Testing Headlines > NetSparsh - Viral Content you Love & Share

Home
>
Advertising
>
Testing Headlines

Testing Headlines

A correspondent to AdBriefing, my monthly newsletter, has posed a very sticky question. How, she asks, can you tell whether a headline you have written is a good one?or not? What she means by this, I imagine, is whether the headline will actually help to make sales, rather than just act as a passing amusement to its readers.

The latter precept, that a headline should actually try to sell something, is not as universally known as it might be. The vast proportion of headlines actually say nothing whatsoever about the product and the benefits of owning it. And the reason for this is that good, selling headlines are not easy to write. So the majority of so-called copywriters take the easy route and produce something which they think is humorous or eye-catching and hope that this will do the job. That it won't and doesn't can be witnessed day in and day out in press ads, brochures and websites worldwide.

But I digress.

There is sadly no absolute test that a headline will do the job it is paid to do. If there were, we benighted copywriters would be earning ten times what we are earning now, on the grounds that our work would be foolproof. Every headline we conceived would be irresistible; and products would move off shelves like Spring snow off a dyke.

But there is a test ? a very good and worthwhile test ? that you can apply to any headline you create. I call it the 'So What?' test.

Allow me to give you an example of 'So What?' in action. If you produce a headline that says: Our Widget works twice as fast as any other Widget, and then ask yourself 'So What?', it immediately becomes clear that the line is bereft of a sales proposition. Because there is no obvious benefit to the potential customer.

On the other hand, if you write: Our Widget works twice as fast, so you do the job in half the time, then the 'So What?' has been answered. Your customer can cut his production time by 50%.

Likewise, were you to write: Our Widget is so small, it fits into the palm of your hand, you simply invoke 'So What?'. Which results in: Our Widget fits into the palm of your hand, so it goes wherever you go. In this case, the benefit is portability. You can use it anywhere.

Over the years, I have found the 'So What?' test to be invaluable. You might care to give it a try yourself.

And on the subject of headlines consider this.

When trying to write a headline many people tend to go off half-cocked. They consider the marketing brief, then bash down a headline or two to satisfy it. After that, they write the body copy.

Experience shows, however, that if you write the body copy first, the odds are that there will be the makings of a headline within it struggling to get out.

Body copy is, or should be, a carefully worked and logical encapsulation of the marketing brief. In other words, the whys, the wherefores and the benefits of owning the product or service. It makes sense, then, that if it is properly written, there is a very real chance of finding an embryo headline lurking within it.

Why not give it a whirl? You may be agreeably surprised.

About The Author

Patrick Quinn is an award winning copywriter with 40 years' experience of the advertising business in London, Miami, Dublin and Edinburgh.

He publishes a FREE monthly newsletter, AdBriefing. Subscriptions are available at: http://www.adbriefing.com

[email protected]

In The News:

What you need to know in advertising today Business InsiderEverything that you need to know in advertising today, from Pivotal's dire TV forecast to the CBS board's decision to deny Les Moonves' $120 million severance.

Advertisers do not control our minds SpikedApparently, British women need the protection of obscure advertising regulators. The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP), the sister organisation to the ...

Borden Dairy hires Curiosity Advertising | Agency News AdAge.comBorden Dairy has hired Curiosity Advertising as its agency of record as the dairy company known for its Elsie the Cow character plans to kickstart its marketing.

Legal and Public Health Issues in Drug Advertising Pricing Examined Medical BagDirect-to-consumer television advertising may not be the best place to provide cost information on prescription drugs and biologic products.

Disruptive advertising trends that 2018 brought in Exchange4MediaFrom the love for video to the return of creativity and evolving landscape of MarTech—experts share their take on the defining trends of the year.

Spotify takes swipe at Opera House advertising controversy AdNewsSpotify has poked fun at the Opera House advertising controversy in a new billboard campaign.

AdVent: Advertising agency professionals share their festive gripes The DrumChristmas is the time of giving and for goodwill but also it's a great time to moan too. As a result, The Drum Network asked member agencies what they hated ...

What Directors Need to Know About Digital Advertising Fraud ForbesIn this digital age boards need new, independent verification systems to be sure their companies are getting true value digital spend for the shareholders.

How Alexa Is Changing The Future Of Advertising ForbesMany wonder if Alexa voice ads are on the way, even as Amazon's Alexa advertising policy doesn't allow them. Whether the platform begins selling ads or not, ...

