Got Dynamite? Writing Explosive Headlines
March 21st, 2007 by KevTitles and headlines are the first, and often the last, impression you will make on a web surfer. Your headline is without a doubt the most important part of your ad or sales letter. Without an explosive headline you won’t convert a passive viewer to an active a reader. The remaining text is important, but without a headline that really draws readers in, no one will never even know how great your content is.
Interesting facts
On average, 8 out of 10 people will read the headline, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest. The headline determines the effectiveness of the entire sales letter or your ad because it determines whether or not people will even read your sales letter or ad.
Danger—explosives!
The power of the headline lies in its sudden detonation at the very moment customers lay their eyes upon it. If it fails to explode, the reader or shopper is lost. But when it doesn’t fail, readers will think “Oh, man, that’s got to be interesting!” Am I speaking in riddles? Simply put, make readers jump out of their chairs—but how do you make them do that?
The answer
Effective titles and headlines are written with the customer’s reaction in mind. Before you write your headline, envision the reaction you want a reader to have immediately after reading. If your headline doesn’t blow you away, chances are it won’t work for customers either. I do not believe that there is one simple formula for creating great headlines because topics and audiences are vastly different. Sometimes you need to be funny, sometimes sarcastic, sometimes dramatic, but no matter what, you need to cause a passive viewer to take action by reading further.
A tip: Have some people read your headlines. This takes only a few seconds but is extremely useful!
