The headline is probably the most important thing on
the most important page of your web site.
Yet far too many web designers ignore its power and
simply put up a meaningless statement: "Welcome to my
site."
If your headline doesn't grab the attention in a
fraction of a second, the chances are that the visitor
to your site will fail to read any further - and click
away.
Powerful headlines should include as many of these
elements as possible:
Personal - use 'You' and 'Your'.
Direct - if you are making a claim, make it clearly.
Convincing - don't over claim: people aren't fools.
Intriguing - good headlines make you want to know
more.
Emotional - if you can touch a reader's positive
emotions, they won't be able turn away. Emotions
capture the imagination. One of the most famous
headlines of all time had emotion by the barrel-load:
"My friends all laughed when I sat down at the piano.
But when I began to play..."
Benefit driven - good headlines say what the product
will do for you, not how.
Pose a positive response question - questions in
which the only sensible response is yes can be very
powerful: which of these would make you read on -
'Would you spend $1 to save $100?', or, 'Would you like
to invest in our plan?'
Active - use strong, active words. Passive, weak
writing has no place in copywriting.
Use copywriter's 'magic' words - some words have so
much power that they regularly appear in headlines.
Fourteen common ones are: How to, New, Secret, Save,
Get, Free, Bonus, You, Unique, Exclusive, Now, Why,
Guaranteed, Risk-free.
Short, punchy words. Long words with lots of
syllables are difficult to scan. Avoid them.
Empathize with the reader - show that you understand
and can solve their problem: "Do you despair of ever
losing weight? Discover the secret of how I beat my yo-
yo cycle and lost 42 pounds forever." Know who you are
writing for - understand your target audience - and
write directly to them.
Write lots of headlines and test for the best.
Don't cop out on your headline. Polish it, cherish it
and it will be the key to the success of your web site.
About the Author
Martin Avis publishes a free weekly newsletter:
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