Effectively cutting through the noise to reach consumers is a skill acquired by the sharpest of marketers, but knowing your limits might just help you avoid brand backlash all together. An all out blitz of intrusive marketing messages can be more damaging to your brand than a lack of awareness, and “clickbait” headlines can certainly be a culprit.
Writing headlines that induce click-throughs is becoming increasingly difficult in a media landscape riddled with fake news, much of which readers are unable to even detect.
Fake news itself is not so much the problem, as tabloids are still ubiquitous in supermarket checkout lines today. But the increased spreading has been particularly noteworthy due to the sheer influx of real-time sharers and views these stories have attracted. Add to that a recent study highlighted in Forbes, stating nearly 6 in 10 people will share a link to a story without even reading the article.
Many B2B marketers would kill for 60% of people to actually read a bylined article in full, but even the most relevant of headlines, alone, won’t strengthen your lead generation funnel without the entire story.
So, as you’re penning your next headline, consider these important tips for increasing click-throughs to the bigger story:
Choose your platform wisely. There are a lot of platforms for promoting your message, but a clear understanding of how your message is delivered to viewers is critical for preventing puke-level disgust of your brand. Avoid intrusive platforms that deceive people into clicking ads disguised as content, or that make pop-ups nearly impossible to close. Instead, explore platforms that smartly integrate your headlines into an enjoyable user experience.
Contribute value through relevance. Discovering the greatest delivery platform for your message is a complete wash if the headline falls short of resonating with readers. Create “how to” headlines that appeal to the continuing education audience, by focusing on a topic that’s been transformed by technology or social media. Or, pose a provocative question that’s universal in tone and directly involves the reader. “Is Your B2B Website Up to Par?” I certainly hope so.
Location is key in effectively reach your audience. Tap into readily available media demographics and behavioral data, leverage Google Analytics (and Alerts) to track back-links and competitor activity, and join the conversation on your social media channels to get a sense of where you want (and should) be contributing rich insights. No one knows your business better than you do.
Keep your headlines relevant and integrate it into a clean user experience, you are more likely to get a higher return on effort. Do your research, follow these steps and discover what works best for your target markets and get your content noticed.
For more content marketing and PR insights, contact us at sales@write2market.com.