How To Write Ad Headlines Part 2 [Copywriting Guides]

In part 1 of this series we looked at some current typical online display ad headlines, the first three of which were all product based. Two of them included a price in the headline, both of which used anchoring to make them appear to be better value.

Anchoring is one of many psychological tactics I write about in my upcoming book Copy for Beginners to be published early 2021. I’m writing a daily diary on its progress here if you’re interested: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xns1095JQL5oX3a_ljf0TUSiAKOA15-_jtmrSacsnqc/edit?usp=sharing

The anchored headlines in part 1 used two variations of price fixing to help influence the prospect. Ad #1 claimed your life could be saved for £49. Since most people value their lives at more than £49, you can see why this works.

Ad #3 was more direct. We’re told a powerful telescope costs $3000, but we can get something better for $47. We’ve been anchored so high, it’s hard to resist finding out what sort of con this is (because that’s going to be the reaction of most people). The result is a click. Job done (as least as far as the ad agency is concerned – the advertiser probably has no idea that the quality of those clicks is likely to be super low – but that’s another matter).

Anchors are not just limited to prices though. We can anchor people on anything we like. We only have to say “Squirrel” to a dog, and we’ve anchored that dog’s brain on squirrels for the next few microseconds. The same happens to us too. Eg. if I ask you what book you last read, you’re now anchored on “books you last read”.

This is powerful persuasion stuff. Continue to part 3.