PACK A POWERFUL MESSAGE IN YOUR CONTENT HEADLINE.

On average 8 out of 10 people will read a headline, but only 2 out of 10 will go on to read the rest of your content piece. Getting the reader past the headline keeps you in the game.

However, the truth is that writing an engaging headline is tough. While there’s no proven formula to writing the perfect headline, here are three tips for crafting a headline that will work hard to get the reader engaged:

Write your headline first. This will help you stay focused on the intended message and ensure that the headline and content remain aligned, which in turn will make the overall piece easier to absorb and more likely to meet the reader’s expectations.

Capture the most persuasive benefit or call to action in the headline. Don’t try to tell the whole story. Find the nugget within the content you are promoting that will quickly connect with and add value to the reader. The more specific the better. Avoid vague or broad terms.

Quantify the value or articulate how the content will be actionable. Using a numeric value in the headline has shown to increase engagement and readership. Quantifiable statistics like “increase sales 25% by…” or the use of numbers to explain how the rest of the message is packaged like “3 Simple Steps to…” quickly tell the reader there is actionable information to follow.

The key to a good headline is to focus on one thing. That one thing is the single most important message you want the reader to take away from your content. And remember – in today’s world of marketing analytics – you should always test, track and analyze the types of headlines that resonate and engage your audience the most.