Three Things Your Headline Should Be

Attention grabbing is not enough, let’s get specific

Headlines are often the only thing someone reads before deciding whether or not your content is of any value to them. Let’s say that again. Headlines are often the ONLY thing people read.

So, why is it then that so many people pay so little attention to this make-or-break content? Don’t make that mistake. Headlines can be powerful and profitable if you know how to put them together. It’s a little bit art and a little bit science, but 5WPR Ronn Torossian is here to help you parse it all out.

Offer Something

It could be said that your headline is an initial contract with your reader. You are promising them something for their time. You have something they want and you are letting them know you will give it to them right now. That offer could be implied or explicitly stated, but it must be clear and easily understood.

“Remember, when someone reads a headline, they are making a decision, right then, whether what you have to say matters to them,” Ronn Torossian said. “If you can give them something or tease something in a headline, you will grab their attention. If not, they will quickly click away.”

Be Specific

People need to know at a single glance what your story is about by reading the headline. Don’t keep them wondering. Let them know exactly what you are offering and be specific about it.

“Some people try to get cute with vague or misleading headlines. As a result people either don’t click because they don’t understand, or they do click and end up aggravated because they didn’t see what they expected. The latter may up your page views, but it will kill your ‘time on site’ statistics,” Torossian warned.

Keywords Matter

You know that the words you choose in your headline matter. They have to grab attention and be about something. But headlines must also draw the right audience. Make sure your headlines capture the right audience by stocking them with specific keywords tied to your content. Using keywords is a great way to not only drive the right traffic to your web pages, but also to gauge your audience and track customer response.

The moral of the story? Don’t skimp on your headlines. Put effort into them. Think about them and craft them well.