The first thing you read on an ad carries a ton of weight.
Sure, a picture of a cute dog or a bubbling glass of champagne can draw you in, but that initial headline can make you go from “Cool picture” to “I want it now.”
The headlines in your promotional material are some of the most important parts of your marketing you’ll rely on. In fact, you could argue that they are the most influential copy at your disposal. One of the godfathers of advertising, David Ogilvy, had this to say about headlines:
“On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent 80 cents out of your dollar.”
But what makes a good headline stand out from a bad one?
Interest
When you were last in the library or a bookstore, what did all of the books that make you pause have in common?
The titles.
Your headlines act in the same way. They can be funny (“Food so good, your mother-in-law won’t notice”), intriguing (“The one diet trick you’ve been missing”), and inviting (“Check In. Catch Up. Check Out.”)
But above all else, they capture your interest based on some apparent or latent need.
Value
Alright, you’ve got their attention…so what?
You could have anything on your billboard or flyer that generates attention, whether it’s provocative, controversial, or just plain gibberish. But what’s the point if it doesn’t make people read the rest of your ad, much less take action?
Your headline has to introduce your audience to the idea that they will receive something valuable should they continue on. Your body copy, images, and CTA can accentuate those aspects with more details about your product or service, but your headline should make them understand that what they will receive in the end is worth the attention.
Length
Last but not least (except for size) is how long you make your headline.
This will naturally depend on what your asset is (a billboard vs. an article vs. a banner ad vs. a social media graphic, and so on). But you should strive to be succinct with your headline and use it to summarize your ad.
Most digital assets like Facebook and Google Ads work well with a 25-40 character count. That gives you just a few choice words to use, so you’ll have to be very cognizant on which ones you rely on.
To maximize your headline potential, one strategy you can use is to write your headline last. In smaller banner ads, you can begin with your CTA (ex. “Schedule an Appointment”) so that you have the endgame in mind then craft your summarized message. For longer advertorials or full-page ads, finishing your asset with the headline gives you a chance to say “This is what it’s all about, and this is why you’ll be enticed to read further.”
And if it feels like it’s more difficult to write your headline than the rest of your ad, that’s okay! Capturing the essence of your product or service in a few powerful words will take time and revision, but I promise you that the end result will be worth it.
But if the perfect headline is still escaping you, you can always reach out to your local copywriter to come up with a few options that will suck your customers in. See examples of engaging ads in action and set up your consultation with me to get a head start on your headline.
Need that game-changing headline? Find the copy and content service that fits your needs and reach out for your copy consultation today.