{"id":70368,"date":"2013-11-26T15:18:49","date_gmt":"2013-11-26T15:18:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/insight\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\/"},"modified":"2013-11-26T15:18:49","modified_gmt":"2013-11-26T15:18:49","slug":"write-a-headline-that-clicks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\/","title":{"rendered":"Write a headline that clicks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n\tIf your headline isn&rsquo;t good enough, why would anyone read your copy? People are strapped for time, and with the internet at their fingertips they&rsquo;re unlikely to stop for anything that doesn&rsquo;t command attention from the off.<\/p>\n<p>\n\tWhether you&rsquo;re writing for a train station billboard or a website, an appealing heading is the most important part of the text, so it&rsquo;s important to make sure it&rsquo;s as good as it possibly can be.<\/p>\n<p>\n\tHeadings are generally big and eye-catching, but there&rsquo;s no substitute for quality copywriting. We&rsquo;ve listed five of our top tips for writing headings:<\/p>\n<p>\n\t&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Be direct. <\/strong>Ambiguous headings don&rsquo;t tell the reader enough about what you&rsquo;ve got to offer, and if you don&rsquo;t seem to be offering anything they won&rsquo;t waste their time reading on.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Be active.<\/strong>Using the passive voice is rarely recommended in any form of copywriting. A passive headline, like &lsquo;Quality clothes are sold here&rsquo; lacks pace or drive. &lsquo;We sell quality clothes&rsquo; is stronger, and uses up less of the word count.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Avoid capitalising every word.<\/strong>Unless a client tells you it&rsquo;s necessary, using capital letters for every word isn&rsquo;t a good idea. It can be confusing: &lsquo;Affordable Cars In Bath&rsquo; evokes images of a tub, whereas &lsquo;Affordable cars in Bath&rsquo; makes it clearer that &lsquo;Bath&rsquo; is the location &ndash; an English city.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Be wary of punctuation. <\/strong>It can make a heading seem laboured and contrived. Short, direct, simple headings rarely need to be punctuated.<\/p>\n<p>\n\t&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <strong>Summarise, but don&rsquo;t just repeat yourself.<\/strong>A heading should succinctly explain the copy beneath it, but it shouldn&rsquo;t be directly lifted from it. A first sentence of text that&rsquo;s identical to the heading above it will seem unimaginative and repetitive.<\/p>\n<p>\n\tProducing great headings time and again is an art in its own right, and one that a successful team of copywriters can help you to perfect. To find out more about getting your written communications up to scratch, get in touch with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/contact-us\/\">Stratton Craig<\/a> today.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If your headline isn&rsquo;t good enough, why would anyone read your copy? People are strapped for time, and with the internet at their fingertips they&rsquo;re unlikely to stop for anything that doesn&rsquo;t command attention from the off. Whether you&rsquo;re writing for a train station billboard or a website, an appealing heading is the most important [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[314,448],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-70368","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-copywriting-us","category-digital-copywriting-us"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Write a headline that clicks - Stratton Craig - Global Copywriting &amp; Content Strategy Agency<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Write a headline that clicks - Stratton Craig - Global Copywriting &amp; Content Strategy Agency\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If your headline isn&rsquo;t good enough, why would anyone read your copy? People are strapped for time, and with the internet at their fingertips they&rsquo;re unlikely to stop for anything that doesn&rsquo;t command attention from the off. Whether you&rsquo;re writing for a train station billboard or a website, an appealing heading is the most important [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Stratton Craig - Global Copywriting &amp; Content Strategy Agency\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2013-11-26T15:18:49+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/stratton-craig-share.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Stratton Craig\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Stratton Craig\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/insight\\\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/insight\\\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Stratton Craig\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5e1a5300b8954ddf765b2a201f88e90b\"},\"headline\":\"Write a headline that clicks\",\"datePublished\":\"2013-11-26T15:18:49+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/insight\\\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":420,\"articleSection\":[\"Copywriting\",\"Digital copywriting\"],\"inLanguage\":\"us-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/insight\\\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/insight\\\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\\\/\",\"name\":\"Write a headline that clicks - Stratton Craig - Global Copywriting &amp; Content Strategy Agency\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2013-11-26T15:18:49+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5e1a5300b8954ddf765b2a201f88e90b\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/insight\\\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"us-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/insight\\\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/insight\\\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Write a headline that clicks\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/\",\"name\":\"Stratton Craig - Global Copywriting &amp; Content Strategy Agency\",\"description\":\"Written Communication\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"us-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/5e1a5300b8954ddf765b2a201f88e90b\",\"name\":\"Stratton Craig\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"us-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f223aed3fe97fd5e2dc17a9a2aca217e0a922a2671c4026e23049bb6ebfade15?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f223aed3fe97fd5e2dc17a9a2aca217e0a922a2671c4026e23049bb6ebfade15?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/f223aed3fe97fd5e2dc17a9a2aca217e0a922a2671c4026e23049bb6ebfade15?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Stratton Craig\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.strattoncraig.com\\\/us\\\/insight\\\/author\\\/stratton-craig\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Write a headline that clicks - Stratton Craig - Global Copywriting &amp; Content Strategy Agency","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Write a headline that clicks - Stratton Craig - Global Copywriting &amp; Content Strategy Agency","og_description":"If your headline isn&rsquo;t good enough, why would anyone read your copy? People are strapped for time, and with the internet at their fingertips they&rsquo;re unlikely to stop for anything that doesn&rsquo;t command attention from the off. Whether you&rsquo;re writing for a train station billboard or a website, an appealing heading is the most important [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\/","og_site_name":"Stratton Craig - Global Copywriting &amp; Content Strategy Agency","article_published_time":"2013-11-26T15:18:49+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":630,"url":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/stratton-craig-share.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Stratton Craig","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Stratton Craig","Est. reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\/"},"author":{"name":"Stratton Craig","@id":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/5e1a5300b8954ddf765b2a201f88e90b"},"headline":"Write a headline that clicks","datePublished":"2013-11-26T15:18:49+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\/"},"wordCount":420,"articleSection":["Copywriting","Digital copywriting"],"inLanguage":"us-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\/","url":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\/","name":"Write a headline that clicks - Stratton Craig - Global Copywriting &amp; Content Strategy Agency","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/#website"},"datePublished":"2013-11-26T15:18:49+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/5e1a5300b8954ddf765b2a201f88e90b"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"us-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/write-a-headline-that-clicks\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Write a headline that clicks"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/","name":"Stratton Craig - Global Copywriting &amp; Content Strategy Agency","description":"Written Communication","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"us-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/#\/schema\/person\/5e1a5300b8954ddf765b2a201f88e90b","name":"Stratton Craig","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"us-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f223aed3fe97fd5e2dc17a9a2aca217e0a922a2671c4026e23049bb6ebfade15?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f223aed3fe97fd5e2dc17a9a2aca217e0a922a2671c4026e23049bb6ebfade15?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/f223aed3fe97fd5e2dc17a9a2aca217e0a922a2671c4026e23049bb6ebfade15?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Stratton Craig"},"url":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/insight\/author\/stratton-craig\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70368","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70368"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70368\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70368"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70368"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.strattoncraig.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70368"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}