Writing Magnetic Headlines

If you’re a writer (or even if you aren’t), head over to Copyblogger for Brian Clark’s series on writing magnetic headlines.

The opening installment makes a compelling case for why you should write headlines first. The rationale? Your headline articulates your promise to the reader, and writing it first ensures you fulfill that promise in your body copy. Writing the headline later often leads to a marginal promise.

The second post focuses on why great headlines can be re-used in different contexts and situations. The key, of course, is to understand why the headline previously worked – and whether it’s the best fit for your current challenge.

The role of keywords is debated in another entry – more specifically, whether to actively research keywords or simply write the most appealing headline for the audience. Clark suggests balancing keyword research with identifying niche phrases that appeal to search engines and the reader.

Clark’s recommendations challenge many of us with traditional journalism and media writing backgrounds. The old-school, print-focused model focuses on writing the headline last based on available space and the copy’s message. Getting out of that mindset – and thinking in terms of reader promises – will only improve our writing. And as shown by the search engine optimization efforts of the New York Times and other organizations, writing for the web requires new thinking.