You are to create a headline about the 2nd year digital classes in this program. The audience will be 1st year students. Please provide the headline and your reasoning behind it. (4 Marks)
Curious how digital ads always “know” you? 4th semester spills all the secrets (it’s creepier than you think…)
- Its intriguing- by using words such as curious and by putting “quotations” around the word know and by saying (its creeper then you think…)- I’m leaving my audience curious and in a cliff hanger overall inditching them to click.
- By saying “its creepier then you think… overall, I am adding a shock factor to the scenario. This is important because as discoed in class in week 6 “The digital user wants to be surprised.” Meaning adding this wow factor helped capture my audience’s attention- causing them to click.
- Using the word “you”- makes it sound like I’m talking directly to them and not to a crowd as it’s a word that evokes emotions. Additionally, by using the word “you”- I am using “power words”- “words with emotional meanings that resonate with readers and convince them to read or engage with your content.”[i]
- My headline is specific/ has clarify to the info and value + what content they will be able to read when they open the article. The task at hand was to “create a headline about the 2nd year digital classes in this program. The audience will be 1st year students”- and this headline does just that/ will defectively match the content in the article. This is important because as learned in class on week 6 “clarity is king “and you don’t want to be “vague you want to be specific”. Additionally, this headline is not to long + fits within the 60-character limit.
- By asking them a question to the readers I’m not only creating engagement and tapping into the human’s natural urge for curiosity- which invited reflection, creates more interest and increase its effectiveness. Additionally, this makes a immediate, instant impression upon your reader.
- Instead of saying second year digital classes- which take place in second semester – is said “4th semester” – though this number is not odd which is the most efficient for when making headlines- it’s a lot catchier than saying, “2nd year”. Additionally, the number 4 is phycological and subliminally viewed as the perfect number for many reasons- the main one being “4, is a perfect number. It is the number of completion – the 4 elements of earth, water, fire and air: the four seasons, four directions on the compass, four phases of the moon, and more”[ii] – making it a good choice.
- By using the words/ phrase “Reveal the secrets” – I am implying that they are getting exclusive details/ that the first years will gain exclusive information- which is important. “Exclusivity creates a sense of urgency and FOMO (fear of missing out), encouraging consumers to make quick decisions.”[iii]
[i] Indeed Editorial Team. (2025, February 20). 212 Power Words to create Attention-Grabbing headlines. Indeed Career Guide. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/power-words-for-headlines
[ii] Tan, J. M. (2022, September 12). A reflection: 4, the perfect number. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/reflection-4-perfect-number-jia-min-tan
[iii] WiserNotify. (2025, January 1). Exclusivity in marketing: driving demand and desirability. Best Social Proof & FOMO App for Your Website | WiserNotify. https://wisernotify.com/marketing-term/exclusivity/