Target Installs Conveyor Belt Advertising at 1000th Store Progressive GrocerTarget Corp. has completed the installation of its 1,000th store with conveyor belt advertising, promoting their major e-commerce and shopper loyalty initiatives.

Facebook was manipulated by Russians, who used the same targeting tools that advertisers love CNBCThe same tools that made Facebook effective for marketers enabled abuse by Russians.

Sneak peek: Haron Jaguar’s Super Bowl commercial is advertising downtown Fresno – and cars The Fresno BeeHaron Jaguar Land Rover will run a commercial during the Super Bowl featuring downtown Fresno and the company's new dealership.

Five questions Amazon must answer to get a larger share of advertising budgets in 2019 The DrumAmazon's quiet drive into advertising has been the rumbling story of 2018. With 'Prime Video' channels and ad revenue topping $1.7bn and $2.2bn (itself up ...

‘Advertisers think it’s just like buying digital’: Myths of connected TV advertising DigidayThis year connected TV overtook mobile as the screen on which the most digital video impressions were served. However, as the hype around streaming settles ...

The Drum Digital Advertising Awards 2019 launch: five campaigns you should revisit The DrumThe Digital Advertising Awards Europe, formerly The Drum Digital Trading Awards, are here to reward the best in programmatic performance and give ...

Amazon product ads evolution: A harbinger of Amazon local advertising? Search Engine LandGoogle is having a rough fourth quarter. October alone was a horrible month for one of the world's most highly regarded brands. On the eve of a major hardware ...

Tech giants need to take more responsibility for the advertising that makes them billions The Conversation - UKTo get out of the digital advertising quagmire, the only way is (business) ethics.

Kim's Take: Your fingerprint unlocks targeted advertising in your car KomandoImagine. You're driving home wondering what's in the fridge for dinner. An ad pops up on your dashboard's screen offering instant delivery of your mos…

The Future of Video Advertising Is Artificial Intelligence EntrepreneurImagine you're a video editor in 2019. You're handed a script and given thousands of shots to craft a 10-second pre-roll ad, promoted on social media to viewers ...

Amazon Advertising Options Guide: What Marketers Need to Know Search Engine JournalThinking of advertising on Amazon? This guide will walk you through four ways to get your products in front of millions of shoppers.

US charges 8 in online advertising fraud scheme Economic TimesNEW YORK - The U.S. Justice Department says it has charged eight people in connection with the takedown of two international cybercriminal rings that cost ...

UK betting firms back live sports advertising ban The GuardianOnline gambling firms such as Bet365, William Hill and Ladbrokes agree ban amid fears of impact on children.

Why smarter SSPs would be a boon to publishers and advertisers Marketing LandSupply-Side Platforms are perhaps the most undervalued and inherently powerful links in today's digital supply chain, and yet their current offerings do not fully ...

In-Feed Native Ads: Measuring Native Advertising ForbesThe onset of native and *content*-based advertising solutions has presented the industry with a complex challenge.

I was there: creatives on their biggest advertising successes, including Tide, Lockheed Martin, Honey Maid and Kotex The DrumWhat lies behind an iconic moment in advertising? Adversity, persistence and regularly hearing the word 'no' throughout the creative process.

Facebook goes offline to verify political advertisers ahead of 2019 elections ETtech.comFacebook, for the first time globally, is embarking on a strictly offline process to verify identity and locations of political advertisers in India ahead of the country's ...

Advertising Fraud Falls Flat When Faced With Transparency: How Can Blockchain Help? ForbesOnline Advertising is vitally important in today's world, but still incredibly shadowy. Advertising fraud runs wild due to lack of transparency, so perhaps it is time to ...

New Location-Based Features Are In Store for Snapchat Advertisers With Physical Locations AdweekSnapchat has a holiday present for retailers in the form of new location advertising features on its platform. “We have seen good performance with location ...

WPP advertising group to cut 3,500 jobs in £300m restructuring The GuardianWPP is to cut 3,500 jobs worldwide and shut or merge almost 200 offices as the embattled advertising group seeks to restructure after a torrid year that included ...

Native Advertising Port StrategyNative Advertising offers everything you need to promote your equipment and services, in a way that readers find engaging and non-intrusive. Native advertising ...

‘Generally amoral’: Facebook’s 6 million advertisers will keep it afloat no matter the scandal DigidayFacebook may have had a bad week on the public relations front, but media buyers say it's business as usual for advertisers.

How Savvy Advertising Helped Make Stereo Technology Mainstream Smithsonian.comStereo demonstrations and colorful ads sold customers on the two-channel sound technology when it was introduced 60 years ago.

