Want to learn how to write double-take headlines that make the reader need to know more?

Well you’ve come to the right blog!

All headlines should be short, snappy and attract interest regardless of whether they are on your website, blogs, posts or ads on social media. Let’s be real, you are competing with a torrential and endless stream of content, advertising and businesses out there – and you have seconds to grab the attention of someone long enough to make them want to click and read more.

An excellent way to catch someone’s eye is to use the Threat or Gain method.

The Threat method is a way of motivating your audience to scroll down or click learn more by tapping into their instinct to avoid pain wherever possible. Half of your audience won’t be able to scroll past something that tells them if they don’t learn more about this they will regret it!

 

Start your headlines with,

• Don’t Try This..
• Never…  
• If You Don’t…
• The Sooner You Know…

 

Some examples are, Don’t Make This Common Mistake When Ordering Offline or Warning. What You Must Know Before Downloading Music.

 

If you are a person who buys offline or listens to music, you are going to want to know the ‘full story’ before continuing to do those things!

The opposite method is using Gain as a motivator. Some people are more interested in moving toward pleasure, than getting away from pain.

 

Start these headlines with,

• You Too Can…
• Discover the (X) Secret…
• Improve/Increase Your (X) Now!…
• A Quick Way To…

 

Examples would be, Never Weed Again With These 3 Gardening Tips, Bake To Impress Without Being A Chef or Get Fit Without Working Out!

These tell you that life will be better, easier and you’ll be cooler if you read this blog!

So now you know the basics, here’s a few tips and tricks to think about to get you writing headlines that pop!

 

• Make a Promise

Add the words How To or If you Make/Apply/Give – let them know that if they read/click on this, they will get something out of it. Changing it from a statement, Make Your Headlines Pop, to How To Make Your Headlines Pop, makes it sound informative and helpful – a promise that’s worth a click.

 

• Convey Time Commitment

Your readers are busy, they don’t want to click on a blog if it sounds like a heavy read. If you say 5 Tips or 3 Quick Ways To…, then they already know it’s not going to take their whole lives to read and a quick flick through will give something worth their time.

 

• Be Intriguing

A headline like, What Spreadsheet Graphs and Internet Dating Have in Common, tells you the topic, but also makes you want to know exactly how they are going to present the information and how they are going to back that statement up. Make it funny or original, and people’s curiosity will drive them to getting engaged. Or have Don’t Try This At Home! with an intriguing image – people won’t be able to resist!

 

Now I challenge you, grab some paper and write down the top services/products you want to sell to your target market. Now with those in mind, begin writing your own snappy headlines that will convince people to buy, read – whatever action you want them to take!

 

Still can’t wrap your head around it? That’s totally fine, we are more than happy to help you out with headlines and content for your website or social!