a simple 4 points framework to write headlines which sell and convert
Estimated reading time: 8 mins
I recently saw a tweet from Nathan Barry (Founder, ConvertKit, a terrific email solution) where he asked the Twitterverse for inputs on a framework to write headlines quickly. Here it is:
The tweet became a full thread with many people chipping in with a variety of frameworks which they have used or have seen on internet. While it is exciting to see a plethora of frameworks, which are readily available to write impactful headlines, it is also quite confusing because (a) Many of these frameworks lead to the creation of highly click-baity headlines (b) There are far too many frameworks than what one can logically process.
You may argue, that writing headlines (and for that matter any copy) is more an art than science and hence it is difficult (if not downright foolish) to attempt to straight-jacket it into frameworks. However, if you are like me and prefer to have a starting point to put your thoughts in perspective and then improvise, then read on.
Before going further, I just want to underscore the importance of headlines (just in case there is a confusion). Headlines are not relegated to the annals of history as part of long copy print ads but are very much present in all forms of digital interactions such as a blog, a landing page for SaaS product, an email you send to your subscribers, etc.
David Ogilvy, the original MadMan, said rather prophetically that:
“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 eighty cents out of your dollar.”
What is the Primary Objective of a Headline?
Before getting into the Headline lens, let’s just check off this thing - What’s the primary objective of a headline? Ans: It is to sell, whatever is the ‘definition’ of a sale for the brand. If it is a CPG print ad, then it is to nudge the reader to buy the product, if it is a landing page for SaaS product, it is to get people to try the demo, if it is a Facebook ad for a university’s admissions, then it is to get students to fill the application forms, and so on.
You are right. Just a headline cannot achieve all of this, it needs a great creative, great body copy, slick graphics, etc. And you are right. However, the point here is that if you are ever getting confused about the ‘primary’ objective of a headline - is it to grab attention or is it to qualify audience, etc., let this be your anchor thought that the primary objective is to sell.
The Headline Lens
The headline lens has 4 components, each of which adds a specific element to the headline. It is shared below:
Benefit/Results: The headline should communicate the benefit or result of taking the action clearly. It could mean that if you take this action then your website’s traffic will grow or your hair will grow back or the cost of running your business will go down. At the very least, every headline should communicate the benefit clearly to the reader for her to take any action.
Address Objections: Some headlines also need to address objections as there could be a per-conceived notion that exists at the category or product level, which work against the action that you are prompting your reader to take.
For instance, if you are selling a no-code platform for building mobile apps, your headline will need to address the objection that ‘an app cannot be created without knowing code’. Similarly, if you run an institution which is providing a way to pursue a doctoral degree completely online, then your headline will need to address the objection that ‘a doctoral degree needs to be done in-person with a mentor’.
It is not essential for all headlines to address objections, but if you do operate in a category where you are taking an ‘anti’ stand, then adding this to the headline helps.
Action-oriented: This means two things:
The tonality of the headline should nudge readers to take an action. At the simplest level it means that your headline should have a verb in it such as ‘get’, ‘achieve’, ‘drive’… you get the drift
At a higher level, it means that the headline should invoke an emotion which prompts readers to take an action. This includes:
Creating scarcity/FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out): Last 10 seats left
Social proof: Andy from Adobe is using our IM platform
Personal touch: Adding your name or reader’s name
Authority: Ranked by Gartner as the best thing since sliced bread
It is important to have action orientation in the headline for the reader to move to the next stage of your communication, which could be a form, more copy, an image, next scroll on the website, etc.
Precision/Facts: When you are communicating benefit/results or addressing an objection, it is important to do it in a precise or fact-based manner to make it sound credible. There are two ways to do it:
Time frame: Achieve the benefit in 7 days or overcome the objections in 2 weeks
Quantify the benefit: You can become 2 shades fairer or grow your website’s traffic by 10X
Some important points
You can create a headline only by communicating the benefit but in today’s world of hyperactive media and high decibel noise, it is difficult to cut through the clutter
When writing a headline, imagine that you are writing for ‘one person’ as while the ad/website/creative will reach millions, but each person is reading it alone
Each media channel is different and the headline lens should be used intelligently as per the media channel. For instance, a headline that works for a 400 sq cm print ad, may not work for a 1200X628 pixel Facebook ad and it will for sure not work for an email
It is not essential to use all 4 components in one headline. You have to mix-match based on the product, the category and the media channel to arrive at a perfect headline
Good headlines qualify audience. So if you are selling a product to people in teens, then the headline should aim to get dinosaurs like me to ignore the creative/print ad/website
No one ever got a headline right in one go. If you haven’t written and deleted a headline at least 5 times, the headline you want to run with is crappy. Don’t use it!
Lastly, headline should grab attention without making people burn intellectual calories. If you make people squirm and dilate their pupils to read your headlines, they are not going to take the desired action
Let’s make a headline?
Meta is a company which creates courses for mid-management marketing leaders. Its courses enable them to become better at brand building by helping them think strategically and exposing them to disciplines outside marketing such as economics, philosophy, neurosciences, etc.
It wants to create a headline for its landing page.
Start with benefit may be?
Become better at brand building
Hmm… what about this
Learn to build brands which last forever
I think this is better (Note: Both have action-oriented tonality)
Crisper version: Learn to build long-lasting brands
Usually such courses will run into the wall of objections that the content is all fluff and gooey without any action orientation
So we can update the headline:
Learn to build long-lasting brands with actionable insights from practitioners
But what about the whole economics, philosophy, etc. part?
Is this better:
Version 1: Learn to build long-lasting brands with actionable insights from economics and philosophy
Version 2: Learn to build long-lasting brands from best-selling writers from economics and philosophy
Add a hint of precision/facts (using version 1)
Learn to build long-lasting brands with actionable insights from economics and philosophy in just 4 weeks
Another version for landing page (I like this)
Put next 30 days to good use by learning how to build profitable brands with practical insights from not marketing but economics
It has benefit + addresses objection + action-oriented + precise/facts all in one!
Version for email:
Will you believe that in 30 days you can learn to build profitable brands with practical insights from economics and philosophy
Thanks
Rohit
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