How to write headlines (without sounding like they were written by a robot AI copywriting overlord)
Lisbon is famous for its kiosks (in Portuguese we call them quiosques).
You’ll find a quiosque in almost every park and plaza around Lisbon.
Quiosques are part of our local culture.
Quiosques are popular hangout spots to enjoy the sun outside.
They're also where friends and families meet for drinks, coffee, snacks and to catch up.
I live in Lisbon. One day, a couple of years ago, me and my girlfriend were hanging out at one of our favorite quiosques in town.
It's located in Jardim Avelar Brotero, a small yet cosy garden in the middle of a residential neighborhood in Santo Amaro, Alcântara.
Out of nowhere we hear someone screaming "Somebody help me!"
There's a water fountain in the middle of Jardim Avelar Brotero.
And that day 3 municipal maintenance workers were repairing the water fountain pump.
Near the fountain there's a manhole.
One of the municipal workers was there inside doing some maintenance work.
Then he came outside to do something else for a few minutes, but he left the manhole cover open.
Minutes later a 70 something year-old man fell into that 10-foot-deep uncovered manhole.
One of the municipal workers jumps in the manhole to rescue the old man.
Then someone calls 112 (the equivalent to America's "911" emergency number).
A few minutes later 2 firefighters show up and ask what happened.
One of the municipal workers says, "An old man fell into this open manhole."
The firefighter asks, "Where's the sign saying Warning: Open manhole."?
The municipal worker replies, "Well…I just assumed that people would notice there was an open manhole".
Now surf the web for a few minutes and you’ll certainly come across dozens of websites that strangely act like this municipal worker.
They assume, "If people are visiting our website it's because they already know us."
As a rule the first thing people look at when they visit a website tends to be text. But on average 8 out of 10 people only read the headline. And in about 5 seconds they leave.
That’s because most websites nowadays are plagued with copy so vague, so blasé, so buzzword-y, that you can't even understand what the heck is the product.
So these websites say silly, vague things that mean nothing. Like, "Embrace a new reality”, “Your all-powerful ally in innovation” or “The future of plants is here”.
Whatever you’re selling online, write an headline that grabs your reader’s attention instantly.
Never write a vague headline that assumes people already know what you do. That’s like leaving your website manhole cover open.
You won’t enjoy the consequences.
PS. These 17 writing techniques and headline formulas are good enough to help you craft headlines far more believable, more vivid and more persuasive than any headline written by the average fluff AI copywriting tools out there.
》”Dangerous” Ideas
1/ The #1 job of your website headline is to get people to read your second sentence.
OR as as ad legend David Ogilvy once said, "It's the ticket on the meat". But the reader will never read past the headline unless what you have to say is clear AND relevant to the reader.
2/ Just because people are visiting your website, never assume consumers know your brand and what you do.
Even your most regular clients might know what you do, but not everything you do. So always write copy that respects their time and clarifies all the assumptions that are stoping them from trying your products or services.
3/ Unless you want people to disappear down your website manhole, your website NEEDS a good headline.
A good website headline communicates clearly your product's spiritual essence and summarizes it in ONE BIG idea. A BIG idea that hints that here is something your reader really, really wants (and can get from you).
Your pal,
🚀 Founder & Chief Copywriter: Teardwn ↬ “Hire me to give voltage to your website copy”
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This is *such* a great analogy! I’ll be sharing this in my resources round-up!