YouTube drops paywall from some Originals, explores advertising Marketing LandIn a strategic about-face last week, YouTube announced it will drop the paywall from its Originals programming and make the shows available on the free ...

Getting ads banned is a planned PR and advertising strategy The DrumVarious advertisements are designed to be banned so that the resulting earned media gets the ad more eyeballs than if it ran without the ban.

AT&T has lofty ambitions to change the way TV advertising is sold, but ad buyers worry it will become a walled garden like Facebook and Google Business Insider IndiaHBO"Game of Thrones" is part of AT&T's WarnerMedia.AT&T rolled out Xandr this fall with a vision of turning its data and premium *content* into an ad platform.

This Year's Holiday Advertising Is Missing Something Important ForbesFestive stress is real, with one in three Americans expecting to have holiday burnout before December 25—but today's advertising rarely acknowledges it.

Gambling chiefs confirm 'whistle-to-whistle' television sport advertising ban BBC SportGambling chiefs say they are "responding to public concerns" after confirming plans to effectively ban television betting adverts during pre-watershed live sport.

Is working in advertising in the blood? AdNewsThis new segment takes a look at the dynasties working in adland and puts an historic lens to past agency and client relations. This edition we meet the White ...

Kan. man admits advertising 15-year-old for sex acts Hays PostWICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man pleaded guilty Monday to federal sex trafficking charges, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister. Carter is being held in ...

4 Ways Agencies Can Be More Transparent in Their Advertising AdweekIt's been said that sunlight is the best disinfectant, which is true, especially in advertising where clients are holding ad agencies' feet to the fire, demanding clarity ...

DeltaDNA: In-game advertising becomes viable alternative to in-app purchases VentureBeatFree-to-play game developers are starting to view in-game ads as a genuine alternative to in-app purchases (IAPs), according to DeltaDNA.

Jane Maas and the Lasting, Honest Impact She Left On Advertising AdweekTributes continue to pour in for Jane Maas, the advertising executive who came of age in the go-go '60s and became an industry powerhouse. Often dubbed as ...

5 Ways to Optimize PPC Advertising to Improve the Customer Experience Search Engine JournalWant to develop a relevant, sustainable, and scalable advertising strategy that prioritizes customer experience? Focus on these five key areas.

Karmarama lands £70m Lidl advertising account CampaignLiveAccenture Interactive-owned agency beats Leo Burnett, VCCP and WCRS.

New Zealand's first cannabis advertising campaign draws complaints Stuff.co.nzA billboard campaign promoting cannabis as a medicine has sparked a fierce debate including complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority.

Opinion | Advertising shift to digital media affects print LivemintAmardeep Singh, CEO of the IPG Mediabrands digital media agency, Interactive Avenues, is flooded with queries from his clients on digital media possibilities ...

PG&E Sued for Spending on Advertising Instead of Fire Safety BloombergPG&E Corp. was accused of putting its “reputation above public safety” in a lawsuit alleging that the power company spends too much on advertising and not ...

Spotify takes aim at Opera House advertising controversy in end-of-year campaign mUmBRELLA*Spotify is wrapping up 2018 with a prominent outdoor, digital and social campaign which reveals some key stats from the music streaming *service*,

Amazon’s Holiday Toy Catalog Is Advertising Parents Actually Want WIREDWith Toys R Us gone, those sales are up for grabs, and Amazon wants them. The digital-first company was already beating Toys R Us in market share.

Why Is Facebook's Advertising Algorithm Rejecting Equal Pay? ForbesAre Facebook's advertising policies sexist? I examine one case where an employer included the phrase "equal pay" in a job advertisement, only to have the ad ...

Online advertising has alienated our most valuable asset – the consumer The DrumIt's an understatement to say things have changed since I started my career in publishing 34 years ago, and mostly for the right reasons. The industry has moved ...

The hottest advertising trend of 2018? Billboards. The HustleAs other traditional advertising mediums flounder in the digital age, billboards have managed to thrive by adapting to the times.

Advertising's Next Frontier: Your Smart Home ForbesAdvertising has created a new business model for many industries. As smart home technology becomes a standard, how will brands be exploring opportunities ...

The big lessons of political advertising in 2018 The Conversation - USThe 2018 midterm elections are in the books, the winners have been declared and the 30-second attack ads are – finally – over. As co-directors of the Wesleyan ...

