LIVE Copywriting Tutorial: How To Write Attention Grabbing Headlines

The Importance of Headlines

In this section, Alex discusses the importance of headlines and how they are the most important part of any copy you write. She also shares her hot headline formula.

Hot Headline Formula

• 80% of online readers will not read past your headline.

• A strong hook is essential for a great headline.

• A clear target audience should be identified in the headline.

Live Headline Critique

In this section, Alex talks about her live headline critique on Instagram where she reviewed headlines written and submitted by some of her followers and subscribers. She also mentions that she has started sharing this type of content on her Instagram account.

Over-the-Shoulder Style Videos

• Alex received requests to do over-the-shoulder style videos where she shares examples, gives feedback, and analyzes real copy written in real-time.

• The exclusive recording from the live training is shared in this video.

Critiquing Nine Headlines

• Alex critiqued nine headlines for a variety of different types of headlines such as landing pages, B2B headlines, info products, home pages, event services, and content articles.

• The purpose was to show the full spectrum of headlines because they are written on so many different things.

Hot Headline Formula Explained

In this section, Alex explains her hot headline formula in more detail.

Strong Hook

• A strong hook is essential for a great headline.

• The hook needs to be really clear what it's selling or what you're trying to convey.

Open Loop

• The headline needs to have an open loop that makes the reader want to continue reading.

Target Audience

• The target audience should be identified in the headline.

Hot Headline Formula

In this section, the speaker shares her hot headline formula and critiques headlines submitted by viewers.

Critiquing Headlines

• The speaker will spend 40 minutes critiquing headlines and answering copywriting questions.

• Viewers can submit questions in advance, but the speaker will only answer copywriting-related questions during the live session.

• Viewers watching the recording can comment on IGTV for personalized answers.

• The speaker introduces an exciting announcement at the end of the session.

Critique of Landing Page Headline

• The speaker critiques a landing page headline for a notebook called Hemlock and Oak.

• The main headline "Plan Your Best Life" is strong because it clearly states what is being sold in four words.

• The sub-headline could be improved by removing unnecessary phrases like "we're on our way to help you" and "for now."

• Instead, the sub-headline should focus on promoting the free six-month principle planner and access to a library of tools.

Writing Effective Headlines

In this section, the speaker provides feedback on two examples of headlines. The first example is for a productivity tool and the second is for a B2B business that sells mental/physical health services to student bodies so universities can collect feedback.

Example 1: Productivity Tool

• The headline should include some relevancy because 2020 was a doozy of a year.

• Add "in 2021" to the headline and "leave 2020 in your dust" to the sub-headline.

• The final headline could be "Plan Your Best Life in 2021 - Leave 2020 in Your Dust."

• Offer a free principal planner and access to a library of productivity tools.

Example 2: B2B Business

• Simplify the headline by focusing on the USP (unique selling proposition).

• A better headline would be "Show Your Students You Care - Mental Health Support, Academic Tools, and Goal Tracking to Help Your Students Succeed."

• Avoid cramming too much information into the headline. Instead, focus on one core idea that speaks to your USP.

• Empower universities to support their students' mental health and wellbeing. Request a demo of an easy-to-access student portal.

Copywriting Critique

In this section, the speaker critiques a homepage example submitted by McKayla, who is working with a self-care life coach. The speaker provides feedback on how to optimize the copy for mobile and suggests changes to the sub-headline.

Critique of Homepage Example

• As copywriters, we should care about how our copy is presented when our clients publish it.

• It's not your job to be a graphic designer, but you want your work to be presented in the best way possible.

• The sub-headline is redundant and needs tweaking.

• Use cleaner fonts and make the call-to-action more compelling.

• The popup is good but could use some grammatical changes.

Info Product Headlines

In this section, the speaker critiques info product headlines submitted by Pranay. The speaker provides feedback on how to improve the headline by making it more exciting.

Critique of Info Product Headlines

• The main headline should be used as prime real estate to get people excited.

• Use power words that evoke emotion and excitement in your headline.

• Make sure your headline accurately reflects what your product offers.

Writing Strong Headlines

In this section, the speaker talks about how to write strong headlines for products and services. The focus is on identifying the pain points of the target audience and creating a benefit-driven hook.

Tips for Writing Strong Headlines

• Identify the pain point of your target audience and lead with a question that speaks to that pain point.

• Create a strong benefit-driven hook in your main headline that clearly communicates what makes your product or service unique.

• Use a third headline to provide more detail about your program or service and get people excited about it.

• Avoid redundancy in your headlines by rephrasing them to remove repetitive words.

Example of a Strong Headline

In this section, the speaker provides an example of a strong headline for an online course teaching French pronunciation.

Example of a Strong Headline

• The main headline should speak directly to the target audience's pain point and provide a clear benefit-driven hook.

• Avoid redundancy in your headlines by rephrasing them to remove repetitive words.

