Hold the front page! 

Did you know that an estimated 80% of people will read a headline, but only 20% will read the rest of the copy? 

In a world where we are swamped by headlines on a daily basis, and time is precious, these figures should come as no surprise. 

People are selective about what they read, and if a headline doesn't scream “READ ME”, they are likely to just scroll on by. 

And that is why crafting effective headlines is such a fundamental part of your copy! 

So, here are my top tips for writing headlines:

1. Consider the platform for your headline - there are different rules for different platforms, for example, writing for the web requires keywords in the headline (to help with SEO), while headlines for press releases can include puns … if appropriate! 

2. Summarise your copy in a clear, concise way - and keep it short. Your audience should know what to expect from your copy at a quick glance. Long sentences with complicated words will be bypassed in an instant.

3. Use attention grabbing words to generate interest - and try to put them at the start of your copy, for example “Surprise benefits of eating mushrooms” or “Secrets to a successful business”. 

4. Create intrigue to draw your audience in - withhold information, while still capturing the essence of your copy. This encourages your audience to read more, for example, “Why play is so important”. 

5. Highlight the benefits - your audience needs to feel like they’ve benefited from reading your carefully crafted copy so consider highlighting the benefits in the copy, for example “Top tips for writing clickable headlines”. 

Headline writing is a skill and a craft, and I've written countless in my time as a journalist and marketing professional. So, if you need a little bit of extra support with your headline copy, I’m all ears - get in touch here!