In a world where we’re constantly being bombarded with content, our attention spans are practically nonexistent. When you’re trying to capture a prospect’s attention, you only have a few seconds before you lose them to a funny cat video or something else on their screen.
With that sort of time frame, your potential client usually only has time to read a headline. And if that headline isn’t up to snuff, you’re out of luck. Your headline can make or break a conversion, so here are some tips to help you craft the best one possible.
Keep It Short
Whether you’re dealing with an email subject line, the title of a blog post, or a video title, it pays to get to the point. Time is of the essence, and longer headlines increase your risk of losing a reader’s interest. Don’t neglect adding keywords, though – just do it in as few words as possible.
Use Numbers
“XX Tips to Improve the Patient Experience ” is likely to get a healthcare prospect’s attention. Why? Two primary reasons: 1) Using a number in the headline suggests the reader will encounter a list – which people love since they’re easy to read – and 2) because the subject matter is interesting (What practice doesn’t want happy patients?)
The key is not to become monotonous. If all your headlines include numbers, readers can get bored of the list format quickly. Always mix up the format of your content to keep things fresh.
Avoid Spam Words
Using words and symbols like “FREE” or “$$$” in subject lines and headlines will quickly get you blacklisted on email spam filters. Similarly, using these words and their closely related brethren on your website will have you facing an impossible uphill battle … There’s so much competition. Stop sounding like a used care salesman, and keep your content professional – not sleazy.
Add the Word “You”
As healthcare marketers – and marketers in general – we forget that there are actual living humans on the other side of our communications. Your email list, your website visitors, your video subscribers … these are all real human beings. Giving your communications a personal touch – like adding the prospect’s name or just the pronoun “you” – can go a long way in getting someone’s attention.
For help on creating better headlines and better content, visit waxcom.com or call us at (305) 350-5700.
