The headline is the phrase that introduces and presents online or offline content. Its purpose is to communicate the topic that will be discussed by attracting the attention of the reader. For this it must be short and captivating
The headline is the title of an article, advertisement or blog post . Its purpose is to capture the reader’s attention and introduce the topic that will be treated. It is usually written by a copywriter , or by a headline writer in the world of journalism. Compared to the rest of the text, it is in larger and bolder type . Precisely because it has to attract attention. Its function is of great importance . If done well, the user will continuein reading or will perform the action requested in the case of an announcement. Otherwise, it will move on to something else. So let’s see how to write a really effective headline.
How do you write a headline?
Writing headlines that work can be more complicated than expected. But it is certainly not impossible. What must be clear is that a good headline can be achieved by following some rules and dedicating the right amount of time to this activity . First of all, you need to ask yourself who you want to contact. What is the target audience ? What are your interests, your priorities, what language do you use? A market and competition analysis will also allow us to understand how competitors are moving . The goal is clearly to stand out . It is therefore necessary to find some peculiar elementsto highlight, the strengths on which to focus. For more information, you can consult edana.ch
Once you have gathered your ideas, you can move on to the writing phase . The headline must first be short . For a blog post or SEO article it should be within 60/65 characters . In this small space available, we must try to be clear and persuasive at the same time. Furthermore, always remaining in the SEO field, the headline must always contain the keyword or keywords . The concept we are talking about must emerge clearly, do not favor curiosity or sophistication at the expense of comprehensibility . If you can, use numbers or anyway precise references: Generic titles don’t attract attention. Clearly, not all headlines are created equal. Let’s now see some of the types on which to focus.
The 4U model
A reference scheme that can serve as a guide to making a good headline is that of the 4Us . The headline must be:
- urgent : it may be useful to insert a temporal element that prompts the reader to take action immediately, because the offer or information is of an urgent nature and may no longer be valid at a later time;
- unique : avoiding already heard phrases and trying to stand out from the competition;
- useful : beyond the form, the headline must contain and anticipate an interesting content , which adds something for those who read it;
- ultra-specific : staying on the generic does not help, better to point to a very specific topic.
Types of headlines
The simplest type of headline is the one that gets straight to the point . For example: “50% discount”. In other cases, you can instead opt for a solution that intrigues the reader, without revealing everything. Maybe even playing on double meanings . Explanatory titles are also effective , commonly starting with the words “ How to do for ”. Similarly, one can also think of formulating a question , which will be answered in the text. The bravest can experiment with the form of the order , using the imperative to tell the user what to do. Finally, when it comes to more informative content than thatadvertising or promotional, the headline should first of all inform .
Tips for an effective title
In addition to following the process we explained at the beginning, there are some tips that are useful to take into account in order to create an effective title. Let’s see what they are:
- to favor the active form rather than the passive one
- use dates and numbers (“how to save 1,250 euros per month”)
- submit a list (“find smooth, smooth skin in 10 steps”)
- expose a problem and answer a specific question (“your site does not generate traffic? find out how to position it best”)
- choose words that evoke emotions and sensations and some superlatives, but without exaggerating with sensationalism (“discover the secret of exceptional skin”)
- focus on curiosity (“this is how I managed to …”)
- attract the interest of your target (“do you love the sea? discover the most beautiful beaches in …”)
- avoid complex , technical or sectoral words
- address the reader directly (“stop …”, “start …”)
- take care of syntax and grammar .
Useful tools
If these tips aren’t enough, you can also take advantage of some little free help from the web. Headline Analyzer , for example, evaluates the degree of emotionality of a stock. Instead, Content Idea Generator creates a title from scratch starting from a keyword. Finally, Sharethrough offers suggestions to improve your headline, evaluating the length, the emotional impact, the use of active forms and providing other insights.
