Headlines serve as the first opportunity for the reader to get a taste of your content. You have to come out strong and draw them in with appealing language so they want to read more.
Creating headlines is an art, and it can be tricky. You can only use a few words, but you have to summarize an entire article or post. You have to make the words relevant to the content, but they also have to entice the reader to choose your article over all the other content they are constantly bombarded with. What’s a writer to do?
Start with the end. Write your headline last. Don’t begin an article with a headline and a blank page. Let your article take an appropriate direction and morph into a story before you even think about writing the headline. Once the article is finished, pick out core topics and keywords, and use that information to craft your headline.
Tailor headlines to your audience. When you have a specific audience in mind, writing headlines suddenly becomes easier. You already know which keywords to use and what language will attract your readers. Now you just have to show them the benefit of reading your article over all the others that are waiting to be read. Think about what makes you click on a headline. Is it informative, personalized, humorous, or a helpful list? Finding what works for you brand and your audience is a key step in creating strong relationships and getting people to consistently read your content.
Consider search engine optimization (SEO). Use keywords that your readers will notice and that search engines will love. The keywords should show up throughout your article and then be used in your headline for a major SEO boost. But don’t lose focus of your perfectly crafted headline or lead readers astray solely for the reason of driving up SEO.
Want more? Here are a few other quick tips for mastering the art of headlines:
- Write in present tense
- Use alliterations
- Use positive and strong language
- Use numbers and lists
- Practice brevity
- Include a call-to-action
With these tips, you’ll be writing captivating headlines in no time.
Creative Spot is a full-service marketing and advertising agency in Columbus, Ohio. If you would like to learn more about how we can help your organization with strategic marketing, please contact us.
Via:
http://www.copyblogger.com/craft-better-headlines/
http://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/headline-writing-tips#sm.00001lxn8zl7mdjr10ahlhuss56gg