It's All About the Headline! 

By Tony Milller, Tallahassee Grapevine

Your headline is the first, and perhaps only, impression you make on a prospective reader. Without a compelling promise that turns a browser into a reader, the rest of your words may as well not even exist. Writing great headlines is a critical skill.

Here are some interesting statistics:

On average, 8 out of 10 people will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest. This is the secret to the power of your title, and why it so highly determines the effectiveness of the entire piece.

Remember, every element of compelling copy has just one purpose to get the next sentence read. And then the sentence after that, and so on, all the way down to your call to action. So it's fairly obvious that if people stop at the headline, you're already dead in the water.

The better your headline, the better your odds of beating the averages and getting what you've written read by a larger percentage of people.

To make this easier on you, here are some great "Fill in the Blank" Headlines you can use when writing articles on Tallahassee Grapevine: 

1. Who Else Wants [blank]?

Starting a headline with "Who Else Wants" is a classic strategy that implies an already existing consensus desire. While overused in the Internet marketing arena, it still works like gangbusters for other subject matter.

• Who Else Wants Great Looking Abs?
• Who Else Wants a Higher Paying Job?
• Who Else Wants More Fun and Less Stress When on Vacation?

2. The Secret of [blank]

This one is used quite a bit, but that's because it works. Share insider knowledge and translate it into a benefit for the reader.

• The Secret of Successful Podcasting
• The Secret of Protecting Your Assets in Litigation
• The Secret of Getting Your Home Loan Approved

3. Here is a Method That is Helping [blank] to [blank]

Simply identify your target audience and the benefit you can provide them, and fill in the blanks.

• Here is a Method That is Helping Homeowners Save Hundreds on Insurance
• Here is a Method That is Helping Children Learn to Read Sooner
• Here is a Method That is Helping Bloggers Write Better Post Titles

4. Little Known Ways to [blank]

A more intriguing (and less common) way of accomplishing the same thing as "The Secret of" headline.

• Little Known Ways to Save on Your Heating Bill
• Little Known Ways to Hack Google's Gmail
• Little Known Ways to Lose Weight Quickly and Safely

5. Get Rid of [problem] Once and For All

A classic formula that identifies either a painful problem or an unfulfilled desire that the reader wants to remedy.

• Get Rid of Your Unproductive Work Habits Once and For All
• Get Rid of That Carpet Stain Once and For All
• Get Rid of That Lame Mullet Hairdo Once and For All

6. Here's a Quick Way to [solve a problem]

People love quick and easy when it comes to solving a nagging problem.

• Here's a Quick Way to Get Over a Cold
• Here's a Quick Way to Potty Train Junior
• Here's a Quick Way to Backup Your Hard Drive

7. Now You Can Have [something desirable] [great circumstance]

The is the classic "have your cake and eat it too" headline - and who doesn't like that?

• Now You Can Quit Your Job and Make Even More Money
• Now You Can Meet Sexy Singles Online Without Spending a Dime
• Now You Can Own a Cool Mac and Still Run Windows

8. [Do something] like [world-class example]

Gatorade milked this one fully with the "Be Like Mike" campaign featuring Michael Jordan in the early 1990s.

• Speak Spanish Like a Diplomat
• Party Like Paris Hilton
• Blog Like an A-Lister

9. Have a [or] Build a [blank] You Can Be Proud Of

Appeal to vanity, dissatisfaction, or shame. Enough said.

• Build a Body You Can Be Proud Of
• Have a Smile You Can Be Proud Of
• Build a Blog Network You Can Be Proud Of

10. What Everybody Ought to Know About [blank]

Big curiosity draw with this type of headline, and it acts almost as a challenge to the reader to go ahead and see if they are missing something.

• What Everybody Ought to Know About ASP
• What Everybody Ought to Know About Adjustable Rate Mortgages
• What Everybody Ought to Know About Writing Great Headlines

Tony Miller is head writer & editor for Grapevine Marketing: The rising star of Tallahassee Marketing Firms and Tallahassee Advertising Agencies. Grapevine Marketing specializes in Content Marketing using their interactive, online magazine TallahasseeGrapevine.com.

Their slogan is "We don't sell ads, we build relationships" and that is true. Most Ad Firms try to complicate things and impress you with big words and jargon to scare you into hiring them. We specialize in affordable marketing plans for Tallahassee Small Businesses. And we will talk to you in a way you can understand. My favorite slogan is "We Don't Just Consult, We Do!"

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