“I was struck by lightning.”
Those were the first words my ex-girlfriend said to me when we ran into each other 20+ years after high school.
She definitely had my attention. One. Hundred. Percent.
See, that’s the power of a great headline.
It hooks you in and leaves you begging for more.
The best headlines create a value exchange: the author gives you a taste and you give them more of your time.
AND YOU HAVE ABOUT 7 SECONDS TO DELIVER.
Here are just a few tips to make your headlines shine:
✔ Know your audience: What are the challenges they are trying to overcome?
✔ Leverage data: Numbers convey value – or at least inform people about what they can expect.
✔ Be specific: Tell people what they can expect to get by reading on.
✔ Create a sense of urgency: Time-based language still gets people to pay attention.
✔ Be succinct: Most of the time clarity and brevity beat complexity.
And shocking – just like a bolt of lightning – is worth a shot.
