Pro Tips: Writing a Riveting Press Release Headline
On an average day, would you pick up a school book and read it for fun? Most likely not. But, what about a book with the title, “How to Become a Millionaire in 5 days”? Consider it a top reading priority!
Press releases are the same way. Anyone who comes across a press release is looking for something that catches their eye. How does that happen? Through a powerful headline.
Headlines are the first thing that people come across when reading your release. It’s the hook that reels them in to keep on reading. The invitation that says, “Hey, you’re invited to this cool party.” So, how do you get people to accept your invite and keep reading? By writing a powerful and impactful headline they can’t resist!
There are many strategies professional PR writers use to write an irresistible headline. Their years of practice has molded to become PR writing pros, so how do you get on their level of expertise? Keep reading to find out how to write an alluring headline…
Tips to Become a Headline Writing Pro:
Power Words + How to Use Them:
Power words inspire action, elicit emotion, and influence behavior. They are the words that entice someone to do something because of the impact they make. Want people to read your press release? Use power words.
Adjectives are the most common power words used in a press release headline. Nouns and verbs can also be power words if used carefully.
For example: The word “free” is an adjective, and quite enticing for people who come across this in a headline. It often describes something that does not cost money. It can also mean something is being or has been released, which also has a good connotation.
Using power words in a press release headline can be very effective. Looking for a good list of power words to use in your headline? There are tons of articles such as those on OptinMonster, Sumo, and NinjaOutreach that list some of the best power words to use in headlines. Keep in mind that using these power words will influence your audience’s behavior. Take a look and split test some of the words to see what responses it elicits. This helps you get to know your audience better by understanding what they respond to best.
Do You Know Your Audience?:
As mentioned at the end of the last section, having a better understanding of your audience will truly help you write the best captions for your press release. What emotion do they respond to best? Fear of missing out? A calm approach? Curiosity? –Knowing the answer will help you determine what type of headline you should be writing.
Take a look at your press release stats. What words did you use in the past press releases? How many views/clicks/impressions did your PR get? Determine which headline garnered the best response. The words used in that headline can help you write future headlines.
Checking out the other press releases your audience is paying attention to can also give you a better understanding of what they respond to. Take a look at what they’re sharing on social media. This gives you a clear indication of the type of content they find most interesting. Check for PRs or articles that they have interesting. The words used in those headlines drew them in, write them down. Try to integrate some of these words into your next PR headlines.
Think Like the Media:
The goal of your press release? Increase exposure and awareness about your announcement. What better way to get in front of a larger audience than through the media?
With the media in mind, think the way they would. Sorting through hundreds of pitches a day is tiring, but there are a few that catch their eye. When writing your press release headline, take a look at similar industry news stories they have been written and find the original press release. Those headlines can help you dive into the media’s mindset and understand what attracted them to it. Jot down a couple of these headlines and pull some words from each to create your own.
Having endless years of PR copywriting experience can definitely help you write a captivating press release headline, but that takes time. You need a riveting headline now! Take a few minutes, or an hour to follow these steps to become a PR headline pro. Check out the list of power words in those articles. Take some time to get to know your audience, what they like to read and how to play their emotions. Wanna take it a step ahead? Put your media thinking cap on and get into their mindset. These tips will help you create the best headline for your press release!
