Why Do Some Headlines Fail?

[Big Frank]

I found this an interesting read and it may help some of us with our creative online writing

http://www.psychotactics.com/why-headlines-fail

[gwpriester]

I dunno Frank - This guys fails for me.

Having spent much of my adult life working in advertising and design, I know from good persuasive copywriting and this is not it. My wife was an excellent copywriter and unlike this guy who creates mountains of BS, Mary's talent was taking mountains of BS and culling it down to tiny molehills of BS.

Yes he makes some good points. But good points do not necessarily make for good copy unless you can communicate your good points quickly and in a convincing manner.

[handrawn]

may I just say: 'ask a question baited with a problem that awakens their curiosity'

- there we don't now need to read through all that guff do we

lets add brevity and focus just for good measure..

ok I can write; forgive me

[Big Frank]

What a crap article. Whoever recommended it to this forum is an idiot. We deserve better than that.

Oh, err, wait...

[handrawn]

a picture being worth a thousand...... [whatever they are, I forget - age]