7 Easy Tips to Improve Your Headline Copywriting

Have you ever wondered why your creative content isn’t getting the clicks you expected it to? Copywriting has the ability to make or break the content you are attempting to promote. No matter the type of content; blog post, newsletter, or social media content, high-grade copywriting draws readers in, ultimately providing higher conversion rates. Here are 7 copywriting tips that can improve the numbers on your KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators)

• • Learn from the Best:

Today, there are endless amounts of blog posts and social media content to consume on the internet. However, some of this content stands out amongst the overload.

High trafficked blogs such as Buzzfeed, Copyblogger, BuzzSumo, and Jeff Bullas’s Blog, all provide excellent examples of how creative copywriting can correlate to more traffic. These sites, along with many others, will show repeating patterns of copy has the ability to grab your attention and pique your interest in a short amount of characters.      

• • Limit Headline Length: 

Having an eye-catching headline or title is one of the most important aspects of copywriting. An extremely short title may not be enough to intrigue, someone, into the contents of your post. On the other hand, a lengthy title may give away too much, and a user may not engage with the post because they already know the contents. The right title length can entice users and be optimized for search engine results. In most cases, titles that range from 50-60 characters are the most optimal and provide the best results. 

• • Use How-To: 

One of the many ways to grab users’ attention is to come across as an informative post. Using “How-To” titles provide users with an educational opportunity about a topic they are interested in. An example from Jeff Bullas, “How to Use Instagram Stories Effectively for Your Business.” How-to titles can also be easily used along with these other tips to form an eye-catching headline.

• • Use CTAs In Headlines:

Using a call to action (CTA) is one of the most powerful ways of turning a user into something more. Whatever your goal may be; subscribers, followers, page likes, etc. , call to actions drives users to take that next step. A CTA is generally straightforward, however, there are some best practices that can make them perform better.  

Starting a CTA with a delicate verb such as; Start, Try, Watch, Share, Find Out, etc., will be more likely to work rather than a Buy Now tab. In addition to this, any CTA should stand out amongst the rest of the text. Using bold colors that demand users’ attention along with optimal text will be more likely to drive better click rates.

Finally, creating a sense of urgency will incentivize users to take action immediately rather than wait. If applicable to your CTA, displaying time frames (Time left on a deal, Time until till event starts) will draw users closers to a conversion. 

• • Bring Up Common Mistakes: 

Flagging common mistakes is another way that good copywriting can catch users’ attention. Titles along the lines of “Are You Making These 10 Common Marketing Mistakes”, can provoke uncertainty out of a reader, enticing them to look further inter the article. This tactic, combined with others, can provide you with an eye-catching copy for any headline.

• • Using Numbers: 

Using numbers while writing a headline can be another way to grab users’ attention.  Numbers provide a clear structure and organization to a headline. This allows a reader to quickly pick-up information about what is to come. In addition, numbers attract more attention to those who scan through the web. 

• • Write For Your Target Audience:

Writing for your target audience focuses on knowing what makes your customers/consumers tick. What headline resonates most with your audience? What message do you want to convey to them, in order to make them care? 

An amazing example of this is when the iPod from Apple was being released. A key feature of the iPod was its 1Gb storage. However, Apple went on to use the slogan “1,000 Songs In Your Pocket” because it was able to resonate with their music-related audience, more than a hard drive storage capacity.