Your headline should be clear and easy to comprehend. Make sure the headline stands out as a distinct element of the page by using a larger font, different colors, or a combination of both. The headline should clearly state the product or service you are offering, as well as emphasize the need for it. Simply by reading the headline, your visitors should be assured that they stand to benefit from your product or service. The following are five recipes for creating the perfect headline.

A headline should include a benefit that will appeal to your readers, regardless of whether that benefit alludes to something positive or negative. Positive headlines can allude to:

  • Saving

  • Profiting

  • Gaining

  • Winning

  • Rewarding

Positive headlines focus on the “goodies” your visitors will gain if they continue to read your copy. Here are some examples of positive headlines:

  • “Win Your Boyfriend Back”

  • “Reward Yourself with a 20% Savings”

  • “Gain an Edge Over the Competition”

Negative headlines can allude to:

  • Loss

  • Embarrassment

  • Mistakes

  • Uneasiness

  • Pain

Negative headlines can help readers avoid making unnecessary blunders that will make their lives miserable. Here are some examples of negative headlines:

  • “Have You Even Been Embarrassed at an Expensive Restaurant?”

  • “Avoid the Pain of Foreclosure”

  • “Do You Ache at the End of the Day?”

Everyone loves to be part of the “in” crowd. Headlines that can hook the “in” crowd include words such as secret and little-known ways. Some examples are:

  • “The Secrets of Beauty Supply Management”

  • “Little-Known Ways to Improve Your Bottom Line”

On the flip side of the coin, no one wants to be left out. “What Everyone Should Know About Growing Azaleas” screams at readers that they may not have the complete story and really need to check the content to make sure they “know it all.”

Most people hate to waste time, particularly on solving problems. Many men and women would sincerely like to ignore their problems or hope the problems just go away. Consequently, headlines that emphasize speed in solving a problem can be real winners. Examples include:

  • “Five Quick Ways to Fix a Drain”

  • “A Quick Way to Train Your Dog”

Similarly, no one likes to do “hard” things. Therefore, easy is another great hook word. Examples include:

  • “Five Easy Ways to Study More Effectively”

  • “One Easy Way to Pick Up Incremental Sales”

You can combine easy with quick for a “double whammy” headline:

  • “Five Quick and Easy Steps to Program Your CD”

  • “Quick and Easy Recipes for People on the Go”

If your target market includes people who are challenged by issues such as technology or home repair, easy is a nice word to have in your arsenal. A variation of easy is lazy:

  • “The Lazy Bachelor’s Guide to Doing Laundry”

  • “The Lazy Gardener’s Path to a Beautiful Yard”

In each case, lazy implies that the content will provide information on how to perform the task at hand quickly and easily.

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it won’t kill a website visitor. In fact, curiosity is a strong motivation to learn more. Here are some headlines that appeal to those who are curious:

  • “Ways to Entice Your Wife or Girlfriend”

  • “Interested in Getting the Goods?”

  • “The Alluring World of Insects”

Sometimes simply stating the facts is a good way to go:

  • “Learn How Mid-Size Companies Use SAP to Manage Their Business”

  • “Ten Time-Management Techniques”

  • “Buy a $500 Vacuum Cleaner with a Money-Back Guarantee”