{"id":8109,"date":"2020-07-23T07:00:04","date_gmt":"2020-07-23T05:00:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/?p=8109"},"modified":"2025-06-18T14:12:17","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T12:12:17","slug":"copywriters-utilise-these-four-psychological-tactics-to-write-attention-grabbing-headlines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/digitalschoolofmarketing.co.za\/content-marketing-blog\/copywriters-utilise-these-four-psychological-tactics-to-write-attention-grabbing-headlines\/","title":{"rendered":"Copywriters utilise these psychological tactics to write headlines"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"DSM<\/div><\/div>

Whether on a newspaper front page or Google\u2019s first page of search results, headlines are pretty important. Think of them as the movie trailer to your piece of content. If the headline doesn\u2019t grab the reader \u2013 prompting them to delve further into the copy \u2013 then they\u2019re likely not going to read much more. There are a few tactics used by copywriters to make sure their headlines are the attention-grabbing nuggets of literary gold. We\u2019re looking at four of these below:<\/p>\n

1. Necessary numbers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Humans like predictability and certainty and David H Maister proved it with a fascinating study on the psychology<\/a><\/strong><\/span> of waiting in lines. He found that we gravitate towards things that we know; things that we have experienced and can depend on. The title 10 ways to pluck a chicken informs the reader of what they\u2019re in for; there are a whopping TEN ways, and the reader can decide when they have the time to read all ten. A study by Conductor found that Internet users prefer number headlines to any other type (how to, question, audience referencing).<\/p>\n

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2. Audience referencing<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If your copywriting<\/a><\/strong><\/span> doesn\u2019t require a number headline, the next best is addressing the reader. This involves the use of words like you and your \u2013 with the copywriter speaking directly to the reader. A study in Norway looked into the effectiveness of headlines by promoting the new iPhone online. One headline read \u201cFor sale: Black iPhone4 16GB\u201d (standard classifieds headline). The second read \u201cAnyone needs a new iPhone4? (question without audience referencing). The third read \u201cIs this your new iPhone4?\u201d (question with audience referencing). Study participants preferred the third headline.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>