Do you always read content articles strictly from start to finish? Or do you first scan over the headlines and then pick out the articles that interest you the most? Eye tracking analysis of online reading behavior makes it clear: only 20% of our carefully selected words are read. Almost everyone scans text, nobody reads like word by word, line by line. Our goal cannot be that every word is read. Instead, we need to ensure that the reader will notice even when scanning the main messages of our content. So how do we make a text “scannable”?
It is by creating a very meaningful and effective headline.
Headline is the elevator pitch for our content. Not without reason, successful copywriter came up with the 50/50 rule with headings: 50% of the time is used on the content, 50% of the time on the headline. It has been observed that a well written headline can yield up to 20 times the traffic as compared to an article with very normal and basic headline. Therefore, headline is the most important part of your content, as it decides if the users will consume your content.
If you remember only one thing from this chapter: Let it be the Headline!
The 4 U’s for Quality Heading
Headline is the promise of gaining the benefits the reader gets by reading. It must arouse curiosity and address powerful emotions so that we can convince reader to continue through the entire article.
The quality of the heading can be accessed on the basis of 4 U’s:
• Useful: Is the benefit to the reader clearly recognizable?
• Urgent: Is there an urgency for immediate reading motivated?
• Unique: Is the uniqueness of your content is clear to the fore? It becomes clear why the audience should read your content
• Ultra-Specific: Is it quite clear what is exactly in the text? Or is the headline so general that they could contain many different facets of the topic?
6 Fool-Proof Headline Recipes
You do not have to reinvent the wheel, distilled from thousands of A/B testing, best practices for headings have been listed below: (These headings recipes are adapted from CopyBlogger, a highly recommended resource for all text creators).
1. Threat Scenario: What robs your customers from sleep?
• 7 warning signals when the …
• How sure are you against claims for recourse?
• How do you put your daily XYZ jeopardy
• 5 unknown facts in …
2. Workload: The chance for a better life
• Can you keep up with your younger colleagues? 11 ways you stay up to date
• The easy way to satisfied patients
• Halve your documentation work immediately
• Getting non-adherent patients in the handle
3. Footboard: use prominent examples
• Tips from Prof. Dr. COL 10
• Hips operate as the Mayo Clinic
• What we can learn from the Heart Center XY
4. Error: an irresistible charm
• Undermining you these 3 mistakes in stroke prevention?
• 7 mistakes that can cost you your license to practice medicine
• 11 errors of which you do not know that you make them
5. How-to: the reliable classic
• How do you tie your long term patients
• As you are an irreplaceable partner of your referring physician
• What can you do with compensation claims
6. Listen: Take on a silver platter
• 7 Habits of Highly profitable practice
• 7 secrets that everyone should know GP
• 9 amazing reasons for the Monday rush
This article has demonstrated the importance of headline for content marketing. So, next time you add any content, remember that an effective headline can ‘make or break’ your content.
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