Extra! Extra! Read All About It
Now that is a classic old school headline. Decades ago you could get away with an attention grabbing headline like that. These days competition is fierce. Now we have television, radio, newspapers, magazines, blogs, YouTube and Social Media all grabbing for our attention.
How do you stand out in the crowd?
Crafting a great headline is the best way to catch your audience’s attention in a busy landscape of content. According to Copyblogger, 80% of people will read your headline but only 20 % will read the rest. Your headline is the best way to leave a solid impression with your audience.
The headline is an important element of creating great content, no matter if it is a blog post, a video or a podcast. Your idea bank is a simple way to kick start your content creation process and help you with headline ideas. The headline gets people’s attention, it tells your audience what they can expect when they read or watch or listen to your content.
So, how do you go about creating a great headline?
Creating a Headline Bank is the best way to always have fresh, creative headline ideas at the ready. This is the same strategy as the idea bank. You want to create a file (Evernote, Word document, Google Doc) of sample headlines, fill in the blank headline templates or copies of headlines you have read in magazines or newspapers that struck a cord with you.
Here are five ways you can create your own HEADLINE BANK
1. Ripe and Read
Borrow from the magazine rack. Buy a bunch of those glossy lifestyle, entertainment or tabloid magazines or check them out online and take note of those splashy, flashy headlines. Many of them are over the top but they grab your attention and that is the point. Cut out the best headlines or just write or copy them down in your file. The idea here is just to collect as many examples of headlines you might be able to convert for your own use.
2. T.V Tells All
Television shows also use over the top headlines to get your attention. Anything from your local or national news to the top entertainment and talk shows. Broadcasting is more competitive than ever so shows are working hard to grab the attention of the audience and headlines are they way to do it. Write down as many useful headlines as you can! They will come in handy in the future.
3. Lists Make It Easy
List headlines are very popular and for good reason. They are very effective. Putting specific numbers or data into your headlines can make them more enticing to readers. Several research studies have shown that headlines with numbers tend to resonate better with people. Create a number of fill-in-the blank headline templates that use numbers for your headline bank.
For example:
5 Ways to….
7 Tips To Creating…
9 Steps to…
4. Get Emotional
Create sample headlines with emotional words. There are several words that help create emotions. Jon Morrow talks about power words and the power of their use. You want to create content that tells people why they should care. Here are a few words to get you started.
Amazing Stunning Conquering Mind-blowing Surprising Excited
5. Make It About Them
You always want to make your content about helping others. Adding the word YOU to your headline makes your reader know you are working for them!
Action Step
Here is your homework today. Start creating your HEADLINE BANK right now. Find three magazine headlines to rip and read. Then create three listicle headline fill in the blank templates and then write three possible headlines directly connected to the content you produce for future use. Now you have 6 headline examples for your HEADLINE BANK and 3 headlines you can use for a future post, video or podcast!
Have more ideas to help generate headlines for a HEADLINE BANK?
SHARE them in the comments below!
