I’ve never actually read this book. Or maybe I have, years ago, and I forgot what it said. If it’s the latter, then I was clearly uninfluenced.

Anyway, my opinion on headlines (and subject lines) is, don’t overthink them. There are a million ways to approach them, but the purpose of this is to make things easier for you. But first….

A quick lesson on H1, H2 & H3

Perhaps you’ve seen these referenced by web designers or copywriters and wonder what on earth they are? Well, they’re heading tags that help humans and search engines to read and understand the text.  

They help give structure to your page:

The most important information goes here - heading (h1) - one per page.

Information broken down into sections - subheading (h2) - usually 2-3 per page.

Text may be further broken down into specific headlines - sub-sub-heading (h3) - however, many are required.

Most of the time, you’ll probably just be using h1 & h2. When you’re popping this into your blog or webpage, you’ll be able to tag and format your headline or subheading into H1, H2, H3, or body/paragraph text. Your reader won’t see the tag - that will be applied in the backend.

Why bother with H1, H2 and H3?

• They give structure to your page.

• It guides your reader through your article.

• It helps them quickly find the information they’re looking for.

• It’s important for accessibility. A screen reader can understand the headings and read them out loud.

• Screen readers use headings for navigation, allowing visually impaired people to jump from one heading to another. 

• It benefits your SEO because headings mean higher quality text that is easier to read. And search engines like this.

Now you know some of the benefits, I’ll share my favourite three styles of headlines that anyone can write. Bookmark this page now, so next time you’ve got to whip up an email subject line or craft an article title, you’ve got some starting ideas.

The Helpful Headline

Blogs, posts and articles that teach or show your reader something are always a winner. 

• How to <do the thing>

• How to <do the thing> in x easy steps

• X tips for <doing the thing>

• X easy/quick steps to <the outcome>

• X simple tips to <do the thing>

• Your guide to <doing the thing>

• Your ultimate guide to <doing the thing>

• X lessons I learned <doing the thing>
  
  

The Question Headline

Nothing piques our interest like a question. 

• Does this happen to you?

• Has this ever happened to you?

• Did you ever watch/read/listen to this?

• How do you feel about <your topic>?

• Are you ready for <your announcement>?

• Is it time to <the transformation your product or service provides>?

• I do this, do you?

• X vs. X. Which do you prefer?
  
  

The Curiosity Headline

Not to be confused with click-bait headlines because they are not good, the curiosity headline is usually short. It works best with story-style emails or articles, and it’s an opportunity to have a bit of fun. And remember, if you’re sharing a story, it needs to relate to your product, service, or brand somehow. 

• The day I <did a thing>

• Something strange happened

• My Yr 10 English Teacher

• Best day of my life

• This changed everything

• 2yrs, 2mths and 2 weeks 

• Get a free roll of toilet paper when you open this email (this was my highest opened email in 2020)

• I’d never have guessed it.

  
  

3 Tips for writing headlines

1. Add weird, interesting or odd words. I used the words ‘cats eyelids’ in an email subject line once.

2. Sometimes simple is best. Plainly stating what the reader will get can be just as effective.

3. Keep a swipe file - if any headlines or subject lines catch your eye, copy and paste into a document for future reference and inspiration. 

Tools for writing headlines

FYI I’m not affiliated with any of these.

https://coschedule.com/headline-analyzer

Pop in your suggested title, and it gives you a rating out of 100. Play around with it to see if you can increase your rating. Warning: you can lose hours of your life here.

https://www.impactplus.com/blog-title-generator/blogabout

Thought starters to help you craft headlines for blogs. I haven’t used this very much, but worth checking out if you’re drawing a blank.

https://www.aminstitute.com/headline/

This one measures the emotional marketing value (EMV) of your headline. If you’re aiming to deeply touch your audience, this is the tool to use.

The last thing I’ll say about headlines (and all writing, to be fair) is this. When all is said and written, go with your gut. If it feels right, it probably is, so just go with it. 

Photo by "My Life Through A Lens" on Unsplash