The majority of people instinctively read headlines before deciding whether to continue to read the body copy. It’s your one chance and your only bait. Our marketing copywriters and brochure content writers suggest you take the tips below on board when writing your next piece of sales and marketing content.
- Start headlines with numbers
7 proven tips to sleep better at night.
10 colognes women absolutely LOVE.
15 top SEO techniques you can use right now.
As it’s essentially a list, it provides a simple and effective structure to create content. Starting headlines with numbers can create a sense of curiosity and allow the reader to quickly scan through content with ease.
- Use “How to” headlines
How to make the perfect tiramisu.
How to make the perfect tiramisu without eggs.
How to (blank) even if (common obstacle).
Using “How to” headlines featuring ‘without’ or ‘even if’ elements, allow you to really grab a reader’s attention and make your content unique, so that it can make your headline stand out from the rest.
- Flag common mistakes
15 Copywriting Mistakes you’re probably making (and how to fix them)
By flagging common mistakes, marketing copywriters and brochure content writers find that it again encourages a sense of curiosity with the reader to discover, if and where, they are falling foul, and offers a way to solve any potential problems quickly.
- Ask Questions
Do you want to be a pilot? Read this guide first.
Think you know SEO? Quiz yourself and find out!
Marketing copywriters and brochure content writers find asking questions is a great way to directly engage with your reader and effectively get them into your content.
- Use punctuation
Marketing Plan template: Create your first marketing plan in 5 steps.
SEO for beginners: 7 steps to rank #1 on Google.
Using punctuation allows marketing copywriters and brochure content writers to display your goods front and centre in the shop window. Placing your keyword before the colon or hyphen and then adding the benefit is a simple technique which is especially useful for increasing SEO.
- Be Ultra specific
Bad example: How to paint.
Good example: How to paint 4 different types of trees for beginners – easy watercolour tutorials.
Headlines effectively set the expectation and should define what the content is about. It’s an opportunity for marketing copywriters and brochure content writers to summarise and state a clear outcome that is identifiable to the reader.
- Use the 5Ws
These 5 questions will reveal why your boss is bread-crumbing you.
How to motivate yourself when your job bores you.
Who, what, where, when and why, are all engaging words used to gather information. Much like tip 2, by using them in the headlines, you’re clearly getting across to readers the type of information that will be provided
- Pay attention to headline length
Google typically displays the first 50-60 characters of a title in its search results. Anything after this is cut off. This is marketing copywriters’ and brochure content writers’ shop window to perfectly display what you have on offer.
- Use an image to enhance your headline
An appealing image is critical to success. It should paint a thousand words and then some. It should grab the attention of the viewer and, alongside your headline, clearly promote your intention.
- Model the best in the business
Find those in your niche who do headlines well, then create or adapt a similar template for your own use. Find examples and see exactly how they’re doing it right. Or, get our marketing copywriters and brochure content writers on it.
- Practice
Whether it’s a Bruce Lee kick or a Michael Jordan free throw, these skills were all honed after plenty of practice. Our marketing copywriters and brochure content writers have been at it for a long time (some of them would say “too long”).The ability to consistently create magnetic headlines is another skill that requires the same dedication.
Get in touch with our team of marketing copywriters and brochure content writers for more information on how to write the best headlines, or find out how we can help your brand with our marketing copywriting services.