The headline will be the first impression an article writer will make to a prospective reader. It needs to be compelling enough to make the reader want to read the rest of the article. Suffice it to say, you win or lose a prospective reader based on your headline. Statistics indicate that 8 out of every 10 readers will read your headline, but only 2 out of the 10 will read the rest of the piece. What then is the secret to ensuring that your readers do not dismiss your article?
Begin with a strong headline
A headline is basically a promise to your readers. It works to communicate what the readers should expect in exchange for their time. Promises are normally made before they are fulfilled. Attempting to deliver on a promise you haven’t made will lead to a poorly crafted headline. As an article writer, you need to have the subject matter in mind so that you can craft a compelling headline from what you intend to talk about. This then begs the question, what should a compelling headline include?
Talk about the benefits
In a fast paced world, people are interested in the tricks and tips on how to do things. Methods on how to make things easier and better make compelling headlines. Most headlines you see start with “how to”. To have your readers glued, you need to go a step further and provide the benefits. Content geared towards benefits and procedures tend to be emotionally engaging and earn more readership. The reader is also left satisfied with the piece. An example of a captivating headline would be. “How to secure a mortgage and cut your bills in half’.
As an article writer, you may have realized that some bloggers and writers have a knack for writing winning headlines that attract readership. Most of these writers have learned and mastered these easy principles.
• Compelling headlines make a fascinating promise that makes the piece irresistible to the readers. Again, headlines need to be targeted to a specific audience. The truth is that a great headline will not necessarily appeal to everyone. However, watering it down so that it gets a mass appeal will do more damage than good. You better have few readers reading your piece and acting on it, than many who will not respond. The essence of writing is to stir your readers to respond to a call to action. For instance, your goal could be to get your readers to take out their wallets and purchase your product.
• Headlines should capture the curiosity of the reader. Humans are curious by nature, if you capitalize on this aspect in your headline; you are likely to capture your audience. You can create a headline in a news style manner. This is particularly helpful if you are advertising a product. The product must not be necessarily a new one for it to qualify to be a news item. The content you create could be news to your readers. An example would be, “At last, a safer alternative to harsh chemical household cleaners”.
The best strategy an article writer can use to write a good article with a compelling headline is to focus on a particular need by making an intriguing promise to fulfill that particular need.
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