Headline Hacks
David Ogivly 80/20 Rule
http://www.quicksprout.com/2014/07/03/the-formula-for-a-perfect-headline/
50/50 Rule
"If you have a blog post that is really important to you or your business, one that you really
want people to read, you should downright obsess over your post title."
http://www.copyblogger.com/writing-headlines-that-get-results/
Headline Formulas
Lenka Istvanova of Koozai Marketing headline formula:
Numbers + Adjective + Target Keyword + Rationale + Promise
http://www.koozai.com/blog/search-marketing/content-marketing-seo/anatomy-perfectblog-post/
Alternative clarity and value proposition formula:
End Result Customer/Reader Wants + Specific Period Of Time + Address The
Objections
Example:
“Hot fresh pizza delivered to your door in 30 minutes or its free “
- Dominos pizza
Heading Check List
Numbers
Research suggests that odd numbers make you seem more authentic and that you are not
rounding up to an even number
http://bakermarketingservices.com/2013/03/3-powerful-reasons-for-using-odd-numbered-
lists-in-your-blog-post-titles/
Expectation and anticipation
Most popular headline types:
http://okdork.com/2014/07/22/we-analyzed-nearly-1-million-headlines-heres-what-welearned/
Avoid using punctuation
Punctuation runs the risk of distracting the reading and loosing the message of the
headline. Give it some thought if you really need to use or weather you should just rewrite
the headline.
This is not a hard and fast rule - if you feel that you have to use punctuation follow the
rules in this website.
http://www.easymedia.in/use-punctuation-marks-headlines/
Length is important
The ideal length for headlines is 6 words or less and no more than 65 charaters long to
avoid being cut off by the search engines
http://www.quicksprout.com/2014/07/03/the-formula-for-a-perfect-headline/
Emotional Content
People are motivated by emotions - the degree of emotion that you put into you headline
the motivated the reader will be to read your post. The primary motivations are gain
pleasure or avoid pain.
Use this website to gauge the emotional content of your headline
Choose your industry category and then try different headlines.
http://www.aminstitute.com/headline/index.htm
Clarity
Can you message by clearly understood. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that it can
be understood in less than 2 seconds. Why such a sort time. People are bombarded with
messages all the time and so they want to spend as little time as possible interpreting that
the avalanche of information. To break through the information overload you need a clear
message.
http://www.copyblogger.com/optimize-online-copy/
Remember the instant clarity headline formula:
state the end result the customer wants + specific period of time + addressing the
objections
Be Specific
Your readers are hunting. They are hunting for the answers to specific problems or
questions. A specific headline promises to answer their questions and sparks their
curiosity.
"..it’s much better to provide enough specific information to compel readers to continue
reading than to write something “clever” that doesn’t give readers adequate information to
decide whether or not they’re interested."
http://www.quicksprout.com/the-definitive-guide-to-copywriting-chapter-3/
Direct Marketing Expert Tom Trush explains in his blog post “The Question That Creates
Authority”
http://www.writewaysolutions.com/blog/2463/the-question-that-creates-instant-authority/
"Being specific allows you to concentrate on what your reader wants, results, outcomes and
benefits.
If you are selling a product or service try to concentrate on a specific result. If your headline is
specific about the outcome that can be achieved,then you position yourself as an authority in
getting that outcome, and not just another product or service."
Curiosity
In order for the casual browser to click on your link then it's important to make them
curious as people are naturally inquisitive. Curiosity headlines do a good job of this by
working on two basic human motivators. Gain plesure and avoid pain. The curiosity
headlines do this by making an incredible claim or promise that or by stating a threat or
warning. First of all you isolate the desired result that your reader wants and then establish
how they can achieve it or how they risk loosing it.
• Where [desired result] Is And How To Get It
• Discover The [desired result] Secret
• Do You Recognise the [number] Early Warning Signs of [blank]?
• If You Don’t [blank] Now, You’ll Hate Yourself Later
Warnings
Precision
Make sure that you headline is complete message and does not tease the reader. A clear
message is much better than a clever headline. As stated earlier your window to get the
readers attention is very short so clarity and precision are important to get your message.
Deliver on your promise
Be a good guy. Deliver on what your headline promise. Robert Caladini in his book called
Influence:The Psychology of Persuasion, explains that not only is it the right thing to do,
but there is actually a scientific reason rooted deep in human physiology. Dr Caladini found
that people strive for consistency and commitment in themselves and in others and when
this need it not met by others they were seen in less favourable light. We all know that
feeling right? We really don't want others to think of us in that way so - be a good guy and
deliver on what your powerful headlines promise
Recommended Reading
Maximum Influence by Kurt Mortensen
Influence Dr Robert Cialdini