When you begin writing, crafting your headline first is critical. When you come up with a good headline, you automatically gain clarity and the rest of your copy flows out more easily.
Here is a list of 10 common, tried and true, headline formulas that work.
Have fun plugging in your own content into these time-tested headline formulas.
1. Who Else Wants [Desired Result]?
"Who Else Wants..." implies an pre-existing consensus desire.
This headline is force-feeding social proof into the readers mind. According to Robert Cialdini author of Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, social proof is the strongest influencer of human behavior over all else.
This headline immediately hacks into it by implying others have taken advantage of what you're offering.
Examples:
- Who Else Wants to Lose 10lbs?
- Who Else Wants to Increase they're Salary by 50% in 50 Days?
- Who Else Wants More Energy with Less Effort?
2. The Secret Of [Specific Subject Matter]
You have probably seen this headline before. That's because it works.
Everyone loves secrets and insider information, especially when it means gaining some sort of pleasure or avoiding pain.
Examples:
- The Secret of Successful Writing (that only successful writers know about)
- The Secret of Getting a Better Smile
- The Secret of Getting Your Bodyfat to 8%
3. Here Is A Method That Is Helping [Specific Person(S)] To [Get Results/Gain Pleasure]
This one is fairly simple and to the point.
Identify your target audience and the benefit you can provide them, and fill in the blanks. The key to this headline is to be specific.
Examples:
- Here is a Method That is Helping Personal Trainers Double their Clientele
- Here is a Method That is Helping Free-lance Writers Earn 6 Figures from the Comfort of their Home
- Here is a Method That is Helping Thousands of People Get a Higher Tax Return
4. Little Known Ways To [Get A Result]
Similar to "The Secret of..." headline but a little more crafty and a little less used.
Examples:
- Little Known Ways to Amp up Your Headlines
- Little Known Ways to Increase your Search Engine Rankings
- Little Known Ways to Get Your Resume a Second Glance
5. Get Rid Of [Pain] Once And For All
This is a classic formula that targets a painful problem or potential pleasure that the reader wants to take cure.
Examples:
- Get Rid of Your Procrastination Problem Once and For All
- Get Rid of Cellulite Once and For All
- Get Rid of Your Stuttering Problem Once and For All
6. Here's A Quick Way To [Solve A Problem]
Everyone has problems and we all want quick and easy solutions.
At our base of human psyche is the need to avoid pain and gain pleasure. Solving problems fulfills both needs.
Examples:
- Here's a Quick Way to Double Your Site Traffic
- Here's a Quick Way to Cash in on Your Old Car
- Here's a Quick Way to Increase Your Google Rankings
7. Now You Can [Gain Pleasure] [That Results In More Pleasure]
Who doesn't want to "have their cake and eat it too?"
This headline directly taps into that desire. It promises to gain pleasure while not only avoiding pain, but actually gaining even more pleasure.
Examples:
- Now You Can Stop Working Out As Often and Get Even Better Results
- Now You Can Get a New Job and Make Even More Money
- Now You Can Eat Chocolate and Still Lose Weight
8. [Do Something] Like [World-Class Example]
Everyone wants to be world-class. Why do you think sports are so popular? We love seeing and admiring greatness and dream of becoming elite.
This headline taps into that desire. Remember Gatorade's Michael Jordan campaign "Like Mike?"
Examples:
- Jump Like LeBron James
- Write Like a Stephen King
- Crack Jokes Like Will Ferrell
9. Have/Build/Create/Get A [Blank] You Can Be Proud Of
People have a need to feel significant and this headline directly taps into that need.
When a person feels proud, they feel significant. With this headline you want to appeal to vanity or dissatisfaction.
Examples:
- Build Biceps You Can Be Proud Of
- Create a Blog You Can Be Proud Of
- Get a Twitter Following You Can Be Proud Of
10. What Everybody Ought To Know About [Blank]
This headline taps into people's inner Curious George.
Curiosity gets invoked with this type of headline, and it acts almost as a challenge to the reader to find out if there is something they could benefit from.
Examples:
- What Everybody Ought to Know About the iPhone 5
- What Everybody Ought to Know About Refinancing their Home
- What Everybody Ought to Know About Becoming a Male Model
- Now you are officially ready go out and create content that will be irresistible to readers! Have fun with it and use this power for good.
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