlines
Depending on what you’re selling online, price may be the main consideration for people looking at your website. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to include a price in your headline.
Rather than just stating your prices are cheap you could write a headline such as “AA Batteries – Only ?2 for 4”.
Address your target audience in your headlines
Another style of headline writing you may want to try is mentioning your target market to get their attention. For example if you’re aiming to market a new organic clothing range at students you could use the headline “Students: Buy Organic Clothing Online for Less”.
People like new things
If you’ve just launched a product or service then it’s a good idea to let people know it’s new to the market. For example, if you’ve just opened an Indian Restaurant in Newcastle you could have a headline such as “New Indian Restaurant Newcastle – Discover Something Different”.
Offer something for nothing
Using the word “free” in your headlines is another proven method of getting people to take notice. For example if you’re a used car dealer you may want to use something along the lines of “Free Servicing for 12 Months with Every Used Car”.
Be specific
Facts and figures help to sell things better than vague statements. Let’s say you’re a double glazing company in Ipswich and your current headline says “Save Money on Your Heating Bills” which is pretty vague.
A more specific headline such as “Save at Least ?100 on Your Annual Heating Bills” is likely to get better results as it gives people something tangible to believe in.