• Use formatting tools like italics, brackets, and dashes to emphasize certain words or phrases and keep readers engaged.

Creating Headlines for Online Events

In this section, the speaker provides tips for creating headlines for online events.

Tips for Creating Headlines for Online Events

• Clearly communicate what attendees will learn from attending your event.

• Use power words like "secret" or "powerful" to make your headline more compelling.

• Use numbers in your headline to create a sense of specificity and urgency.

• Keep your headline short and sweet, ideally no more than 10 words.

Tips for Creating Effective Headlines

In this section, the speaker provides tips on how to create effective headlines for online events.

Importance of Date and Time in Online Events

• Including a date and time creates a sense of urgency and scarcity.

• Without a specific date and time, people may not be motivated to attend the event.

The Hook in Headlines

• The headline should have an exciting hook that grabs the reader's attention.

• For example, "Discover the secret to gaining visibility and conversions on Instagram easily."

Avoid Closing Loops in Headlines

• Don't open and close loops in the same headline as it gives away too much information.

• Instead, give people a reason to keep reading by teasing them with what they will learn at the event.

Writing Effective Homepage Headlines for B2B Companies

In this section, the speaker provides tips on how to write effective homepage headlines for B2B companies.

Highlight Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

• Identify what makes your business different from others.

• Focus on your USP when writing headlines.

Address Pain Points

• Call out pain points that your target audience is experiencing.

• For example, "Get 24/7 reliable support so you never have to worry about managing information and technology troubles."

Avoid Being Too Broad

• Don't try to do everything; focus on what you do best.

• For example, if you offer branding, digital marketing, and IT support services, highlight one aspect that sets you apart from competitors.

Sophia's Presentation Feedback

In this section, the speaker provides feedback on a presentation and emphasizes the importance of clarity in messaging.

Key Points:

• Sophia's presentation needs to be clearer about what services her company offers.

• It is important to make sure that messaging is clear and concise.

Example Blog Title for Astrology Space

In this section, the speaker discusses an example blog title for a new astrology blog.

Key Points:

• The goal of a blog title is to peak curiosity and get people to click.

• Many people share articles without reading them, so it's important to have a strong headline.

• Adding context and avoiding cliches can help make a headline more unique and interesting.

Copy for Food Delivery Service

In this section, the speaker reviews copy for a food delivery service.

Key Points:

• The word "deceived" seems too heavy for a food delivery service.

• It's unclear whether the copy is for an actual restaurant or a food delivery service like SkipTheDishes.

Tips for Creating Effective Headlines

In this section, the speaker provides tips for creating effective headlines and discusses the importance of a strong USP.

Importance of Clear USP

• A clear Unique Selling Proposition (USP) is important to differentiate between a food delivery service and a restaurant.

• Focusing only on pain points may not be effective as people are not staying up at night because their meal was cold. Instead, use a strong USP.

Using Headline Analyzer Tools

• Use headline analyzer tools as guidance rather than following them strictly.

• The score given by these tools may not always reflect the effectiveness of the headline.

Including Blurb in Portfolio Assets

• Including an executive summary or blurb at the beginning of portfolio assets can provide context and help potential clients understand what they are looking at.

Long Form vs Short Form Ads

• The choice between long form and short form ads depends on what you are trying to achieve.

• Long form ads are great for engagement while short form ads can be punchy with a strong call to action. Both should be used when writing ads for clients.

Recording Availability

• The recording will be made available on IGTV after the session is over.

Q&A Session

• The speaker dives into some Q&A sessions with her students where she answers questions related to freelancing, sales funnels, etc.

Starting Out in Copywriting

In this section, the speaker answers questions about how to start and practice copywriting. She recommends her YouTube channel as the best place to start and suggests practicing every day.

Best Place to Start

• The best place to start is by watching videos, guides, tutorials, and lives on the speaker's YouTube channel.

• Practicing every day is also important.

Turnaround Times for Copywriting

• The speaker uses a week as a default turnaround time for most types of copywriting.

• For a full sales page from scratch, she estimates two weeks.

• For just a landing page or a few ads, it could take only a few days up to a week.

• Rushing work will not result in good quality writing.

Copywriting Tools and Programs

In this section, the speaker shares some of her favorite tools and programs for staying organized and editing copy.

Top Five Copywriting Tools

• Hemingway Editor helps edit by removing redundancies and complex sentences.

• Grammarly is installed on the speaker's computer for spelling help.

• Google Docs is used to write all copy with each client having their own folder for organization.

Writing Open Loops in Copywriting

In this section, the speaker explains how to write an open loop in copywriting.

How to Write an Open Loop

• Hint at something unique or specific that will be revealed later in the content.

• Use specificity or hint at some sort of unique discovery or approach that sounds different from what they know before.

• Avoid opening and closing loops in the same sentence.

Tips for Writing a Tech Product Landing Page

In this section, the speaker provides tips on how to write an effective tech product landing page.

