There are two types of content on the web: visual and written. Visual content encompasses photos and videos, and is an effective and engaging way to capture a person’s attention quickly. The other content found on the web is written. Written content is twofold, in that it allows a bit more creativity and imagination. However, if it does not have the right wording, it will be skipped over by its many competitors. While the visual content is often artistically appealing, it is the written content that requires a true artist to bring the entire marketing functionality of the web together, and create a true marketing masterpiece that appeals to every avenue that your audience can relate to.
The Marketing Difference
To understand how to make a proper headline, you must first understand the difference between SEO marketing, social media marketing, and website marketing. SEO marketing is the catchphrase people hear constantly when discussing online marketing. SEO writing is about writing for particular search engines, and is not necessarily exactly catered to the audience. The words must be concise and appeal to the search terminology, such as “Minnesota web marketing” for a website firm in Minnesota. There is little room for creativity, as the SEO content must follow specific patterns in order to be effective.
In contrast, social media content is about creatively enticing people with as much information as possible. Your social media headline should tell a large portion of the story to give people an immediate feeling or visual background. The quicker the person understands the content in your post, the more likely he or she will be to share and engage with that particular post. Social media headlines should provide ample information so that people can choose not to click on the link, but still want to engage with the post, such as sharing the post or liking and commenting on it.
Finally, website headlines are about building trust between the business and the consumer. This is where click bait should be completely avoided. People need to trust your brand through your headlines, and not be fooled by them. This will cause them to want to keep coming back to your product and your brand. The headline should bring a feeling of trust and familiarity to the client, as opposed to fear that will cause them to leave your site and wander to your competition.
Combining the 3 Purposes with One Headline
Combining these purposes into one headline can seem like a very daunting and difficult task. However, each medium contains shared similarities that can be exploited to allow for one message on three platforms. First, make sure you know your company’s audience. Who are you targeting as a whole? What do they expect, or should they expect, from your brand? Once you have determined this answer, it is easier to find the slight differences that can be used in similar manners. For instance, SEO headlines can be altered slightly to adhere to social media graphs through Facebook and Twitter cards. The message can stay the same, while the wording may change a bit. Next, write the most specific headline possible and then the complete opposite, such as the broadest possible headline in doing so, you can find a similar message from these headlines to combine into one headline that will work on all media.
It is true that this can appear quite confusing to manage. Therefore, it may be best to utilize an online marketing expert to help you formulate your headlines for each of your online marketing platforms. If you are in need of the perfect headline to boost your marketing presence online, contact the experts at Skol Marketing at 612.787.7565.
