Whether you’re writing a landing page on your website, an article or even an information product your headline is an essential ingredient for success.

Experts tell us you have about 10 seconds or less, to grab your prospect’s attention. Guess what they read first? Your headline.

Here’s how to write headlines that have moxie:

#1 What’s The Purpose?

What are you writing and why?  Are you writing a sales page? If so, what’s the purpose of the sales page? Are you writing an article or blog post?  If so, what do you want the article or post to accomplish?

For example, if it’s a blog post do you want comments? Do you want to new subscribers? What’s your goal or what’s the purpose of the piece you’re writing?  Before you can even begin to write a headline, know your purpose.

#2 Know Your Customer or Reader

Ask yourself the following:

• Who is your customer?
• What is their biggest problem or complaint?
• How will this piece of content solve their problems? If you’re writing a sales page, how will your product or service solve their problem?

#3 Brainstorm Headlines

Brainstorm headline possibilities by writing twenty or so potential headlines. Here are a few ways to write effective headlines:

• State a benefit – For example, “Lose Weight and Never Gain it Back.”
• Use numbers and statistics – For example, “Lose Your First Five Pounds in 48 Hours.”
• Make it newsworthy using words like new, introducing, or announcing – For example, “New Book Shows You How To Lose The Weight You’ve Been Fighting to Get Off.”
• Make a big promise. – “Lose 20 Pounds This Weekend.”
• Use a “reasons why” headline – For example, “10 Reasons Why You’re Not Losing Weight.”
• Pique their curiosity – For example, “The Weight Loss Secret Celebrities Don’t Want You To Know.”

#4 Talk Directly To Your Reader

The word YOU in your headline let’s your reader’s feel as if you’re talking to them specifically and interested in solving their problems.

#5 Watch Your Language.

Use active and emotional language. Active language – language that shows movement and commands attention – compels people to continue reading. It pulls them into your copy. And emotional language attracts attention. For example, How To Lose The Weight You’ve Been Fighting to Lose. There are many emotions to tap into. What emotions is your audience feeling?

If you’re writing sales copy headlines, test and track your top two or three for conversion rates. If you’re writing article headlines, test and track which types of headlines draw more readers. Testing and tracking your headline results will help you fine tune your headline style to meet your reader’s needs and your business goals.
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