Secret Elements of Blogging Revealed
We’ve talked before about the importance of headlines in blogs. The headline provides a tease into the contents of the article. It also determines whether or not your potential reader will open the article or not. But, how do you come up with a headline? And how do you provoke people to read what follows it?
In a physical sense, if we want someone’s attention we might tap them on the shoulder. In a crowded room we might talk a little louder. If someone is messing up, we might use a light smack on the back of the head. Diamond rings are certainly an attention grabber. A huge box under the Christmas tree. If I snap my fingers I have my dog’s undivided attention unless she can see a cat. Sometimes just a photo works. There are countless Facebook scams saying that if you share a link of a child with this or that desease a donation will be made for a cure. One thing that every single one of these examples has in common is human emotion.
If your headline first targets your audience (your ideal customers) and also hits one of their emotions, they will read your article. But, what are these emotions? We’ve broken them down into eight categories.
- Joy
- Sadness
- Trust
- Disgust
- Fear
- Anger
- Surprise
- Anticipation
OK… but how do you apply that to your business? That part is a bit more difficult and there’s no one size fits all. But let’s say, just for example you sell and service widgets. What is a widget you ask… that’s what your blog is going to tell people! Here are a few headlines for this great product:
- Beware of Widget Imitators!
- Confessions of a Widget Addict
- Simple Tips for Extending the Life of Your Widget
- Warning! This Widget Could Change Your Life!
- 10 Secrets to Saving Money on Widget Insurance
OK… you get the picture. Now go write some great headlines for your own blog! And of course, if you need more help you can always call us at (617) 322-6410 or use the convenient contact form on our website!
