It is the content (copy) on a website which sells your products or services
. Great copy means more sales but ultimately, it is the headline that seals the deal. The importance of a well-crafted headline is something web marketing firms will advise you about in regard to increasing traffic and sales.
Remember: you only have one chance to grab a visitor's attention so make sure you have an eye catching headline that will do so.
The role of the headline
The bottom line is that a headline exists to catch someone's eye and encourage them to continue reading. Think about this whenever you see a billboard or advertising hoarding: does the headline catch your eye or do you pass by without giving it a second thought? If you stop to look and read then it has done its job.
How visitors read headlines and content
Visitors scan content rather than read. They don't spend time reading every word on a page but quickly skim through it, looking for particular areas of interest. This is why keywords are important as visitors will pick these out when browsing through content.
Your headline must:
- Appeal to the visitor's self-interest
- Offer them a reward or benefit (why should they do so)
- Persuade them to stay and continue reading
What does the headline offer the visitor?
A site visitor acts out of pure self-interest. They have a clear goal in mind and the aim of your site is to fulfil that goal. Keep these in mind when you write a headline as this will provide a clear focus for the content. And remember that the content exists to solve their problems.
Your headlines need to promise the visitor a reward in return for their time spent reading. Think about the emotional aspects of buying: write a compelling headline which appeals directly to their emotions, for example, "a guaranteed result each time". Use power words, e.g. free, discover, new, easy and breakthrough.
If your products or services appeal to the emotions then use these to write your headline. But stick to positive rather negative emotions.
The headline is the star attraction
The headline is more important than the rest of the content so spend time writing this. Combine multiple headlines which include the name of your product or service. These are particularly effective for niche audiences.
A great headline sets the scene for the rest of the content.