How to Write a Headline That Attracts Attention

It doesn't matter how dynamic or how informative your writing is, if there's nothing to get a viewer’s attention no one will read it.

Knowing how to write a headline that attracts attention is how you will benefit from your web pages, sales pages, blog posts, newsletters and emails. They must be written to attract interest and curiosity.  It's what will indicate to a reader that what they are about to read will be of value to them.

So how do you get a reader's attention?  Learn how to write a headline that will draw them in.

On the internet getting a reader's attention is especially important because most people on the web don't read the same as they do a book, they don't really read, they scan. You've probably noticed yourself that you skim the internet focusing only on the words that grab your attention the most.  If you see something that is dull and has lifeless meaning you'll gloss over it.

To keep from writing headlines that get glossed over I'm going to cover 4 items that you need to consider when writing your next headline. They are guaranteed to reach out, grab your reader and lead them to your copy.

But before we get to those items it's also going to be important to optimize your headlines for the search engines. Writing headlines for articles, web copy, sales pages and blog posts you should first choose the keywords the search engines will recognize yet aren't the most competitive.  

Start by using your favorite keyword tool to determine a keyword phrase that best describes your content.  If you are writing about dog training, a headline that reads, "How to train your dog in 24 hours", is better than 'Dog Training Tips' which is a much more competitive keyword phrase. "How to Train your Dog" is much less competitive and has a better chance of ranking higher in the search engines. 

Once you've settled on the best keyword phrase it's time to develop those keywords into a heading that attracts attention and gets your content read:
 
1. Create Curiosity & Interest
Consider this headline, "Lose Ten pounds while sitting in your chair” Does that sound like it might be something you could use?  If you sit all day at a desk, I'm guessing it would.  But it also stirs up curiosity.  We don't think of sitting as a way to lose weight so this idea has the power to intrigue.

2. Include a Benefit
What's the best benefit your article offers your reader?  Going back to our title of "How to train your dog in 24 hours" the benefit is fast training.  This is more likely to attract attention than simply saying "How to Train Your Dog". 

3. Be Specific
If you're vague about what you have to say you're reader will lose interest.  Think about this. Would you rather have a 'yummy dessert' or a 'lemon chiffon Pie'?  Or how about this, "How to save on your Grocery Bill" or "How to Save 40% on Your Grocery Bill Every Month". Give as much detail as your headline will allow without getting too wordy.

Also avoid comparisons that state 'faster than' or 'bigger than'.  To a reader, they would be asking 'faster than what?', 'Bigger than what?'  Sharpen up the picture with specifics. 

4. Be Truthful
Don't mislead your readers.  Promising something that you can't deliver on is irresponsible. Take the time to create an eye-catching headline that reflects what you're actually delivering. "How to make a million Dollars in one week" will have readers rolling their eyeballs. It's not likely that you can deliver on that and it will get ignored. Your goal is to get attention but not at the expense of misleading your reader or bending the truth. 

Writing headlines takes practice. Don't be afraid to check out the headlines on other articles, newspapers, magazines and websites.  Note the headlines that catch your eye. Use what entices you as a guideline. It's a great way to draw inspiration for creating headlines that attract the most attention.

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