Headlines are among the most important pieces of online content you’ll ever write. Headlines create the first impression that readers have of your content, and without strong and compelling ones, most readers won’t click through or spend any kind of time reading your company blog posts or website content.
Not all headlines are created equally, of course, so the question is this: How can you ensure that your used car dealership has effective headlines for all its online content—headlines that get people clicking and reading? Here are a few tried and true headline writing tips.
How to Write Engaging Headlines
- Use numbers whenever you can. The human brain naturally gravitates toward numbers, so employ them in your headlines whenever it makes sense. For example: 5 Tips for Buying a Used Pickup; 10 Things to Remember About Used Car Financing; Top 12 Hybrid Cars of 2018.
- Focus on the value you can provide. Always ask yourself: What’s in it for my readers? What benefit will they receive from your content? That’s always what the headline should focus on—the perks your content provides.
- Use strong verbs. Always try to avoid variations of the verb to be, and instead implement strong, persuasive verbs that convey a sense of action. Examples: Discover 10 Ways to Finance Your Used Car; 5 Tips for Inspecting a Truck Before You Purchase.
- Mention the reader. Appeal to the ego of your readers! Use words like you and your in your headlines, getting the reader involved. Examples: 5 Tips for Maintaining Your New Hybrid Vehicle; How to Know When You’ve Found Your Dream Car.
- Ask questions. Use the reader’s curiosity to your advantage. Phrase your headlines in the form of questions, prompting the reader to want to learn more. Examples: What’s the Difference Between an Electric Car and a Hybrid?; What Should Every Driver Know About Vehicle Transmissions?
- Experiment with different headlines. Open a blank document and spend a few minutes just writing down every headline variation you can think of. Give yourself plenty of options to pick from.
Discover the Secrets of Effective Automotive Marketing
No matter the content you’re writing, you need a compelling headline to generate clicks and to improve dwell time. Learning to write those headlines takes skill and practice. It also helps to have a broader digital marketing strategy in place—one that accounts for blogs, website content, paid ads, and more.
Get My Auto is here to help dealerships generate and then implement those plans. We invite you to contact us today to learn more about the best ways of promoting your used car dealership.