How To Write Headlines That Could Make You A Fortune

Posted Thursday, December 9, 2004

We all have a natural resistance to advertising. These days we are bombarded with thousands advertising of commercial messages. Unless the headline is of particular interest, or in some way says "I'm talking to you!", we will tend to ignore it. What do people see in advertising? Headlines! What do you see when you are glancing through a newspaper or magazine? Headlines! What is it that makes you stop for a moment and look at an advertisement, or even read some of it? The headline! An advertisement headline is no different from a news headline. Both are designed to capture the reader's attention and to encourage them to read further.

The same applies with a radio commercial. It also needs a headline to attract the listener's attention so they "prick up their ears" and listen further.

The headline therefore becomes the ad for the ad. It must be strong enough to "flag attention" and stop the reader, listener, or viewer "in their tracks." The job of the headline is to entice them to read on or pay further attention to the message that follows.

Let's face it; we all have a natural resistance to advertising. These days we are bombarded with thousands upon thousands of commercial messages. Unless the headline is of particular interest, or in some way says "I'm talking to you!", we will tend to ignore it.

If you're like most advertisers, you will open a newspaper or magazine and go immediately to your own advertisement. It stands out because you are looking for it.

In reality, the average reader is not scanning the publication in search of your advertisement. The publication may have four hundred other headlines in that particular issue. Every headline is competing with all the others in the issue. A particular advertisement is not just competing with other ads for the reader's attention. It is also competing, with the numerous articles and news stories in the publication.

They are all screaming to the reader - "Pick me! Pick me!"

To further complicate matters, things that are happening around them may distract the reader. Noisy kids, the sounds from a television or radio, traffic noise, an over-heard conversation...these can all compete for the reader's attention.

Magazine publishers understand this principle all too well. You only have to look at the magazine racks in the newsagents to see what appears on the front covers of each publication.

Bold headlines like: "Royal Sex Scandal"

"Win $150,000 Sports Car Inside" " Six tell-tale signs that he's cheating on you". Eye-catching headlines like these are targeted at specific audiences and are designed to sell magazines.

Home decorating or lifestyle magazines may use headlines like: "17 ways to save on bathroom renovations" or "New Fashion Trend For Kitchens".

Business magazines may use headlines like: "How To Negotiate And Win" or "Your Bank May Be Charging Too Much". So study the headlines on magazine covers and you'll get a real insight into what works and what doesn't.

© Noel Peebles. Market Leaders Limited.
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About the Author
Noel Peebles has a wealth of experience including brand marketing with a major advertising agency, and as Director and Strategy Advisor with an internationally aligned marketing communications company. His skills include television and radio production, news-media and catalogue advertising, direct response marketing, research, media negotiation, sponsorship development, and public relations and franchise marketing consultancy.