Laura McNerlin

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Make your headline a hero using the 4 'U's


Your headline is your hero. Your fearless leader in the battle for attention in our content-crazy world.

So give yourself as much time to craft your headline as you do your main copy.

To give your hero a fighting chance, you can use the 4 ‘U’s formula, created by top direct response copywriters, Mark Ford and Bill Boner. It’s pretty simple:

Make your headline Useful

Give it a sense of Urgency

Make something about it Unique

Be Ultra-specific

Useful

Turn your product or service’s main benefit into a promise. Some of the most effective headlines offer help to find a solution:

How to… headlines are among the top performing. We often search Google using this intro.             

3 essential steps to… numbered steps/tips are appealing. ‘Ooh this might be easy’ we think.             

Your Quick and Easy Guide to…there, we’ve actually said it…quick and easy. Boom.

Urgent

It won’t work for all headlines, but create a sense of urgency if you can. FOMO is real!

Last chance to grab your bonus…

[Achieve something] in time for summer.

[Get this] before it’s too late.

Unique

What makes your subject special? Is it targeted at a particular audience (eg. busy parents)? If so, mention them.

You can draw on people’s curiosity (Find out how just 3 steps will…)

Use emotional words – win, beat, overcome, happiness

Myth-busters, little known secrets, and weird comparisons can work, if crafted well.

Make sure you avoid clickbait (sensational headlines that don’t deliver). Your content’s got to live up to your headline if you want to stay credible.

Ultra-specific

People like to know exactly what they’re getting. Being ultra-specific, and tailoring your words to your target audience, gives your headline an advantage.
Numbered lists and carefully-selected adjectives do the job nicely.

Let’s look at an example that covers all 4 U’s:

5 ways to start getting fit today while your baby naps

5 = ultra specific

ways to start getting fit = useful

today = urgency

while your baby naps = unique to your audience


And there you have it.

Try to keep your headlines shorter than 20 words, and if you’re writing emails, remember your subject lines act like headlines, and are just as important.

Happy crafting!

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