7 Headline Hacks to Leave Prospects Buzzing
People are inundated by ads. And since most folks are in scan-mode — which means they skim right over the page — it's immediately essential to get their attention. That's where these seven headline hacks can help.
Writing effective, eye-grabbing headlines is one of the best ways to convince people to do business with you. Creating an effective headline can be tricky, though.
With weak headlines, many ads and promotions fail to resonate with readers.
Look... I know you. And you're reading this for a reason — because you want to improve yourself and achieve your goals. That's what I'm here for.
The 7 sentence hacks below are designed to help entrepreneurs create engaging headlines that appeal to customers and prospects.
1. Don't Be Too Vague About What You're Writing About
When it comes to writing headlines, there's no such thing as too short.
The goal is to get your prospect's attention and convey your message quickly and effectively.
A good rule of thumb is to keep your headline under 60 characters. That way, you can squeeze the most impact into the fewest words possible.
On the flip side, don't be too vague about what you're writing about either. If a headline doesn't include a specific action or benefit, like "How To Make Money Online," then people will not understand what they're clicking on and won't find value in reading more.
Your headline should also give some indication of why someone should care about this topic or product in particular, like "The #1 Way To Increase Sales By 50%."
If you're writing about weight loss, instead of saying, "I'll help you lose weight," say something like, "Lose 10 pounds this month with my 3-week weight loss plan."
The first headline is too vague because it doesn't tell the reader anything about what they're going to get from reading your post.
The second headline tells them exactly what they can expect from reading your post — and it also makes them curious about what kind of plan you've created for weight loss success.
2. Keep It Short And Sweet
The ideal length for a headline isn't always easy to pin down, but one thing is certain: People don't want to read long paragraphs on their mobile devices.
You can use this knowledge to your advantage by keeping your headlines short and sweet — ideally less than 60 characters long!
That's a guideline, not an iron-clad rule, but it gives you an idea of how much space you have to work with.
When you're writing a headline, ask yourself if each word is necessary. If you can remove a word without changing the meaning of the sentence, then remove it!
Don't write "The Secrets To A Successful Barbecue" when "Secrets To A Successful BBQ" will do just fine. The more concise your headline, the better it will perform in search results and social media feeds.
If you have more information about what you're offering or who it's for, use bullets or subheadings instead of writing out all the details at once.
3. Use Numbers To Captivate
Numbers are a great way to get people hooked on your headline. You can use them in a variety of ways, but the most common is to use them as a way to represent something specific or unique about your product or service. Here are some examples:
How To Get A 3X Sales Increase With This One Simple Trick
How To Save $100 On Your Next Purchase Of The New kPhone 14
The Ultimate Guide To Making Money On Etsy In 2023
The 5 Best Ways To Improve Your Home’s Energy Efficiency
4. Create Curiosity With An Open Loop Or A Cliffhanger
Your headline is a promise of what your content will offer, and the best headlines are crafted in a way that leaves the reader wanting more.
If you're trying to sell a product or service, then add a little intrigue by leaving them wondering how your product or service will solve their problem — e.g., "How I Made $100K In My First Year Of Business Without Selling A Thing."
To create this type of open-ended headline, use "how to" or "why" questions.
For example, if you're writing about how to get rid of acne naturally, your headline could be: "How To Get Rid Of Acne Naturally? The Secret Is In The Pineapple!"
Another great way to create an open loop is by using an unexpected cliffhanger at the end of your headline.
For instance, if you were writing about how to set up an Instagram account for business purposes, your headline could be: "How To Set Up A LinkedIn Account For Business Purposes? Here's What You Need To Know…"
5. Does Your Headline Promise Visibility?
Let’s say you’re a hiring manager and you need to fill a job. You have 2,000 applicants for the position, and you need to find the best candidate for the job.
One thing that stands out about these candidates is their headline. It’s not just good — it’s great! It makes you want to read more about this person and learn more about them as an applicant.
If you're a business owner, you likely know how important visibility is. You want your customers to see you and your product. You want them to know that they can find what they need from you.
That's why it's so important to craft a headline that promises your audience that they will see something in it for them.
In order to do this, ask yourself these questions:
Will my headline make it easy for people who are new to my business to get up to speed quickly?
Does my headline tell visitors exactly what they'll learn or gain by reading my advertisement?
Will my headline give visitors an idea of what kind of life-changing benefit I'll be providing for them?
6. Use Emotional Words That Trigger Urgency
We've all seen headlines that get us to click on a link. They're effective because they draw our attention and make us want to know more. The best headlines use emotional words that trigger urgency.
You don't have to be an expert in psychology to understand how people respond to certain words. You just need to know how to use them in a way that makes sense for your audience.
The first step is knowing which words to use and when.
Here are some of the most common emotional triggers:
Fear -
If you can tap into fear, it can be an incredibly powerful tool in getting people's attention. For example, if you're selling security software, you could create a headline like: "Get Your House Secure Before It's Too Late." This taps into people's fear of being burglarized or having their personal information stolen by hackers.
Urgency -
Urgency increases the pressure on someone to do something immediately or before it's too late (see above). This could be anything from getting them to sign up for your newsletter before they miss out on great tips and tricks or offering an exclusive discount that expires tomorrow morning at midnight!
Pride -
Pride is an emotion we all feel when we accomplish something big or reach a goal we've been striving for. And it's one of the most influential feelings in writing an effective headline. It makes us want to be a part of something great, and then, to tell others about how great it is!
Trust -
Trust is the feeling you get when you think you can depend on someone else—or something else—to fulfill the promise they offer. It lets you know that you're safe and can relax, so long as you buy what they're selling.
Passion -
Passion is the desire for something that can't be described as anything else. You want it with every fiber of your being, and if you don't get it, there will be hell to pay. That kind of passion inspires people to care about what you have to say — it makes them want to follow you. In that way, writing a compelling headline is like playing the fiddle — if you can draw them in, they'll come along for the ride.
7. Reach Out To Learn More!
Now I'm going to let you in on a little secret: you don't have to write your headlines yourself.
The easiest way to get better headlines is to pay someone else to write them for you.
The truth is, headlines are a lot harder to write than they might seem.
You can learn how to write great headlines by studying other examples and learning from them. But if you want to get better results from your own headlines, it's worth investing in some professional copywriting services.
It may sound like a big expense, but the return on investment (ROI) can be worth it.
If a headline has a direct impact on how many people click through to read your promo, or how many people buy your product, or whatever else you're trying to market, wouldn't it be worth it?
In fact, if you want better results from your marketing campaigns in general, finding someone who can write good copy for you could be one of the best investments you ever make.
Writing an effective headline can be challenging, but it is important to learn how to do it well.
Headlines are undeniably important, and there's no one way to write them. You need to think about your audience and what you want to say, and then use your own judgement as well.
Trial and error is a good way to figure out what works for you.
Don't be afraid to try something new and adapt if necessary so your headlines fit your needs perfectly.
The most important thing is that the headline works for you, so keep at it until it does!