By: Steve Scaffidi, Account Executive, Leonard & Finco Public Relations
Read these two very different headlines. An Earth-like planet found in a habitable zone! Hot cakes are actually not selling well at all. Now admittedly these two actual news headlines don't have much in common. One announces what could be one of the most amazing space discoveries of all time, while the other flips a popular saying on its head to relate a challenge in the food and restaurant industry. Which one grabs your attention?
You could certainly argue that the discovery of a planet
that could host alien life light years away from Earth warrants not only one
exclamation point, but perhaps two or three. But is the headline interesting enough
to make you want to click on the link and read more about the discovery? I
would argue no. I've seen these stories before, and frankly, most never turn out to be much of anything. Now perhaps if the headline writer had put it
this way: "Far away planet could
host life?" I might be inclined to give it a closer look.
Who doesn't like hot cakes? And using a fresh spin on the
"selling like hotcakes" analogy makes me-as an avid consumer of both
flapjacks and waffles-want to know more. What's causing this lag in popularity
for one of my favorite breakfast menu items? And will this threaten my morning
routine? Now that's just me, maybe my neighbor sitting next to me at the local
coffee shop has much different tastes, and wouldn't give it a second look. That's
the challenge for a headline writer.
Humor works in many ways, and successful writers of news
stories, press releases, or even tweets and facebook posts understand that most
readers like to be entertained, and grabbing their attention is certainly the
most obvious point of a well-written headline. In the rapidly increasing pace
of mobile technologies and smartphones you get a few seconds to make your case.
Is the story worth clicking on or not?
Building a successful headline or subject line isn't easy
and with over a million folks working in public relations, most news reporters
or editors have seen everything in the way of clever ways to get a story
noticed. It's an art form, and probably more important than any text you could
put in a news release, since most people don't spend much time reading all the
way through them. Whether your headline shocks, amuses, piques or informs,
spend some time crafting the best possible attention-grabber you can. It could
pay off in real measurable interest in what you're "selling."
And for that "free" money, check the washer and
dryer. That's the only place I ever find any extra cash lying around!
What's the best subject line or headline you've ever
written?
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