Fill Your Blog For A Buck?

Leafing through a coupon magazine that had come in the mail, I noticed different companies using different methods to grab readers’ attention.

Since a favorite topic of mine as a professional ghost blogger and business blogging trainer is commanding readers’ attention, I was interested in the different approaches the ad writers had employed.  There seemed to be three main categories:

Price/Value
The headline above the page filled with coupons for Rally’s (burgers) read: "Fill your bag for a buck."

In similar vein, a business blog post headline might focus on a special offer or promotion.  Or, the title might highlight the fact that your company provides products or services at a price that is low relative to your competitors.

Got a Problem?/We understand
"Have You Been Hiding Your Legs All Summer?" bluntly asked the Central Indiana Vein Center on their coupon page.

A similar tactic in blog post titles would be based on advertising great David Ogilby’s advice to use titles to promise less of something undesirable – less pain, less waste, less hassle (in this example less need to hide your legs).This type of blog title demonstrates your empathy– you understand the issues your readers face…

Promise/Outcome
"Make this the last furnace you will ever need to buy", urges ARS Rescue Rooter on its coupon page.

Focusing your blog title on the end result (which, after all, is what motivated the searcher in the first place) is a very good idea. The ARS ad implies "Let us help you get the job done right once and for all."  That’s an appealing thought, whether the reader needs siding on her home, or is planning a wedding. 

Whichever of the three categories you’re using in any one title, that focus will carry over into the content of the blog post itself: Price/Value, Got a Problem?/We understand, or Promise/Outcome.

(Fill your blog for a buck, anyone?).