Should You Write Your Headline First?

I'm just starting my copywriting business so my 2 cents is only worth ...well, 2 cents.

I usually start with a "working headline" or two to point me in the right direction. But by the time I'm through I can think of far better headlines than the ones I came up with first.

The word "should" is so rigid. I think people would say it varies. I try to get a good headline before writing. Sometimes a good headline can serve as sort of a rudder for the pitch.

Sometimes I have several headlines in mind and will put them all up there on the draft while writing. Other times, when I'm proofing the first or second draft I find a line or two I really like within the copy and massage it into a headline and/or sub. I've woken up in the middle of the night with just the right one. Each project is different. I don't think there is a solid answer.

I agree - there is no right or wrong answer. You'll figure out your own preference from experience.

I write copy with a "working" headline and then polish it last. Sometimes you reveal the best headline to yourself as you write the copy - often picked from a bullet or subhead.

Sometimes, though, you can discover an awesome headline that, unfortunately, doesn't match all the copy you just wrote. So it can be beneficial to do a good amount of brainstorming on the headline/angle first.

Cheers,
Stephen Dean

I write one or two first, just to have something there.

Then I go back and improve it at the end.

The best copy is inspired copy. Inspiration does not obey rules and formulae. There have been times when I thought I had the headline and then the copy suggests a better one or a slicker variation on what I already had (- not exactly 'working headline' but close). Then there are the times when the copy has just come in a flow and the headline has been the hard work afterward. Best suggestion is forget the rules and literally 'go with the flow' - your own method will develop jus like your own style does.

I share the same opinion as Aunty. I had to do many works written when I was a student, with time and years I have developed my own style, I could not obey the pure, hard methodology because it was blocking my inspiration. Often it was only when the work was done that I find the subject. And yet, this is how I learned best, and I had better results! In my opinion, let yourself inspired and developed your own method.

I basically start the body of the write-up then I think about the title. Actually it depends, sometimes you have something interesting to write and have few lines as idea to start with.

Yes, it's always better to have the headline written first because it keeps you focused on the topic.

@Rezbi: I think iterative probably means something recurring..

Personally, Spend days figuring out my offer and the body of my website or articles or what every I plan to write. I mentally figure out my headline, but it ALWAYS changes as I write my body content. The offer is what will get people to take action so I have to get that good first and then my headline comes. The headline is what makes people actually read your page and I usually add a "sub-headline" so they are even more interested in reading more. Every step or paragraph I write is leading people to read the next paragraph and to keep interest.

A good headline will come from your offer I believe. I tend to make an out line of what I want to write and then I start writing. I free write at first as if I was talking to someone about my product or service I wish to promote. Then when I re-read my work, I can generally get a sense of a awesome headline that will best summarize my body content in a eye-catching way. That's just the way I do it. Hope this helps. Remember to target your heading to your target market thought. Make them "feel" something after reading it. So some research is due to properly do this. For example if someone wants to lose weight and your market is people that want to lose weight and have tried everything to lose weight but failed at it. a headline like this would work great.

"Finally...The TRUTH about losing weight"

That's just one example.

Hope this helps.

Mitch and Matthew Hell

Here is my "secret formula"

1. First I do $h!tloads of research to see what the market is talking and complaining about. That way, when I start writing it will be relevant.

I make a lot of notes.

2. Then I will figure out what the "magic pill" in the product is. You can think of this is the USP for the copy.

3. I may write a head line or two but just to give me direction. These headlines won't be used.

4. I write the copy.

5. Then I write 10 to 50 headlines and choose the best. The number of headlines I write depends on how important the project is.

Hey Elion,

The thing that I believe is, using a big catchy headline is used in the beginning to grab the viewer's attention.

Give him a clue of what he is going to read inside, basically get him excited and wanting more.

But, I think, if you have an alternative to a headline, something that is

1)Catchy

2)Makes the Viewer Wanna Scroll Down and Read EVERYTHING!

It can be used.

Another thing I believe is using headlines in the middle as well, because even though many people 'read the whole page before buying, some of them get psychologically "discouraged" to read if there are no headings.

Just my 2 Cents!


Thanks
Simu

One of my copywriting mentors who is one of the best in the industry said to never start with writing the headline first because you are force feeding ideas into your head because you're trying to write copy that supports that headline. My mentor suggests that you write your copy based on speaking to the needs of your target market and the best headlines will come out of the body copy. I've used this approach and it seems to work best for me. However, I have had instances where I "think" I have this great headline first, but I just put it aside and try not to force my copy towards that headline. Once I'm done and if I go back to that pre-determined headline and it works, that's great, but I usually find a better headline will emerge from the copy and not the other way around. I'm sure that is also because that is the way I was trained by my mentor.

It depends what my goal is. If it's more geared towards SEO, then yes, I'll spend some time time initially choosing the headline...then fine-tune it later. If it is based more on creating a more share-worthy piece, then I tend to let the headline be more inspired by the copy.

Sometimes, it is easier to go settle the headline to know the focus and main point. But sometimes, it is also easier to write the body first before creating an effective headline. Either ways, it is really up to your momentum.

I agree - there is no right or wrong answer. You'll figure out your own preference from experience.

I write copy with a "working" headline and then polish it last. Sometimes you reveal the best headline to yourself as you write the copy - often picked from a bullet or subhead.

