The Headline Formulae: Five-Point Fare

We all agree that ‘The first few words are the hardest.’ But then you must get visitors to read your copy and stay on your website. The headline becomes the first few words of your copy.

The Father of Advertising, David Ogilvy, wrote in his book ‘Confessions of an Advertising Man (1963)’

“The headline is the most important element in most advertisements. It is the telegram which decides the reader whether to read the copy.

On the average five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent 80 cents of your dollar.”

Although this piece is over 60 years old, its relevance is as strong today as it was then. So, what’s in a headline?

The headline is where your audience will start reading and, alas, where most will finish.

A study by the American Press a decade back documented that only four out of ten people will read past the headline. 

Heart-breaking?

Much time is spent perfecting your copy; maybe just half of the website visitors will read it.

• Excellent and unique headlines can increase visitor engagement, reduce bounce rates, and keep visitors curious enough to read the rest of your copy.

Further, what comes to mind is why the headline formula is used.

There is a four-point answer to this:

• They eliminate the assumptions.
• They assist in facing the intimidating blank page 
• They help develop A/B test ideas quickly. 
• They help determine what’s wrong with the text on a button, a headline, or a video script.

Now, let’s get straight to the formulae that have enjoyed widespread usage within the copywriter community.

Headline Formulas

Let us discuss FIVE formulas to compare and see the difference in creativity and complexity of headlines.

The Number Headline

It is simple yet effective and instantly proves that the product/service works.

Numeral + noun(s) + verb + object

OR

Verb + numeral + noun

You can use testimonials, case studies, and other statistics to prove the number in the headline is true.

Join [verb] + 200 million [numeral] + registered supporters [noun]

Add to that a little more – ‘who trust our environmental initiatives’.

So, your headline would read-

‘Welcome 200 Million Registered Supporters Who Trust Our Environmental Initiatives’.

The Fix Headline

This one is easy for visitors to understand and hits on a desire to do the thing being sold.

[Do something challenging] in [Period of time]

Like in this example from Digital Phoria, they let their visitors know that they are sure to get a unique brand identity—and get them fast—when they sign up.

Get Your Brand Logo Designed [Do something hard] Instantly. [Period of time]

The headline is more effective because it includes numerical proof.

The Intended Result Headline

It is simple and straight to the point, with a no-frills headline addressing the main benefit the visitors will get if they buy that particular product or service.

[Intended Result] by [How to get it]

This headline addresses customers and tells them what they’ll be able to achieve when they join.

Become an SEO specialist [Desired outcome] by registering for our weekly podcast [How to get it]

The Helping Headline

This formula goes deeper into a business’s ‘why’ and ‘how.’

Helping ______ do ______.

In this example from Resume Assist, they tell visitors what benefit they’ll derive.

Although the words are slightly different, they still follow the original formula.

We Help Candidates [Who they’re helping ] Succeed [What they’re helping them do]

They’ve added more description by saying where the writers will succeed ‘in their Job Search’.

These headlines help reduce bounce rates because visitors need to read more to determine if the product or service is right for them.

The Ironic Objective Headline

This headline goes like this:

Like a _______. Unlike any _______.

A more creative headline that draws visitor attention to a specific product feature.

Being more creative than descriptive, a good use of the subhead underneath is a must. The subhead tells how unique the feature is and why it’s essential.

Like a bathroom shower. [Like a _____.] Unlike any bathroom shower [Unlike any _____.]

The second half of this formula has more impact by adding ‘you’ve ever used’.

How To Use Headline Formulas

Using the formulas is easy. Follow the below steps-

• Pick one of the above-given headline formulas
• Fix yourself a time limit (maybe a few minutes)
• Write as many headlines that come to mind in that Period
• Repeat for other formulas if you wish to try

Your headline may differ from the formula. As a copywriter, you should determine what sounds best and what interests your visitors.

Let’s recollect-

• Using headline formulas eliminates the guesswork.
• Writing about 50 headlines before putting one on the home page helps.
• A headline should capture the reader’s attention and tempt them to keep reading your copy.
• Clear headlines win over clever headlines.
• Headlines should have a purpose; hence, use one of the above formulas.