3 Steps To Writing Good Headlines

The right headline is interested to all, even the most uninvolved reader, and if you can make it interesting, you’ll be able to attract them into read the rest of your story. The problem is that it works the same way with a bad headline, a bad one will turn off a reader who might actually be very interested in what you’re trying to sell.

As far as I can tell, there are no specific rules that every headline needs to follow. It all depends on what the topic is, what the goal of the writing is, and several other factors. On the other hand, I’ve discovered that there are some basic rules and guidelines that can help you get started. Here you’ll get 3 steps to writing good headlines.

Confess

If you have an interesting or desirable product that no one else has, telling people what you have or what your product can do may be all you need to get the reader to want to see more. The problem is, not all products are that unique or have proven results – but if they do, why waste your time trying to come up with something clever and eye-catching that may just confuse the reader rather than draw them in?

Mystery

A good headline should inform the reader what they’re going to be reading about, but keep them guessing in order to keep them reading. If the headline is totally ambiguous, people will just move on, but a little mystery will pique their interest.

Short

I’ve read many places about a rule that a good headline shouldn’t be longer than seven words long. You can have headlines that are longer, but the fewer words you can get your point across in, the better. You can always use your introductory paragraph to explain a catchy but short headline.

What matters is not what the headline says, but what it looks like. Changing the font or color can make the sales pitch more appealing, but if you go too far, it can just confuse the reader and be painful to the eye.

Most of the time, the headline is the only part the reader sees of your writing. If the headline is good, there’s a better chance they’ll read more. In fact, you should spend about as much time working on your headline as you do writing the rest of the story.

It’s important to remember that every good headline needs to have good material behind it.

The key to writing good headlines involves two things: study and practice. Take a look at sales letters, articles, and anything else with a headline and see what other people are doing.

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