The phrase “content is king” is well-known among anyone who’s familiar with successful digital marketing strategies. But there’s one thing more important than crafting the perfect post – crafting the perfect headline.
It may seem simple to write a headline for your post. Coming up with five to 10 words that sum up the content should be a breeze, shouldn’t it? Yet, it can often be harder to complete this task than to write the entire post itself.
Making the mistake of choosing the wrong headline can be detrimental to your marketing strategy. Subpar traffic and fewer conversions will inevitably be the result of a poorly chosen headline.
The headline is so important for several reasons. First, it’s the primary factor in determining how many social media shares the content will get.
As you can see from the flow chart above, the headline is vital to whether people will read the content.
It’s a fact that most people won’t read content, even if it’s truly engaging. They do, however, read the headlines. Sixty percent of Americans admit to only reading the headline and never getting any further than that. With this in mind, it’s vital to know how to hook the reader’s attention immediately.
The above chart shows some of the headlines that have grabbed the attention of readers. As you can see, some are more effective than others. So, how can you harness these titles to the advantage of your niche? We’ll show you here how you can apply these titles to your financial services organization.
The Headline Formula
Believe it or not, there’s a formula to create the perfect headline.
The five key components are:
- Number
- Adjective, e.g., surprising, best, biggest, etc.
- Keyword – This tells the reader what your content will be about
- Rationale – How your content will deliver the value, e.g., secrets, ways, reasons
- Promise – What are readers going to gain from reading your content?
The 11 headlines we’ve suggested here fit perfectly into this formula.
1. List Headlines – e.g., Five Best Ways to Improve Your Credit Rating
As we’ve just pointed out, headlines containing numbers are highly readable. A recent analysis of a million popular headlines revealed that the most shareable posts were in a listicle format. A survey from Conductor showed people prefer to read headlines that have numbers in them.
Why are they so popular? It’s because they tell readers precisely what they can expect from your content. Also, lists are simple to read as people can skim them rapidly.
How does this type of headline work for your institution? Some of the following should give you some ideas:
- Three Key Tips to Attract Millennials to Your Credit Union
- 10 Digital Marketing Problems All Financial Institutions Will Face
- Five Ways to Improve Your Customer’s In-Branch Experience
When choosing your number, consider the results of this chart:
It’s not always about having a number. It’s also about which number you choose. Use this information to your advantage when writing your headlines.
2. The “How-To” Post
“How-to” posts never go out of style and have a simple formula for success:
How to + the action + the benefit
These posts are highly advantageous for readers and organizations alike. For the organization, they’re easy to write. For the reader, they offer value and show him or her how to achieve a specific goal.
Some examples of the “how-to” post in the financial services sector include:
- How to Win Over Generation Z to Your Credit Union without Alienating the Baby Boomers
- How to Harness the Power of Technology to Enhance Your Branch Customer Service Experience
- How to Use Mailshots to Advertise Your Financial Services
3. Highlighting Mistakes
One unusual type of headline that has proven to be very shareable is one that highlights mistakes. As a rule, everyone is worried about making mistakes. So, finding ways to avoid making a key error is uppermost on many people’s minds. You can play on that insecurity with headlines, such as:
- The Three Key Digital Marketing Errors All Banks Make
- Five Mistakes You Should Avoid when Managing Customer Service
- The 10 Technological Mistakes You Didn’t Know Your Credit Union Was Making
4. The Question Headline
This type of headline appeals directly to readers and offers to teach them something they didn’t know. You can use any question – who, what, where, why, or how. The effect is similar with each.
To make this kind of headline even more successful, phrase it so the reader has to answer the question. So, for example, instead of asking:
What Is the Best Way to Improve Customer Retention?
Try:
Do You Know the Best Way to Improve Customer Retention?
By speaking to readers directly, you’re encouraging them to respond in the negative. This will, then, encourage them to read on to find out the information they’re lacking. Some examples include:
- Are You Aware of How Many People Switch Banks Because of Poor Customer Service Each Year?