Disney and Google Ink Broad, Multiyear Digital Advertising Deal VarietyThe Walt Disney Co. is moving all its digital brands and properties to Google's Ad Manager platform.

Jane Maas, a Pioneer for Women in Advertising, Dies at 86 The New York TimesA product of the “Mad Men” era who was once called “the real Peggy Olson,” she handled the revivifying “I Love New York” campaign and held top agency jobs.

Advertising has an aegism problem | Agency News AdAge.comIn advertising, and at agencies in particular, it's rare employees ever reach retirement age. They're often squeezed out long before.

Ahead of polls, BJP becomes the number one advertiser on television Economic TimesWhile congress did not even feature in the top 10, BJP ranked number one across all channels.

Death is not always deadly in advertising The Globe and MailThe Globe's bimonthly report on research from business schools. Media and pop culture are rife with representations of death. Through crime and drama shows ...

London bans junk food advertising on public transportation CNNLondon Mayor Sadiq Khan said Friday that junk food advertising will be banned on the city's entire public transportation network from February, as part of a plan ...

This new deep fake video is both advertising and art Fast CompanyAward-winning British artist Gillian Wearing created a deep fake video of herself as part of her exhibition at the Cincinnati art Museum.

The state of advertising has never been better Campaign USCreativity and diversity-powered shops are leaving stifled and opaque agencies in their wake.. From Campaign US.

A study analyzes the impact of targeted Facebook advertising on the election: It is estimated that it increased the number of Trump voters by 10 percent in 2016 Science DailyResearch has studied the effectiveness of micro-targeted political advertising on social media such as Facebook in the United States. The research concludes ...

Amazon, With Little Fanfare, Emerges as an Advertising Giant Wall Street JournalIts push is happening online, on devices such as FireTV and on delivery boxes, challenging the big ad sellers, including Facebook, Google and TV networks.

After an ad boycott, Dollar Shave Club and others are back on Hannity Fast CompanyDollar Shave Club, Office Depot, Cars.com, and other brands said they'd stop advertising with the controversial Fox News host last year. But once the social ...

UK government spent most on Facebook political advertising POLITICO.euUK government spent almost £97000 on ads seeking support for its Brexit deal.

Facebook tries to lure TV advertisers to purchase ads on "Watch" AxiosFacebook announced last week that the criteria used to determine whether someone is a daily active visitor of its product "Watch" is by measuring whether a ...

Camp Fire lawsuits target PG&E for advertising about its safety work San Francisco ChroniclePacific Gas and Electric Co. misled the public about its efforts to maintain power equipment in a way that helps prevent wildfires, Camp Fire victims allege in a ...

iHeartMedia Is Acquiring an Ad-Tech Startup to Expand Programmatic Audio Advertising AdweekiHeartMedia is acquiring the programmatic advertising startup Jelli to help it expand its digital advertising capabilities. The acquisition, which the company ...

More Advertisers Dump Tucker Carlson Over Anti-Immigrant Comments The Daily BeastIHOP, Ancestry.com, and Jaguar Land Rover are just three of the many brands who have dropped Tucker Carlson's Fox News show from their ad buys after he ...

Nintendo's Holiday Television Advertising Promotes Pokémon: Let's Go Nintendo LifeThe holiday season is now in full swing and VentureBeat reports Nintendo is once again in second place in terms of television advertising within the US.

Trivago Faces Multimillion Dollar Fine for Misleading Advertising in Australia SkiftTrivago has reportedly admitted to misleading consumers about its hotel comparisons and will have to appear in court later this month to defend its actions.

South Africa Bans Advertisement in Which Black Man 'Discovers' Europe News18The advert, for a chicken restaurant chain, tells a spoof story how the man leaves South Africa in 1650, sails overseas and, after many adventures, comes ashore ...

The Best Target For Addressable TV Advertising Is Not The One You Think ForbesAs television advertising moves towards digital-style targeting, with the ability to serve up ads to people who fit a certain demographic profile, it's worthwhile to ...

Amazon.com Is Getting Even More Serious About TV and Advertising Motley FoolThe e-commerce giant starts taking a cut of third-party ad inventory and reportedly bids on 22 regional sports networks.

How Bipartisanship Could Affect the Advertising Industry Following the Midterms AdweekAs the dust settles on the 2018 midterm elections, a few things have come into focus. One is that while this was maybe not a fully blue wave (depends on which ...

Dealz ad featuring 'Harry the Hunk' filling a dishwasher falls foul of ad rules thejournal.ieDealz argued the ad was evocative of the Diet Coke window cleaning ad.

