How to write headlines that leave your competitors behind

Source - SocialDevansh

The headline serves to grab the reader's attention and encourage them to read the article. It immediately helps the reader to understand whether the topic is interesting or not and whether there will be a benefit from reading. To learn how to write cool headlines, there are some features that I want to talk about in this article.

Rule # 1: Defining the target audience

An important point is to identify the target audience segments before writing the headline. What is good for one segment will be totally unacceptable for another. Think about who might be interested in your topic. Create a rough portrait of your reader. What does he do during his work and free time? What is his hobby and how does he have fun? Accurate definition of the audience is already half the battle. For instance:

• “Ready-made homework - only with our tutors!”.
• "What seedlings should you start with in the spring?"
• "How to wean a cat to shit in slippers?"

In the first case, you will get a selling headline for schoolchildren and their parents. In the second - summer residents. Still others are cat owners.

Rule # 2: Promise of Benefit

Having barely looked at the title, the reader should understand how beneficial it will be to read the entire text. The author, using the title, helps the buyer to choose the desired product. For instance:

• "Spring Clothes".
• "Top 10 outfits for spring that will make you irresistible."

In the first case, the title is boring and gray. It is not clear for whom these clothes are. Maybe for dogs in general.

In the second, you can guess the target audience. These are girls who are interested in fashion and want to look good. They will definitely like this title and be interested in reading the content.

Rule # 3: Fast Results

Always and all people want everything at once. Lose weight quickly, make money quickly, quickly quit smoking and much more. The main feature in writing such a title is realism. The reader will immediately feel the catch if he sees the headline: "Lose weight by 20 kg in one day!". Make adequate suggestions:

• "An easy way to learn English in a month."
• "Improve the quality of texts in two weeks."
• "Warming of a balcony on a turnkey basis in a week."

The buyer should trust you and not feel that they want to cheat him.

Rule # 4: A little intrigue

Mystery and understatement always arouses curiosity. I want to make the secret clear, and all the riddles - to solve. Headings can be in the form of a question or a narrative. They create an element of incompleteness:

• "A mistake even an experienced copywriter makes."
• "How can an amateur author quickly become a professional and make good money?"
• "3 services to help make your texts better."

The buyer will want to know what is hidden behind such interesting names.

Rule # 5: A proposal with options

Variability is freedom of choice for the reader. But at the same time, a choice from the option the author needs. This method can be used by asking the audience an alternative question.

• “Become a copywriter: on your own or courses ?”.
• "Get an animal: a cat or a dog?"
• "Children's tantrums: to punish or not?"

Further, we describe both options in detail everywhere. We sell a product or service, describing the benefits in the article itself . We push the buyer to the desired choice.

Rule # 6: Describing Pain

Every person who searches for something on the Internet has his own pains, goals and objectives. Knowing the target audience for their product, the author can write a good headline. It is important here not to make promises, but simply to describe the situation in which the reader recognizes himself.

• “I don’t know how to find great exchanges for a copywriter.”
• "I want normal copywriting courses."
• "I make a lot of mistakes in the texts."

You can do the opposite, and write in a positive way. The author was in a similar situation and found a way out.

• "My list of the coolest exchanges for a copywriter . "
• "I found cool courses and I want to talk about them."
• "How I stopped making mistakes in the text and improved my literacy ."

Rule # 7: Call for Action

Headline, with the aim of gaining immediate benefits. Works efficiently with proper compilation. Here, the author must clearly know the target audience and how to write catchy headlines for such people. This type of headline leads the buyer to the purchase by the fact that the product or service will immediately solve his problems. Getting a bonus is also good.

• “ Sign up for courses - start earning!”.
• "Buy food for a cat - a scratching post as a gift!".
• "A healthy breakfast from ... is the secret of quick slenderness."

Just calling with verbs doesn't work. "Buy food, sign up for courses" - without describing the buns, this is only annoying.

Additional tips on how to attract buyers with a headline

In addition to the methods described, there are some more tricks for catchy headlines.

• Ask a question or write an answer to it. Why Skillbox? "Skillbox - because there is the highest quality education for a copywriter."
• Tell us about your personal experience. “How I bought my first car, earning money from copywriting”, “How I quit smoking in one day”.
• Highlight a segment of your audience. "Tips for Newbie Copywriters", "Life Hacks for Car Lovers", "Better Places for Walking the Dog".
• Add numbers. "10 ways ...", "As in 5 minutes ...", "As in 1 day ...".
• Use celebrities and brands. James Oliver's Pizza Making Secrets, Jason Stethem's Favorite Car Brands, and Kendall Jenner's Dress.
• Tell us about the warranty. "In a month you will earn ...", "We will assemble the kitchen in five hours", "Get rid of snoring forever!".
• Scare the reader. “Why smoking is dangerous”, “Habits that irreversibly impair health”, “What can happen if you don’t buy…”.
• Discover secrets. "The main secret of quick earnings in any area", "It became known why ...".
• Step by step instructions. "Step-by-step instructions for registering on Instagram", "How to do evening makeup: step-by-step instructions."
• Describe the errors. "The most common mistakes of newbie copywriters", "How not to be mistaken when choosing the first machine."
• Make a hit parade. “Rating of Interesting Places in Moscow”, “Top 10 Cozy Cafes in St. Petersburg”, “Top 5 Must-Visit Countries”.
• Highlight the pros and cons. "Pros and cons of remote work", "Pros and cons of Samsung smartphones."

Formulas how to write headers correctly

To come up with live titles that will be interesting to read yourself, there is the 4U formula. Its essence is in words:

• Benefit (Usefulness) - describe the benefit, and not the service itself.

Not "Realtor services", but "Selection of quality real estate for free and in a short time!". Plus specifics. Do not write vague and vague phrases, they are repulsive. "Specific term" - can be replaced with a specific number. For example, "in 7 days".

• Uniqueness is what distinguishes your product from others.

Make an original offer that is relevant today and now. What worked great a month ago may not work tomorrow. Every marketing idea has its own life span. For example, the New Year theme will be great in December, but in the spring it will be out of place. Analyze similar offers from competitors and do something new.

• Targeting (Ultra-Specificity) - work for the target audience. In the title

concretize for whom. For example: "Increase sales" - the proposal is generally interesting, but vague and incomprehensible. With specifics, it looks more interesting: "5 proven ways to increase sales in a children's store by 50% in 2 weeks."

• Urgency - deadlines and time frames for achieving

result. Examples: “Selling your property in two weeks”, “Discounts on winter clothes. Only until May 1! " Urgency shows the client to act now in order to obtain benefits.

If you use the whole formula in one heading, it turns out to be quite long. It can be formatted in this way:

• Anti-cellulite massage in United States 
• Perfect body in 21 days with the legendary Starvac vacuum roller massager and a 50% discount!
• (the discount is valid only until the end of March)

After you have come up with a title - check it out. Imagine it in your mind in an ad, on a stand. Would he hook you? Would you like to click on it and read the article itself?

Your title should be unique and unrepeatable, unparalleled. It is important for you to sell your product, not the product of your competitors.

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