I personally like having a headline to start working with too so that you can build around it without straying too much. Once your copy starts taking shape, most often you do revise the headline several times over. The tricky part is to figure when you've gotten it perfect and realize that you can finally stop revising it.

Spurts of creativity, then work around it.

I write the headline first but usually change it when I've finished so it's a work in progress until that point.

I've done it both ways, and here is what I do:

If you are in the zone for a headline, go head and write a few dozen of them until you get a good one. The fact is a headline will usually take some real work before it's something that really grabs you and your audience.

I often like to start with bullets, or even the intro itself, because we often begin writing "cold" and have trouble getting creativity flowing. When you think about it, if the headline is the most important part of the copy, do you really want to start writing it right out of the gates, or after a warm-up?

I hear of big name copywriters spending hours and days on a headline and I've never really been able to do that, though I've had some pretty amazing ones come out when I absolutely commit to writing 200 headlines before picking the best.

In short, write what's the easiest for you at the time when you sit down for your salesletter. If that's the headline, then great. Get it out of the way. If it's bullets, then great, come back to the headline when you're warmed up.

--Dan

Drayton Bird, said it to me like this. "If you can communicate an capture someone's attention in a sentance (the headline) how the hell will you do it for the whole letter"

I like to do the headline first and build off of it in my copy. I try to link it all together and focus on listing benefits within my copy which stem from my headline.

Cheers Elion, your right that's what I meant. I had been up 18 and half hours when I wrote that ;-)

hi there

the truth is that you could go either way but having the healine first will clarify in your mind what you are selling as you writw the letter
Work Samples | Creative copy that converts

I normally start off with two. A main headline and a sub headline. After I finish writing the entire copy. I go back to the headline and I take a close look at it. I then spend sometime making sure that it's good enough.

If I'm not happy with it I change it and I make it sound better. You always need to make sure that your headline is good enough. It's the main part of the copy. It's the first thing the reader sees. Your reader decides on reading copy only if they like the headline.

I need a headline to get started, but I never get it right the first time. I come back and re-write it at the end, because once I get rolling, the angle/tone of the letter often changes and it no longer matches. However, most of the time the "good" headline ends up being right there in the intro section. Just pluck it out and use it like a pull-quote. Works great.

Yes, headline comes first (in squeeze page case). Unless I write a rich content website. Because that's the part that will entice reader the first and foremost. Sometimes from headlines I can generate ideas what should I put next (bulletpoints, subhead, call to action). It's like a chain reaction and headline started it.

It all comes down to personal preference I think. I try to mix it up and write a load of headlines. Then pick which one I like best for the sales letter.

I think the headline is of upmost importance... daaaa as we all know. But it is as important to grab you viewer in the first few seconds of your video. I do marketing for international companies mostly in Europe and am not in the internet marketing scene here. We always try do do something to knock the viewers off balance and make them keep guessing what will happen next. A bit of humor, a shocking picture or just something that will make them saying... "WHAT the ...". You have to change the picture and the mood every 5 to 10 seconds in short ads because people today are so flooded with interruptions and disturbances you need to disguise them as content.

I feel the Headline can not be complete until you know what you are going to say in the text, message, sales copy or what ever you want to call it. This is not a rule but maybe a guideline. You polish the headline until it shines and attracts attention. I have changed headlines as much as 20 or even 50 times and was still not happy but as the Music Studio and Producer guru Brue Sweden said "it is better to be finished than to be perfect, because perfect never comes".

Just a thought, but all headlines are there to make you stop and think... mostly to STOP.

Everyone has their own methods. So don't be afraid to try and find your own.

Here's what works for me.

1) I'll bust out the old headline swipe file, and start adapting and swiping. Seeing if I can model a hook that I like. Often the hook and the offer go hand in hand.
1a) Once I've got a firm grasp of the offer. I'll write a working headline and the coupon in tandem. So I'm essentially writing the end and the beginning at the same time. Sometimes the headline emerges first, sometimes not.

Regardless, If I've got the time, I'll spend a full day or few actively tweaking the headline.

Nice thread.

My personal preference is headline first.

I collect all the info & details at the outset. But i usually start with the headline.

I write around 5-15 headlines. Until & unless i am convinced I nailed the headline... i usually do not start writing the copy.

For me it all flows from that all important headline.

Initially, it would be good to write a draft headline and then write the body of the content based on the draft headline. After you are done with the content body, go back to your headline and spend some time to see if the headline is catchy enough. If you're not too happy with the headline, give yourself at least 10 minutes to come up with a better headline.

I use a mix of both approaches.

I start with the title - to keep my mind focused on the aim of the blog post or article I'm writing - and then usually rewrite it to make it sharper before publishing.

thinking of the biggest benefit to the potential buyer is probably not a bad way to start. and the ones you don't use could be used as subheads...

Everyone will have their own unique way of doing this. I once saw an interview with Ted Nicholas, where he said some of the most powerful headlines he ever used were ones that captured a "hidden benefit". In other words, a benefit that is not immediately obvious to the prospect at first, but nonetheless is bound to have a big impact on them.

Another thing I've always heard: The first sentence of copy needs to be almost as powerful as the headline itself, to grab hold of the reader without letting them go.

As for the order which all this should be written, I don't think it matters so much, just as long as you end up with a great piece after all's said and done.