How to Make Your Headlines Count
When writing a headline it is important to remember what you are trying to do. Writing a good headline depends on you looking at various factors such as: what type of publication or media the copy is going in, what type of product or service you are offering, how much copy there is to back up your headline, etc. Traditionally your headline’s main function should be to get readers into your copy, to make that turn from headline to body copy. You can do that by grabbing their attention, then setting them up for what they are about to read. Be careful here, many copywriters get too caught up in getting the attention, often at the expense of the copy. Have you ever read a headline that was obviously just trying to grab attention and had little or nothing to do with the article or copy? Something like “Did Michael Jordan kill a man during his college days?”, then it turns out to be an article about Jordan taking a criminology course? While a headline like that you may get a little more traffic, but the readers are not going to be satisfied with being misled by the subject matter in your headline. Instead, focus on putting together a headline that:
- Is short and concise- people are very busy these days and attention spans are shorter than ever, don’t waste any space with fluff or set up, get to the point.
- Gives readers a good idea about what they are about to get into- don’t mislead them and don’t get too cute, match the copy.
- Is creative- during your brainstorming sessions never sensor or edit yourself, there will be plenty of time for that later. Also, give your headlines some time to rest between brainstorming and editing, you never know what headlines might sound better or give you inspiration on a second look.
- Has a voice and tone consistent with the copy and product/service- if you are writing serious copy, such as an article concerning child safety or health concerns, just leave the humor out of it. On the other hand if you are writing copy for an upcoming promotional event at a bar or club, don’t be too dry, make it fun and playful. There is a time and place for everything, so always keep your audience in mind.
By Aaron Eldredge, Copywriter at iD Communications, @iDcomm
5 tips for running your company’s Twitter feed:
1- Make everything you do shareable.
-Start thinking about everything you can in the context of Twitter and social media. What is the best way to share your work with your followers, don’t just post a quick link to everything and expect people to flock to it. I think of social media as a waiter serving a nice meal, you don’t just dump the appetizers, drinks, main course, and dessert on the table and walk away. You first give your customers their drinks, then come back and order some appetizers, after they eat those come back so they can order their main dish, etc. Too often I see a company just throw up a link to their site and expect people to search it out for themselves, make it easier for them and you will see better results.
2- Vary the content you put on your feed.
-If you are always posting the same type of stuff, your followers are going to get bored and lose interest. One way to combat this is to rotate the type of content you post: post an article of relevance, a picture or info graphic, retweet one of your followers, make a blog post, link to a mention or review, talk about upcoming business or events, announce new clients or new happenings in the company, etc, etc.
3- Use social media to bolster your digital and online properties.
-If you are not echoing what you do on your website and other places on Twitter, you are not getting the most out of your social media marketing. Use your social media accounts to supplement your website, this will drive traffic to your site, and based on many SEO experts opinions, your social media will begin to factor more and more into your SEO ranking.
4- Engage your followers.
- Social media is by it’s own nature, social. Meaning that it is different than your website, its not a one-way line of communication. One of the reasons that people engage and interact with businesses on social media sites is because they like the fact that they can ask questions and engage with that company. If your Twitter account is full of one-way communication, it is not likely to be effective. Once a day, answer your follower’s questions, retweet some of them, or just start up a conversation.
5- Make your followers feel special.
-Do this by offering a product or service at a special discount just for your social media followers. Even if it is just giving them the first chance to purchase something first, just offer them something extra for following you. Other things you could consider include: Host an online event, a contest or giveaway, or give them some inside information on an upcoming service or product.
by Aaron Eldredge, Copywriter, @idcomm
