How to create headlines for push notifications: universal tips

For any text, the headline is the foundation on which the success of the entire work depends. People read the headline first, and if it doesn’t interest them, they won’t read any further. The situation is similar with advertising, including push notifications. After all, if the headline does not have a certain intrigue and does not reveal the essence of the offer, users simply will not click on it.

Today, Affhub has prepared a list of tips on how to create headlines for push notifications to help your campaigns have an even higher CTR.

Working with headlines: general tips

To begin with, let’s understand a few common mistakes that are often made when creating headlines for all types of push notifications.

• Deceiving the user. You shouldn’t create a clickable headline if you don’t have the right text for it. Many people ignore this point and make a “shock-content-historical-non-oral” headline. Yes, people will click on it, but when they see the context, they will immediately leave. Is such traffic worth anything? Obviously, no;
• Not taking into account the target audience. Both the text and the headline should be written clearly for the target audience. Even minimal adaptation to the age category will significantly increase your conversion rate. Since a pensioner is unlikely to understand even the most delicious headline that uses “cringe-ROFL-quadroberts”;
• The headline does not match the banner. It would seem that this situation is quite clear, but many websites make a mistake in it. Text is not like TV or video. When reading it, a person imagines what they actually see on the screen. And if the banner doesn’t match the headline, the reader simply doesn’t understand what the article is about. 

And, of course, test, test, and test again. This is a universal advice for everything related to traffic generation. Even the most experienced copywriter doesn’t know which ad will attract the maximum attention of the audience. Accordingly, it is advisable to make 4-5 headlines for each banner and check which one works best.

How to create headlines that convert: examples

Of course, we won’t provide you with ready-made notifications. However, there are several types of basic approaches to headlines that have been tested over time and are the basis for websites’ creatives. Let’s take a look at each of them separately. Let’s take the gambling vertical as an example. 

Direct appeal

A timeless classic is a direct appeal to the customer. A personal approach to the user is something that our ancestors used to work with, and it still works today. For example:

The headline: Play at 777 Casino.

Description: Try your luck at over 200 different slots

Headline with a question

One of the simplest headline types in terms of writing, but at the same time very effective. If you choose the right question that will resonate with the audience, you are guaranteed a good conversion. Example: 

Headline: Do you urgently need money for a mortgage? 

Description: Get 100 free spins at 777 casino

Call to action

A more aggressive headline format that encourages a person to perform a targeted action. Discussions about aggressive sales are as old as time, but with the right approach, they will always find their audience. Example: 

Headline: Get your bonus today! 

Description: Go to 777 casino and get 100500 free spins

Exact numbers

This option is good because it provides clear information to the user. He knows what awaits him at the link and, accordingly, makes a decision. Example: 

Title: $20 bonus to first deposit

Description: Go to 777 casino and win the jackpot!

Time limit.

Here, the classic sales approach is to convince a person that if they do not buy a product or service now, they will not have such a chance in the future. Example: 

Headline: Today only: get 100% deposit bonus

Description: Go to 777 casino and get your bonus!

Real stories

There is a universal rule in sales – people trust people. A “real” story of a person who won at a casino, made a profit, or lost 100500 kilograms in a week gives hope that it can easily work out for the user. Example: 

Headline: Paraska won $1400 in these slots

Description: Find out how she did it…

News

Despite all the collapses, people’s trust in social institutions remains high. Against this background, a notification in the form of real news inspires trust in the user. Journalists can’t lie… Example: 

Headline: Casino 777 started giving away gifts to users

Description: Follow the link and find out how to claim your bonus

To summarize

The headline is a key detail for the audience. If it is not interesting, people simply will not move on. At the same time, you shouldn’t exaggerate too much – if the headline is completely untrue, it won’t lead to the desired result. After all, as soon as a person realizes this, they will close the page and that’s it. But as we have already mentioned, the main thing in headlines, as in everything else, is testing. So, study, test, and have a great ROI!