Fox News Host Tucker Carlson Sees Advertising Pulled After Comments on Migrants NewsweekThe host of "Tucker Carlson Tonight" said that migrants make America "poorer and dirtier," prompting an insurance company to pull all advertising from his show.

Advertisement hoardings are gone, but metal frames stay put in Bengaluru Economic TimesThe BBMP had classified these advertisement hoardings as legal and illegal. Illegal hoardings are those installed without seeking BBMPs permission and ...

Rideshare advertising startup Firefly launches with $21.5M in funding TechCrunchFirefly, a startup that allows rideshare drivers to make money through digital advertising, is officially launching today. It's also announced that it has raised $21.5 ...

Facebook is still facing ‘intermittent’ outages for advertisers ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday TechCrunchOne day after experiencing a massive outage across its ad network, Facebook, one of the most important online advertising platforms, is still seeing “intermittent” ...

BJP Outspends Major Corporates in Advertising: Where is the Money Coming From? NewsClickIn the run up to assembly elections in 5 states, the BJP has become the leading advertiser on television.

Woman writes open letter to tech companies about advertising after her son is stillborn The IndependentA woman has written a heartbreaking open letter to tech companies after she continued to receive infant and motherhood advertisements despite her son being ...

Ontario Proud's Election Advertising Was Mostly Funded By Developers CANADALANDThird-party advertiser Ontario Proud, which describes itself as a “grassroots” operation, received over half a million dollars in donations during the spring ...

Digital influencers have changed advertising. They're changing journalism, too. Columbia Journalism ReviewIt's a newish term, used to describe social media users whose online clout enables them to engage with and advertise to their followers in more direct ways than ...

Piyush Pandey: lessons in life and advertising from Ogilvy's new global creative chief The DrumThe Drum meets Ogilvy's recently named global chief creative officer, and replacement to Tham Khai Meng, Piyush Pandey.

‘Very much about TV advertisers’: Amazon is ramping up its Fire TV ad pitch DigidayAmazon is targeting traditional TV advertisers for its connected TV platform, Fire TV.

Apple getting sued over alleged false screen size and pixel count advertisement - GSMArena.com news GSMArena.comBefore we get into things, we feel that we should preface this news by saying that when you're the likes of Apple, lawsuits are a pretty common occurrence and ...

Right-wing activist wins $10000 over Meir Kahane advertisement Arutz ShevaBaruch Marzel, right-wing activist and former Kach party leader, paid 38000 shekels after advertisement for Kahane memorial removed.

Chrome 71 stomps on abusive advertising Naked SecurityGoogle shipped version 71 of its Chrome browser yesterday featuring a raft new security measures alongside fixes for 43 known issues.

Father sues McDonald's over 'advertising' of Happy Meals BBC NewsA Quebec father has launched a class-action lawsuit against McDonald's, alleging the company's Happy Meals break strict provincial laws against advertising to ...

Cancer society calling on province to ban promotion, advertising of e-cigarettes Regina Leader PostConcerned about youth vaping, the Canadian Cancer Society is calling on the province to ban promotion and advertising of e-cigarettes.

Transport for London bans Lumen advertisement citing sexual objectification The DrumTransport for London's (TfL) advertising agent, Exterion Media has banned an advertising campaign from dating app Lumen claiming that the ad sexually ...

Feds take down international hacker ring that cost advertisers millions Marketing LandThis week, a federal court indicted eight individuals for their roles in widespread digital advertising fraud, with charges ranging from wire fraud and computer ...

Playing On Fear And Fun, Hospitals Follow Pharma In Direct-To-Consumer Advertising Kaiser Health NewsHospitals are increasingly advertising medical services directly to patients to enhance their national brands. They think the image building improves their ability ...

Advertisement a facet of commercial speech under Article19, Delhi HC Bar & BenchDelhi HC has held that advertisement is a facet of commercial speech which is protected under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India.

Interactive ads will be the new face of display advertising Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard"Ad impressions and CTR numbers will become things of the past sooner than you think."

Facebook testing search advertising as new revenue stream Seeking AlphaFacebook (FB +0.6%) is starting to test search ads, from its search bar and in Marketplace, in the U.S. and Canada. That squares off against AdWords from f.

DB Corp gains 2% after hike in advertising rates by MY FM Moneycontrol.comDB Corp said advertising rate hike by MY FM is effective November 15, 2018.

Testing Headlines

Advertising Advertising