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Headlines Are Designed to Grab Your Attention, But it is the Body of the Post That You Should Answer

by tpw
20 replies
The headline merely represents a single-digit or less percentage of the complete message.

Headlines are designed to grab attention.

Marketers, especially, should know you have to read the fine print before drawing any substantial conclusions about what exactly has been offered.

So which words on the page should we read, before we reach for the Reply Button?

Let me put this into a perspective that many more people will be able to understand.

How many times do you buy products or services online, without first understanding what you are spending your money to buy?
#answer #attention #body #designed #grab #headlines #post
  • Profile picture of the author Dan C. Rinnert
    We're supposed to read the post before replying to it?
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    Dan also writes content for hire, but you can't afford him anyway.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mike McAleer
      Originally Posted by Dan C. Rinnert View Post

      We're supposed to read the post before replying to it?
      Haha true.
      I know that it is easy to reply to the headline sometimes instead of the actual post.
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  • Profile picture of the author George Sepich
    I think this may be one of those trick posts. But I have no clue understanding what you just said.

    George
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  • Profile picture of the author Kevin Williams
    If we understood what we were buying, we probably wouldn't be buying it.
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    High Quality Content - Articles, eBooks, and Salesletters, Oh My!
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  • Profile picture of the author George Wright
    "Headlines Are Designed to Grab Your Attention,"

    I agree
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  • Profile picture of the author Colin Palfrey
    Actually, if I look at my hard-drive, I honestly have no idea what compelled me to buy many of those products.

    I too suspect this to be a trick post, though he has got me if it is.
    I was so suspicious I even highlighted the post in case there was any hidden writing. I felt like an idiot after I had done it, though.

    Cheers,
    Colin Palfrey
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    • Profile picture of the author tpw
      Originally Posted by Colin Palfrey View Post

      Actually, if I look at my hard-drive, I honestly have no idea what compelled me to buy many of those products.

      I too suspect this to be a trick post, though he has got me if it is.
      I was so suspicious I even highlighted the post in case there was any hidden writing. I felt like an idiot after I had done it, though.

      Cheers,
      Colin Palfrey
      Haha!! That was awesome!!

      The smiley's were missing, so it could not be a trick post...
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      Bill Platt, Oklahoma USA, PlattPublishing.com
      Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
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  • Profile picture of the author christopher jon
    So which words on the page should we read
    The BIG RED Words

    Isn't that how we play this game called online marketing?

    The only thing with more power than Big Red Words is this...



    You can't escape the power of the Belcher Button.
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  • Profile picture of the author Oxbloom
    This is rarely a problem, so long as your headline is congruent with your message.

    I get what you're saying. But as a known trickster who isn't above the occasional ironic headline misdirection, I don't think you're out on a particularly stable limb, here.

    It's like the sales page owner lamenting he's got plenty of readers, but no sales. Or worse still, a bunch of chargebacks. This, when his headline is: "Get All the Sex You Want, With Any Woman You Desire, Guaranteed!"

    But his body copy begins: "Now that I have your attention, let me ask you a question about car insurance."

    Think of a post as a sales process. But instead of a sale, you're trying to convert readers into repliers.

    Just as in sales, there are guys who show up sold, there are skimmers, and there are intent readers. It's just that in the posting world, the potential "buyer" has a lot less skin in the game, so he can "afford" to skim a lot more carelessly. He may very well feel he only needs to read far enough to get the gist.

    If he feels he's got it by the time he finishes the headline, and it turns out the headline was a gag of some sort, I'm more inclined to blame the jokester for this failing in communication than the dupe.

    If people are looking at my writing and replying in ways that make no sense, given the point I ultimately got around to making, I believe the failing is mine as a writer.
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    • Profile picture of the author tpw
      Originally Posted by Oxbloom View Post

      Think of a post as a sales process. But instead of a sale, you're trying to convert readers into repliers.

      Just as in sales, there are guys who show up sold, there are skimmers, and there are intent readers. It's just that in the posting world, the potential "buyer" has a lot less skin in the game, so he can "afford" to skim a lot more carelessly. He may very well feel he only needs to read far enough to get the gist.

      If he feels he's got it by the time he finishes the headline, and it turns out the headline was a gag of some sort, I'm more inclined to blame the jokester for this failing in communication than the dupe.

