First Impression Last: Effective Copy Writing Headlines

Copy writing is the art of writing persuasive copies. Brilliantly crafted contents only have one particular thing in common – attention-grabbing headlines. Why? First impression last. In any copy writing, headlines give that first impression on a prospective reader. Without a compelling headline, the rest of the texts will cease to exist in the readers’ eyes.
Copy writing demands enticing copies, but all written words will be put to waste if the headline fails to get that positive first impression from the readers. The secret to efficient copy writing, however, goes beyond alluring text banners. It also entails sensible and concise headlines as well.
A good headline can also convey the whole message to its intended readers. Effective headlines for copy writing can lure the readers into the body text at the same time, logical enough to communicate the main idea in that one line.
As first impression last, a gripping copy writing headline must assure its readers some kind of benefit or reward in trade of the valuable time it takes to read further.
In addition, copy writing guru Bob Bly’s The Copywriter’s Handbook lays down eight headline categories that guarantee to compel action from readers and increase in conversion rates. Here are the eight useful tips in generating great headlines.
1.Direct headlines. This type of approach goes straight to the heart of the matter. It states directly the main idea without any attempt to be clever. An example of Bly is the “Pure Silk Blouses – 30 Percent Off.” This example of direct headline immediately states the selling proposition. Another example is “Free Harry Potter Book,” which also directly expresses the benefit or reward offered.

2.Indirect headlines. This headline copy writing style is a more subtle approach. It uses curiosity to instigate questions in readers’ minds, which the body of the copy subsequently answers.

3.News headlines. This type of headline writing is a no-brainer. It is simply a product launching, an improved product version, or an upcoming event – as long as it is news. Factual as it is, it can be a good material for a compelling news headline.

4.The “How to” headlines. This headline writing style works like a charm. Bly says that a lot of advertising writers deem that one can never come up with a bad headline beginning with the words “how to.” For some reasons, a utility article always emerge as bestsellers – again, the “how to” type of writing. One popular example is “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.”

5.Question headlines. Question type of headline copy writing must be crafted well. It must not simply ask a question. It must be relevant enough and interesting enough that, according to Bly, the reader would be interested to know answer. One interesting example of Bly is from Psychology Today, “Do You Close the Bathroom Door Even When You’re the Only One Home?”

6.Command headlines. Evidently, these headlines directly imply what the readers need to do. Bly deems that the first word must always be a strong verb demanding an action. Copy writing involves not only persuasion but also a sort of commanding readers what to do.

7.“Reason Why” headlines. This kind of headline usually has body text with numbered list. The “reason why” approach is also a sure hit in copy writing, but topic relevance is as equally important for it to work. An example is “101 Reasons Why Girls Fake It.”

8.Testimonial headlines. Testimonial headlines are highly effective because it presents third party proof that what is offered is of great value. This entails using actual words of other people in the headline - statements about a certain company or product. Quotation marks must not be used to let the readers know that what they are reading is a testimonial.

Copy writing headline is a make or break opportunity for an article to be fully read. Skilled copywriters are aware that when it comes to writing headlines and content, first impression indeed last.

About the Author: Paula Cambridge is a marketing communications copywriter in one of Illinois's leading distributor of packaging and industrial supplies. Her rich content writing experience allows her to take freelance jobs from many design and advertising firms.