- Find one (1) headline that you came across recently and thought it was great. You are to explain why it resonated with you. Please ensure that you base your answers only topics discussed in class. Meaning, based on course content discussed in class, you are to tie specific elements that we discussed constituted a “good” headline or “elements” of a good headline and how this specific element is referenced in the headline that resonated with you. (6 Marks)
Headline:
“6 Questions to Help You Decide What You Want in Your Next Job”
Reasons & Justifications
This headline resonated with me for several different reasons. The number one reason why it resonated with me emotionally is because it correlates with my personal life experiences. I have worked various jobs where I have felt unvalued, taken advantage of, and undermined. Since then, I have taken it upon myself to never work at any workplace, where any higher power makes me feel unworthy and discouraged in myself. The headline does an amazing job because it deeply resonates with my emotions. It taps into the relatable human experience of being unsure and uncertain in life (Briscoe, W6 – Headline Secrets (W25).pdf, Slide 55).
Furthermore, the headline cuts straight to the point by being short, concise, and direct. The headline is not confusing at all, does not make me feel dumb by including niche puns, and directly informs me what I will learn about. The headline stays between the recommended 60 or less to 100 characters in length. In fact, the most powerful headlines are ideally right at the 60-character length (Briscoe, W6-B-How to Build the Perfect Headline (W25).pdf, Slide 5). This headline has exactly 61 characters, making it an extremely ideal headline that modern digital readers, such as myself, can easily skim through and still be impacted by.
Another reason why this headline resonated with me is that it includes “power words” that convey empathy, understanding, and a desire to help (Briscoe, W6-B-How to Build the Perfect Headline (W25).pdf, Slide 22). The words “help” and “decide” emotionally triggered a response that made me feel seen, valued, and heard. Not only so, but these are words that align with customer service power words. The use of these words strongly relates to what the article will do for me. It will guide me, help me, and enable me to decide on the factors that are really important in a work environment for long-term happiness.
The headline stood out from others by using a number word instead of a lettered word. The number is under nine, which is the recommended number to stop at when creating headlines (Briscoe, W6-D-How to Write Headlines – Step-by-Step Guide (W25).pdf, Slide 11). Not only did the use of the number psychologically cause me to stop skimming it for longer as opposed to others, but it created a sense of order in me. I felt as though I would get the most important and relevant information as opposed to a headline with the number “15” or “20”. This caused me to be more curious, emotionally engaged, and more invested in getting the most important information and facts related to the topic of the article.
Lastly, it uses psychological biases that make me feel like I am the center of the spotlight. The headline makes it feel like it is directly speaking to just me by using personal pronouns such as “You” and “Your”. This makes the headline pop out amongst others because it feels personal to me and my own interests. Personal pronouns make the headline feel that much more personal, tailored, and one-on-one as opposed to headlines that speak generically to the masses. People love to read things about themselves that relate to them, in this case, to me (Briscoe, W6 – Headline Secrets (W25).pdf, Slide 19).
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