      If people are looking at my writing and replying in ways that make no sense, given the point I ultimately got around to making, I believe the failing is mine as a writer.

      "Occasional" is key to my joke threads. "Rare" also applies, since I have done less than half a dozen of them in thread starters, within nearly 4000 posts.

      I think I have become known for that, because some of those threads really took off and found a lot of eyeballs.

      If my headlines fail, I am to blame...

      If my headlines work and my words are ignored, is that still the fault of the writer? Sometimes, yes.

      I expect a certain portion of readers to skip reading and simply respond... And most often, that is where the fun comes from... Not as the result of something that was deceptive, but the result of something that was ignored by the reader...
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  • Profile picture of the author Brianne
    Christopher Jon...

    Nice post. I found it quite funny. ...so true. lol
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  • Profile picture of the author paulie888
    Well, I make it a point to at least read through the post (or sales copy) in its entirety before replying, or making a decision whether or not to buy something.

    Especially when it comes to a sales page, I'll not pull the trigger until I have at least reached some kind of an understanding as to what I'm actually purchasing. If I come across blind sales copy that leaves me scratching my head, then that is something I'm definitely not going to buy.
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  • Profile picture of the author wrcato2
    I buy nothing until I read the whole sales message.

    It starts with the headline. If it catches my attention, then it should lead me to the sub head or right into the marketing message. then each sentence of the message should lead me to the end of the letter.

    If it doesn't do that then ... No sale!
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  • Profile picture of the author Andrea Wilson
    A couple of times. Good head lines can convert us into impulse buyers, really. I am fond of skimming into any articles, sales copy or blog posts and if I have decided that the content is worth reading that is when I start to get serious.

    Andrea
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    • Profile picture of the author drmani
      Someone please explain what all this noise is about?!

      I just read the headline, and saw too much to wade through that I just scrolled
      down to hit REPLY.

      Did I do GOOD?

      All success
      Dr.Mani
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      • Profile picture of the author Martin Luxton
        Bill,

        Is this a response to your recent EZA thread where there was a bit of a spat about your headline versus the body?

        And you said

        When I was deciding on the title for this thread, I had considered: "If EZA had closed its doors this morning, what would you do tomorrow to promote your articles?"

        But that is such a long and boring title... :p
        Oxbloom makes a good point about congruence.

        I think the other important thing about a headline in this context is if it's designed for the general public or for your list (or the WF), who already know you and know what to expect from you.

        You mentioned in the other thread, you are a bit of a joker but there is a serious point behind many of your posts ("many a true word spoken in jest").

        As evidenced by Colin Palfrey's reply, that can cause a bit of confusion among your readers.

        I understand where you are coming from because I have the same "problem". However, what is the point of deadpan humour if you have to highlight it by using lots of smileys and having to come in a few times and say, "Hey guys, this is humour".

        Yes, on the WF I will use smileys sometimes because there are (many?) people who, for whatever reason, miss the humour and I am trying to communicate something to the broader audience. On my own real estate, what I write is "me" and if people don't "get it" they are welcome to go elsewhere.

        Obviously, this creates an internal tension which can mean my WF posts can seem to misfire.

        To be honest, I don't care. I'm saying what I think in the way I want to. I can't please everybody and I'm not trying to.


        Martin

        [Edit] Just noticed you started a new thread about EZA with an alternative (boring) title.
        http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...marketers.html

        You had a point - it doesn't seem to be getting the attention the first one did. :-)
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  • Profile picture of the author Anonymous Affiliate
    Sorry I didnt understand your original post. Cant reply anything congruent.
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  • Profile picture of the author tpw
    Originally Posted by Martin Luxton View Post

    [Edit] Just noticed you started a new thread about EZA with an alternative (boring) title.
    http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...marketers.html

    You had a point - it doesn't seem to be getting the attention the first one did. :-)

    That is a given.

    Even Allen Says points out the importance of putting a good title on your forum threads.

    The best forum post or best article means absolutely nothing to anyone at all, if no one reads it.



    p.s. And my question remains mostly unanswered. I still haven't found what I was looking for.
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    Bill Platt, Oklahoma USA, PlattPublishing.com
    Publish Coloring Books for Profit (WSOTD 7-30-2015)
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