- Do You Know Which Contact Method Customers Prefer When They Need Support?
5. Use Words that Evoke an Emotional Response
Headlines that evoke emotional responses are more likely to persuade readers to share the content. When the reader has a negative or positive response to the content, he or she is more likely to act. Whether that action is a share or a comment, or just reading the content, you should encourage it. This is why emotional headlines are key to success.
You can use the EMV index to determine how effective your headline will be. The Emotional Marketing Value Index quantifies how strong the emotional impact of your words will be. A higher EMV score equates to higher numbers of shares.
A good headline will have a EMV score of around 30 percent to 40 percent. Some examples include:
- You’ll Never Believe These Surprising Facts About Bank Customer Service!
- 10 Amazing Facts That’ll Shock You About Your Credit Union’s Gen Z Members!
6. Make Your Headline Stand Out
Every financial institution that blogs will be writing similar articles. How do you make yours stand out? Name dropping brands and household names can help. For example:
- Borrow These Top Marketing Tips from Goldman Sachs to Boost Your Financial Brand!
- These Member Retention Tips Work for the Navy Federal Credit Union – They Could Work for You, Too!
7. Make It Sound Simple
One great headline technique is to make it sound like you have a simple way to resolve the reader’s problems. This immediately adds value to your content and encourages readers to continue reading past the headline. Just by adding the words “simple” or “easy” to your title can encourage readers to scroll down. Some examples include:
- We’ve Found an Easy Way to Impress Members as Soon as They Walk into Your Branch
- Try This Simple Solution to Boost Customer Retention 100 Percent!
8. Combine A Headline with A Subhead
A great headline combines clarity with curiosity. You can do this by writing a headline that’s short and clever, then, include a traditional subhead. Some good examples of this are:
- Boost Your Bank’s Digital Marketing Strategy: 10 Great Ways to Get More Likes and Shares
- Improve Your Member Retention: Five Top Tips to Give Generation Xers What They’re Looking For
9. Use the Power of Social Proof
A great tactic for an excellent title is to use social proof. For example, starting a headline with something like “Who else would like …” engages the reader immediately.
Why does this work? It’s because it shows other people already want something so you should want it, too. As a rule, most people will follow the crowd. Therefore, if it appears others have approved a product or service, most readers are happy to try it. Also, it encourages readers to join with a group of others. Humans are naturally social creatures who like to belong to a group. This means they’ll pay more attention to your title. Some examples include:
- Who Else Would Like to Make Customer Retention Easier?
- Who Else Wants A Better Way to Improve Member Satisfaction?
10. Use Keywords
Using keywords in your post is important but including them in your title is also key. Not only will readers know what the article is covering, but search engines will, too. By using keywords, you’ll get more readers, more shares, and rank more highly in SERPs. Posts like these use keywords that are highly relevant to financial organizations:
- Bank vs. Credit Union – Which Is Best for You?
- Credit Union Credit Cards or Credit Union Loans – Which Do I Need?
11. Use the SHINE Method
Using the SHINE acronym can help you to craft the perfect headline.
S – Be Specific
H – Be Helpful
I – Be Immediate
N – Be Newsworthy
E – Be Entertaining
How does this work? Well, first consider whether the title is specific and about a single topic. Second, does it help the reader? Third, does it encourage readers to start reading immediately? Fourth, is your content new? Finally, is the content fun? Here are some examples:
- Five Clever New Ways to Boost Member Numbers Now!
- Do You Know How to Attract Millennials to Your Organization Today? These Three Exciting New Tips Will Point You in The Right Direction
Your Headline – The Most Essential Element in Content Writing
When considering social shares and traffic, it’s clear your title is the key element in content writing. However, it’s not easy to create a perfect headline. You’ll need lots of knowledge and plenty of practice.
The 11 tips outlined here will help you to write more effective and successful headlines for your posts. If you start using them now, you’ll see immediate improvements that will boost your organization’s success.