Sometimes writing a great headline for your blog post is as difficult, or more difficult, than writing the actual blog post itself. You have something to say to your readers, but you know the headline is the one thing that will make them want to read it. Old school ad man, David Ogilvy, said ‘On average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy’. He was talking about newspaper ads, but in today’s online world blogs are no different – and without a great headline that makes the reader want to read on, your blog post will be wasted.
Don’t worry though, once you know how, writing blog headlines that capture the attention isn’t as hard as you think. There are proven formulas that have been used for years – although technology and the things we use and do have changed over the years, people haven’t – and we can use that to our advantage. Below are two of the most successful headline formulas of all time.
How To…
Probably the best way to capture people’s attention is with a ‘How To’ headline. I’ve used it above, and I’ll keep on using it for as long as I write – because it works. People are inquisitive. They want to know how to do things, so ‘How to’ is a great way to start. Then follow it up with a couple of benefits – remember Dale Carnegie and his bestseller ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’?
Other examples are…
How to lose weight fast without starving yourself
How to get a new mortgage that saves you money every month
How to make more money without quitting your job
How to leave the job you hate and make money from home
You get the idea…
People love lists…
‘List Headlines’ get people’s attention nearly as much as a ‘How To’ headline. If your blog promotes you as an expert, your audience will love to see an email informing them of your just published ‘list headline’ blog post. They’ll be excited to read what the list is promising them. Examples of list headlines could be…
The top 5 ways to make money online
7 fool proof ways to get clear skin
6 secret habits of the super-rich
20 things everyone must do before they die
And of course, there are many others so find the ones that suit your business.
Blogging helps you build an audience and establish yourself as an expert in your field. If you’d like to start a blog, you’ll need a great website people can easily find. At Absolute Creative we work with people like you, designing beautiful responsive websites, increasing brand visibility, producing marketing materials, and much more besides. Call us for a chat on 01707 386107 today, or email hello@absolutecreative.co.uk and we’ll get back to you right away.