Extra! Extra! If you aren’t putting time into creating great headlines, you are missing a ton of traffic! Any headline that you attach to a blog post, an email newsletter, or even a social media post must be thoughtful, creative, and, yes, it must take time to craft. Why do headlines matter? Statistics show that most people will read a headline, but many people will not read the content if the headline isn’t catchy. See why headlines are so important?
How Much Time to Spend
Writers spend at least thirty minutes crafting a headline. Writing isn’t just about the content and the keywords it’s about thought. So, yes, that writer you have hired should get paid to think. If you haven’t hired a writer and you’re going it alone, you still need to spend a good amount of time thinking about headlines.
Follow these steps:
• Write your first draft.
• Step back and away from your computer, or move to another project.
• Think about that headline.
• Return to your writing, and edit your first draft.
• Play around with possible headlines.
• Pick the one that catches your eye the most.
What about all of those keywords, and the things that Google says stand out the most? I’m guessing you have a list of possible headlines that goes something like this:
• Use ‘How Tos’
• Make lists
• Write the unbelievable
Is that about right? Well, it’s not completely off base, but it’s best to start with a headline that stands out – something that would capture your attention. From there, you can make some adjustments.
A Formula That Works
Studies have shown that the best word length for a headline is around 6 words.
Here are some more tips:
• Make things personal
• Make things specific
• Make sure your headlines matches your content
• Don’t trick people – it might have worked for some sites, but people are getting tired of it!
And, remember, readers tend to have very short attention spans, so skip the large and intellectual headlines. When it comes to the Internet, quicker is better. What about infographics, graphics, and other fun stuff? Sure, all of that can keep a reader’s attention when they actually get to the content – but most people won’t ever see anything you write if your headline doesn’t grab attention quickly.
Lesson: spend a lot of time working on a headline. Even if your content isn’t the best that it could be (and it really should be!), a catchy headline will get people to open your newsletter, click on your blog post, and read what you are writing. How much time are you spending on your headlines?
Exhibit Headlines Matter Too
Headlines go beyond what you put online. If you are planning to attend a trade show, any wording that you attach to your exhibition design or place on marketing materials must also be attention grabbing. In addition, those things must be placed strategically, so that people can actually see the headlines that you have created. Blazer Exhibits can help make sure that your custom exhibit stands out by putting your well-planned headlines in all the right places.
Contact us today for pricing, details, examples of exhibition design, and any other questions that you have about exhibition design and custom exhibit setups. And, remember, headlines should be well crafted and thought of before you post anything or send out any marketing materials – just think of how many more viewers you could have if you create the right headlines!
Do you have an example of an amazing headline that you’d like to share with us? Leave us a note below!