In our current world full of all sorts of sounds and noises, how can writers get readers to take action? Getting keen readers obviously takes more than just great design or great content. As famous tabloid newspaper the Sun believes, the most important part is the headline.
Recent studies have showed that 5 times as many people read headlines than the ones who read the body. This is especially so when you consider that Facebook timelines is the primary way people get their news these days. This principle applies to news articles, blog posts, and so on.
Many times, the title is the most overlooked part in article writing. People do not take enough time to consider it. A lot of investment in terms of time and thought should be made on the title. Once a suitable headline has been produced, the writers should ask themselves;
“Would it make me want to continue reading?”
This is quite difficult for most people; however, here are a few tips on how to write a powerful headline.
You are the subject matter expert – make use of that
As a writer, you have good knowledge of your offer, product or service and its value. A title should appeal to the readers’ basic needs. It needs to grasp the attention of the readers and that can only be done by understanding what your reader desires, needs or wants.
You should make sure the headline is under one of the basic human motivators, which are:
- self actualization,
- self esteem
- social
- safety
- physiological.
Use tried and tested formulas
Technology and circumstances change – human nature is still pretty much constant. Write your headlines using one of these formulas:
- Show me: How to…
- Command: ‘Check out this…’ or ‘This … will make your cry tears of joy’
- Pose a Question: Do you ever…?
- Testimonials: Somebody said something
‘How to’ appeals to our desire to learn. If the title offers a promise to a problem affecting them, they will continue reading.
Questions appeal to the readers’ emotion and curiosity. They will first try to answer it themselves and then compare their answers to the one offered in the body.
Focus on the right audience
Targeting a specific audience yields better results in writing. Writers should segment their audience so as to allow them to talk directly to their personal needs. Each segment should share the same desires, wants or needs.
Identify which type of audience your article is targeting and then think about the right platforms for your message. Your headline should then be tailored to show that you comprehend the needs of your audience and how your product, service or offer will be valuable in solving their problem.