Focus on the USP

• Clearly focus on the unique selling proposition (USP) of the tech product.

• Highlight what makes it different from other products in the market.

• Focus on tangible benefits that make logical sense to potential customers.

Trial and Error

• There is no guarantee that copy will work, so trial and error is necessary.

• Long-term relationships with clients can help improve copy over time.

• Keep applying for critiques to learn and improve.

Marketing and Copywriting

• Marketing and copywriting go hand in hand.

• The best copywriters are also marketers, and vice versa.

• Learn marketing psychology to understand your niche and clients better.

Writing Copy in English

In this section, the speaker discusses whether having a good level of English language is necessary to start copywriting.

Writing Copy in English

• If you plan to write copy in English, you need to know how to write well in English.

• You can also write copy in your mother tongue or hire a copy editor if needed.

English Writing for Social Media

In this section, the speaker talks about writing for different social media channels and how to hook people's attention.

Writing for Different Social Media Channels

• Consider your audience and how they consume content.

• How you write on Twitter is different than how you write on Facebook due to character count limitations.

• Use a formula of Attention, Benefit, and Call-to-action when writing captions for social media.

• Break up paragraphs into three lines max to avoid overwhelming readers with walls of text.

Hooking People's Attention

• Share a relatable benefit or speak to their pain.

• Use relevancy by talking about what's going on in the world right now.

• Use novelty, irony, or confirm beliefs to hold people's attention.

Tips for Writing Taglines and Favorite Storytelling Techniques

• Map out key words that convey core USP and benefits when writing taglines. Trial and error is key.

• Hero's journey is a powerful storytelling technique that speaks to personal development marketing. Future pacing is another effective technique.

Future Pacing and Writing for an Aspirational Product

In this section, Alex discusses the power of future pacing when writing copy for aspirational products. She also explains that it may not work for all products, such as commodities like backpacks.

Future Pacing

• Future pacing is powerful when writing copy for aspirational products.

• It involves speaking to the reader as if something has already happened.

• It helps create a vision of what could be possible in the future.

Writing for Commodities

• It's hard to use future pacing when writing copy for commodities like backpacks.

• In this case, it's better to tell a more functional story about how the product helped overcome a problem.

Supposition in Copywriting Hooks

In this section, Alex defines supposition and explains how it can be used in copywriting hooks.

Supposition in Hooks

• Supposition is when you speak to the reader as if something has already happened.

• It creates a sense of inevitability and helps draw readers into your message.

• It's similar to future pacing and can be very effective in creating an emotional connection with your audience.

Writing an About Page

In this section, Alex shares her thoughts on what should be included on an about page.

About Page Content

• An about page should focus on sharing information about the brand rather than just what it can do for customers.

• Share your story, mission, and why you're doing what you're doing.

• Include information about your team and how you're changing the world through your programs or products.

Spying on Competitor Ads

In this section, Alex shares her favorite way to spy on competitor ads.

Using Facebook's Ad Library

• Check out Facebook's ad library to see the last 90 days of active ads that any brand has run.

• Go to any fan page on Facebook, click "Page Transparency," scroll down, and click "View Ad Library."

• This is a great way to see what other people are doing and get inspiration for your own ads.

Checking Brand Tone in Copywriting

In this section, Alex explains that there is no tool for checking brand tone in copywriting and that you have to make your best guess and submit it to the client for feedback.

Checking Brand Tone

• There is no tool for checking brand tone in copywriting.

• You have to make your best guess and submit it to the client for feedback.

Write and Ignite Challenge Announcement

In this section, Alex announces her upcoming live five-day write and ignite challenge where she will take participants through her process for writing a high-converting sales page.

Write and Ignite Challenge

• The challenge will take place sometime in October or November.

• It will be a live five-day event where Alex takes participants through her process for writing a high-converting sales page.

• She will teach how to come up with an irresistible offer, increase the value price gap, properly price offers, position and outline copy.

Writing a Sales Page for Your Portfolio

In this section, Alex Cattoni shares information about her upcoming five-day challenge on writing sales pages and how to sign up for early notification.

Early Notification List

• To sign up for the early notification list for the five-day challenge on writing sales pages, go to alexcattoni.com/ignite.

• The registration is not yet open, but signing up will ensure that you are among the first to hear about when it opens.

• The dates have not been announced yet, but it will be sometime in October or early November.

• The challenge will be live every day for five days and promises to be fun and informative.

Conclusion

In this section, Alex Cattoni concludes the video by asking viewers if they found the content helpful and inviting them to join her on Instagram at copy posse. She also reminds viewers to sign up for the five-day write and ignite challenge.

Final Thoughts

• If you found this content helpful, please comment below and let me know.

• Join Alex Cattoni on Instagram at copy posse.

• Click the link in the description below to sign up for the five-day write and ignite challenge.

• Thank you for watching and subscribing.