You spent hours researching and writing your blog post… it’s a great read. It’s chock-full of useful information, and your readers (potential customers) would benefit greatly if they read it.

Awesome!

So you hit publish and wait for the likes, comments, shares… and nothing.

NOTHING!

You review your stats and they’re showing a flat line. Your post is dead in the water.

Why?

Maybe it’s your headline.

If the post is as good as you say it is, people should be in a clicking frenzy after they’ve read it, right? But no matter how good the body of the post is, it won’t get clicked on, read or shared if you can’t grab their attention and get them to read the next sentence, and the next, and so on.

According to copyblogger.com, “On average, 8 out of 10 people will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest. This is the secret to the power of your title, and why it so highly determines the effectiveness of the entire piece.”

But writing headlines can be a challenge… and it doesn’t have to be.

Ever tried the 4 U’s Formula?

If you’ve been writing for a while, you might have heard of the 4 U’s Formula. It goes a little suppen like this:

• Your headline should be USEFUL

• It should be UNIQUE

• Make it ULTRA-SPECIFIC

• It should appear URGENT

You probably won’t have all four components in all of your headlines, but not to worry… you don’t have to. If you have at least 2 or 3, you are on the right track.

What do people want (to know, see, hear, feel)?

This might be the single most important question you can ask yourself before you set your pen to paper... ahem... before you start tapping at the keyboard.

Doing it this way lets you identify a problem people have, a solution they may be looking for, and how you can tailor your headline to deliver the goods. Sound simple enough? Okay.

Let’s say you’re a tax preparer. What are the biggest complaints that clients have? Is it that they are leaving money on the table? Is that they simply don’t understand what they should be claiming for? Is it that the tax code is so complex and they don't want to make a mistake with the IRS?

And you should know. Because you're a tax preparer.

So maybe POPSUGAR isn't a blog, but you can't just pass by this headline:

Everyone has to file their taxes, right? And, no one wants to leave money on the table. Would I want to know what the 23 most overlooked tax deductions are? HELL YEAH!

Even if I don’t do my own taxes, I will want to click on this baby -- just to make sure my tax guy is claiming for everything allowed.

So let’s break it down:

Is it useful? YES! Remember these aren’t just deductions, they are the most overlooked ones. Wouldn’t you want to know if you’ve been overlooking them too?

Is it urgent? The use of “don’t miss out” gives it a sense of urgency. I want to click on it NOW, because I actually don’t want to miss out, especially since we’re in tax season, and I might not have filed yet. But here's the thing, even if I filed already, I'd still want to know.

Ultra-specific? Definitely. Using numbers gives your audience specificity. I’ll know what to expect: 23 tax deductions I might be overlooking.

But is it unique? It certainly is. Just type it into your Google search in quotes and see the results... it's the only one of its kind (except for the shares on Pinterest). 

Now, go check out your website or blog, examine your headlines, taglines and subheadings. Are they doing what you want them to do? Time to put these tips to work!

And look out for my next blog post where I will show you some time-tested headline templates, so you won't have to recreate the wheel!
 

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Is there something preventing you from writing a web page and blog headlines that work? I'd like to help. Share your biggest challenge in the comments section.

 

Your business needs a boost.

Your sales are flat and there isn't that much action coming through the door … or your website.

So you scour the Internet, where there's an infinite sea of articles, blogs and misinformation about what you need to do to get your website up to par and business pouring into your doors … literally and virtually.

Then… you make a quilt of the tens of "10 things you need for your website" articles you've read – stitching together what you think might work for your business.

You decide to revamp or recreate your website – after all, in an ever-changing design world, what looked great four years ago looks dated now, and no amount of quick fixes can get it done.

So you hire a top-tier web designer and you discuss what type of functionality you need to have… where you want to end up on a Google search… and what you want the design to convey.

Your designer goes to work and comes up with an awesome website – crisp, clean and user-friendly.

Then, like many small business owners, unless your web designer brings up content, you are content to just move the information from your brochure or flyers and throw it into the new design.

It's that simple, right? WRONG!

Part of the reason your business might be struggling is that your content isn't reaching the people you need it to reach. It isn't telling your story. It isn't representative of the products or services you offer.

And... it isn't working for you because it lacks the delicate balance of art and science that creates words that work for you.

In comes your copywriter. A professional who understands how to listen to your needs, feel your passion, find your voice and tell your story.

Here are 4 important things to consider when creating your content:

1. Your story

Everyone loves a good story – no matter who they are. Think about what made you decide to go into this business in the first place. Did you always love animals and couldn't rest until you started your own pet grooming business? Did Grandma leave you her secret recipes and you wanted to honor her memory with your own pastry shop? Did your desire to help people find their dream homes, your way, make you leave a real estate conglomerate and branch out on your own? Or were you laid off from your last job and decided it was time to be your own boss? Whatever made you do it is an integral part of your story. You just need to find the right words to tell it.

2. Target audience

You don't have to be a niche business to have a target audience. In fact, even if you're selling the same thing everyone else is selling, you can get the kinds of customers you want if you know just how to reach them. Let's say you own a restaurant and you want to appeal to a mostly high-profile clientele. What would your marketing strategy be? Would your focus be on affordability or exclusivity? What would your website look like and how would your content attract these customers?

3. Brand identity 

Here's where you can really score some points if you do it right. Just around Thanksgiving, my husband and I were watching TV and a commercial came on. Way before it ended or showed any sign of the company, he knew it was Publix. Sure, the entire commercial was centered around food, family and the spirit of Thanksgiving. But while many supermarkets focused on that same theme, everything about this ad said Publix – from the gentle background music, to the soft, slow engaging voice. They have branded themselves so well, that we can recognize them without even seeing their name. So maybe your business is no Publix in size or scope, but you can find that thing that distinguishes you from the other massage and spas, tax preparation companies or whatever it is that you do.

4. Product (or service)

What exactly are you selling? Why do people need it and how do you convince them that they do? Anyone can have a good product, but if it's hidden (a.k.a. not properly marketed) how can you get people to buy it or use it? Sure, you can depend on just word of mouth ... or you can create a winning marketing strategy to define your brand. Just like in showbiz, talent can get you only so far. It explains why in the 90s Britney Spears (who has a passable voice) was way more popular than Christina Aguilera (who has a powerhouse voice). Sometimes packaging makes all the difference.

Are these the only things you should consider? No.

But if you use these four principles to guide you, you're well on your way to having content that sells.

What do you struggle with when you're writing?  I'd like to help. Leave me a comment and let's talk about it.