It’s no secret…
The most important aspect of copywriting is the infamous headline.
Why?
If you don’t grab your target audience’s attention, within a split second, they will not read a single word you write.
Lucky for you…
Top copywriters have already discovered the best ways to grab attention.
And one of the best ways to learn how to write attention-grabbing headlines is to study successful copywriting ads.
In this blog post…
I’m going to cover the importance of grabbing your reader’s undivided attention, 5 little-known tips for grabbing attention FAST and 10 copywriting ads to model after when writing headlines.
Why Is it SO IMPORTANT to Grab Your Reader’s Attention?
Your headline is the first thing readers see.
If your headline does not grab their attention, and get them to read your first sentence, then you have failed as a copywriter.
You can have the best copy in the world, but if your headline doesn’t glue eyeballs, it won’t matter.
All your hard work will be for nothing, because no one will have read your copy.
Read these following 5 tips to quickly improve your headlines and boost the chances you’re your copy gets read…
5 Sure-Fire Ways to Grab Your Reader’s Attention FAST
1. Flag down your target audience
Claude Hopkins, the godfather of advertising copywriting, explained how the best headlines flag down a specific person.
A BIG mistake is to write a one-size-fits-all headline.
Instead, you want to call out your ideal reader.
Make it specifically for them, and only them.
The easiest way to achieve this is to mention them in your headline.
No, you probably won’t be able to call them out by name, but you can do this…
Say you’re writing to single mothers who want to lose belly fat.
You could say something like:
For single moms who want to shave 20 LBs of flab before July 4th
This headline calls out a specific reader and taps into something they want to achieve/overcome.
If I left the first part out (“For single mothers”, it would not be nearly as specific or attention-grabbing.
2. The only job of your headline
Joseph Sugarman (no, not the horse man) said it best…
The one and only job of your headline is to get your ideal readers to read your first sentence (body copy).
That’s it.
This removes a lot of stress and confusion.
It makes your job a LOT simpler.
You aren’t trying to sell your product in one sentence, you’re just trying to push people to READ your first sentence.
3. Offer the biggest benefit
John Caples (a pioneer of advertising copywriting & author of “Tested Advertising Methods”) explained that the best headlines appeal to their reader’s self-interest.
The best way to do this is to simply place the biggest benefit, your reader is trying to achieve, in your headline.
Don’t know what the biggest benefit is?
Find out through research.
After you spend enough time understanding your market (their wants, needs, desires, etc.) you’ll pinpoint their biggest desire. Once you do, display it in your headline in a dramatic way.
4. Start with a problem
Sean D’souza, author of The Brain Audit, revealed that problems grab our attention much more effectively than solutions.
But not just any problems.
They must be relevant problems that we are currently experiencing.
So…
Uncover what your reader’s biggest problem is, and display it front and center in your ad.
The more emotion you can stir up, the more attention-grabbing your headline will be.
5. Enter your reader’s convo
One of the greatest copywriters of all time – Robert Collier – wrote in his book, The Robert Collier Letter Book…
“You want to enter the conversation your prospect is already having inside their mind.”
The easiest way to do this is to step inside their world.
Imagine:
You are bored and mindlessly scrolling through Facebook, what’s the ONE thing you could read that would snap you out of your purple haze and get you to stop scrolling?
Whatever this is, include it in your headline to grab attention (keep it relevant to what you’re writing about).
10 Attention-Grabbing Headlines from Successful Copywriting Ads to Model After (Plus Insider Tips & Insights)
1. "The Secret to Making People Like You"
Who doesn’t love a good secret?
Secrets, little-known info, insider tips…. All grab our attention.
Plus, this headline offers a VERY desirable benefit – making people like you.
2. "Are You Ever Tongue-Tied at a Party?"
This headline brings up a BIG scary problem that a lot of people face.
Asking a relevant question that calls out a specific problem that your audience struggles with is a surefire way to grab their undivided attention.
3. "How to Win Friends and Influence People"
This is a pure benefit-driven headline.
We all want more friends.
We all want to influence people.
Find out what your audience wants and “dangle the carrot” in your headline to grab their attention.
4. "Do You Make These Mistakes in English?"
This headline’s got 3 things going for it:
- It’s curiosity piquing. If you’re insecure about your English skills, how could you possibly skip this without finding the answer? Tapping into your readers’ curiosity is a bullet-proof way to grab their attention.
- It targets a specific problem. If you are insecure about your English skills, you will feel instant anxiety and embarrassment over mispronouncing words and making a fool of yourself in front of others.
- It asks the reader a specific question. Questions grab our attention like red stop signs.
5. "How I Improved My Memory in One Evening"
“How to” headlines are probably the safest way to write killer headlines.
You simply start with the words “how to” and then follow up with the desired benefit.
Plus…
Everyone and their mama wants a brainless, effortless magic pill solution.
Improve your memory by studying for 3 months? TOO HARD!
Improve your memory in ONE evening? Aaaaah. Much better.
6. "To men who want to quit work some day"
This is a classic example of flagging down your target audience.
John Caples clearly calls out who this ad is for.
Also…
Notice the words “some day.”
He wrote this same headline without these 2 words and it flopped.
But when he added them, it was a huge success.
Why?
Believability.
People won’t read your copy if they don’t believe you. So, always back up your claims with proof (testimonials, stats, credibility, etc.)
7. "Have you ever wondered what you would look like with a million dollar smile?"
If you’re insecure about your smile, this headline will most definitely grab your attention.
Also, it makes you envision your new life with a “million dollar smile”.
Great copy always paints a bright vision in its reader’s minds.
8. "The amazing blackjack secret of a Las Vegas mystery man!"
This one is dripping with curiosity.
Who wouldn’t want to read on to discover this “mystery man’s” amazing blackjack secret?
This is a great example of grabbing your audience’s attention with a unique “hook”.
Don’t know what a hook is or how to write one?
I’ve written over 1,5000 words on this fascinating subject. Read this blog post to learn how to write irresistible hooks that command attention.
9. "The Lazy Man’s Way to Riches"
This has 2 main things going for it:
- “Lazy man” and “riches”. Contrast grabs our attention like racking a shotgun. It’s almost impossible to ignore.
- Taps into something 99% of people desperately want… “get rich quick” without any work.
10. "For people who are almost (but not quite) satisfied with their own cooking – and can’t figure out what’s missing"
This is probably the best example of flagging down your ideal reader.
This headline enters the convo (and experience) playing inside the ideal reader’s head.
If this applies to you, you will undoubtedly stop what you’re doing and read on.
Conclusion
By studying good copywriting ads with killer headlines, you will undoubtedly improve your headline game.
Create a giant swipe file of copywriting ads and model after the best ones.
Improve upon them and make them unique to what you’re writing about.
Want more copywriting tips to boost your income? Enter your email below: