How a 74-Year-Old Book (That Doesn't Mention the Internet) Can Teach You to Write Killer Web Headlines Quickly and Easily

Like any writer, you want to write headlines that'll grab your readers and
not let go.

And you're probably wondering how a 74-year-old book could possibly help
you.

And you're still reading, right?

Bingo.

Welcome to the world of powerful headlines.

In his classic 1935 book, Tested Advertising Methods, advertising
pioneer John Caples lays out the headline elements that attract the most
readers.

So here's what a 74-year-old book can teach you about successful online
marketing.

Three Types of Headlines That Are Virtually Magnetic

1. Self Interest

   Your readers are generally interested in one thing—themselves. And this
   self interest tends to fall into one of five categories:

   • Sex / sex appeal—not sex itself, necessarily, but the feeling
     of being attractive, popular and loved
   • Greed and the desire for prestige
   • Fear and the need for safety and security
   • Ease and the aversion to hard work
   • Charity and selflessness, and the desire to make choices that
     provide that warm little flame of self congratulation
2. News
   

   Humans are hardwired to be receptive to novelty. So not only do
   your prospects want to find new and better solutions for their
   problems—they're also incredibly bored. Offer them something new
   and they'll thank you for catapulting them out of their everyday humdrum
   for a few moments.

3. Curiosity
   

   Humans are also hardwired to be curious. Tweak that curiosity
   reflex by adding a little something unexpected in your
   headline—something relevant but surprising that makes your reader go
   "Huh?"

Combine These Elements for Extra Punch

Many of these tips work just fine on their own, but you can combine them for
even more power. Try these two combos to start.

• Self interest and curiosity
  

  Headlines like "How I Blew the Dust off a 74-Year-Old Book and Became an
  Online Marketing Whiz" hook your prospects with a healthy helping of
  self interest (we all want to be online marketing whizzes) and curiosity
  (what does a 74-year-old book know about the internet?).

• Self interest and news

  Headlines that contain the words "now," "finally," or "at last" are
  great ways to incorporate news and self interest.

Got the basic idea? (And notice how important self interest is?)

Next week, we'll go even more in-depth and show you a specific, proven
method you can use to write headlines that not only grab your reader's
attention but also make writing your content easier.