What was that? A summary? Not quite. The headline is more than a mere summary of your article. As a matter of fact, headline is one of the most important pieces in your article. Yes, you heard me just fine.
Whenever I choose to read an article, how I would decide which to read is by browsing the headlines. I'm sure that is the same for everyone else. That's right; headlines serve the purpose of drawing attention of readers to read your articles. After all, it's the first thing that people see. Just like front-page headlines of a newspaper are meant to sell the paper, the copy's headline is meant to sell people on the copy.
A good headline should always give an idea or hint (note: not the entire story) to attract readers. If a headline does not give such indication, then it will only deter prospects.
In advertising parlance, a headline is the "ad for the ad." For instance, a resume is not meant to land a job but to land an interview. A headline is, in the same way, meant to land the reader's attention and arouse their curiosity - not the sale.
Have you heard of the AIDA formula, which basically stand for Attention, Interest, Desire and Action? It's a famous marketing formula that all ads must follow in order to be successful. It works in that exact order.
Therefore, if you use AIDA for your article or sales copy, the first part of the formula is to draft a good headline to create attention to readers to read your sales copy, or article.
The best way to draft a good headline is to learn from others. Site like Digg.com and cracked.com are good reference in writing headlines. It's important to remember that if the headline does not command enough attention both effectively and, above all, rapidly, then the rest of the formula will fail.
All in all, no matter how good your contents are, without a good headline, it's hard to grab attention and increase your site's readership, or sales.
Source: http://buithixuan.info/posts/internet/blogs/the-true-purpose-of-headlines.html
Whenever I choose to read an article, how I would decide which to read is by browsing the headlines. I'm sure that is the same for everyone else. That's right; headlines serve the purpose of drawing attention of readers to read your articles. After all, it's the first thing that people see. Just like front-page headlines of a newspaper are meant to sell the paper, the copy's headline is meant to sell people on the copy.
A good headline should always give an idea or hint (note: not the entire story) to attract readers. If a headline does not give such indication, then it will only deter prospects.
In advertising parlance, a headline is the "ad for the ad." For instance, a resume is not meant to land a job but to land an interview. A headline is, in the same way, meant to land the reader's attention and arouse their curiosity - not the sale.
Have you heard of the AIDA formula, which basically stand for Attention, Interest, Desire and Action? It's a famous marketing formula that all ads must follow in order to be successful. It works in that exact order.
Therefore, if you use AIDA for your article or sales copy, the first part of the formula is to draft a good headline to create attention to readers to read your sales copy, or article.
The best way to draft a good headline is to learn from others. Site like Digg.com and cracked.com are good reference in writing headlines. It's important to remember that if the headline does not command enough attention both effectively and, above all, rapidly, then the rest of the formula will fail.
All in all, no matter how good your contents are, without a good headline, it's hard to grab attention and increase your site's readership, or sales.
Source: http://buithixuan.info/posts/internet/blogs/the-true-purpose-of-headlines.html