3 Headline Writing Tips for Jumpstarting Your Creativity

Do you ever feel stuck when writing headlines?

In this post, we’re going to help you with that.

Before we get into the tips that will help you, we have a disclaimer to make: there is no “magical” headline writing formula.

There are suggestions grounded in human psychology, but ultimately your headline depends on how you construct your headline’s message.

Sometimes your headline writes itself. When this happens, it’s recommended you buy a lotto ticket before your luck runs out.

However, more times than not, you will have to put some thought into writing your headline.

To help you with the process, we’ve listed a series of tips to jump-start your creativity.

If you want more tips from us about copywriting, marketing, and conversions, be sure to get on our email list!

Pull the Headline from the Copy

Your headline might be hiding in the place you least expect it: in the body of your copy.

If you find yourself stuck with writing your headline, consider setting the task aside for a while.

When you write your intro, bullet points, subheads, etc., your headline might *pop* out during the process.

Kind of like having a bright idea while taking a shower, your headline could come to you while writing the rest of the copy.

Think in Numbers

The problem of not finding the right words for your headline might be solved by not having words at all.

Using numbers in your headline helps you think of the purpose of your headline — not the phrasing.

Numbers let you quantify the subject matter of your copy.

You can use numbers for more than list posts; you can use numbers to tell people…

• How long it will take to get a result (i.e., Learn a New Skill in 7 Days).
• The exact details about the result to expect (i.e., Learn 10 New Recipes in 7 Days).
• The number of ways / approaches you’re describing (5 Ways to Learn 10 Recipes in 7 Days).

Proactively Respond to Objections

Unlike a sales conversation, you can’t immediately respond to someone’s objections about your offer with your copy. This is why the copy must proactively think of — and respond to — any objections your prospect may have. You can accomplish this right away in your headline.

Before you attempt to do this, think about the single-most important thing your reader or prospect does NOT want. What is it that they dislike about the subject you’re communicating?

Here are some examples of headlines that proactively respond to objections (objections answered in bold).

• How to Write Faster Blog Posts, Without Getting Stuck.
• How to Learn 10 Easy and Tasty Recipes in Just 7 Days, Even If You Only Know How to Make Toast!
• How to Climb Hills Faster on Your Bike, While Having Enough Energy to Finish the Race.

It’s human nature to object to things that benefit us. People are an interesting and skeptical species. You can greatly make life easier for a reader by immediately bringing up — and responding to his or her objection in your headline.

What frustrates you most about writing headlines? Maybe we can help. Let us know by leaving a comment!

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