Did you know that you only have 5-7 seconds to make a favourable first impression on your website visitors? (And sometimes it’s even less than that.)
The average web surfer using a search engine visits approximately 25 sites in a span of only 3-4 minutes. That means that you must grab your visitors’ attention right away or risk losing them to a sea of other sites filled with your competitors!
Your headline is your chance to make a lasting impact in those first invaluable seconds, so it’s essential to make it perfect. You want your visitors to sit up and take notice, but how?
This Quick Tip Business Edge Show shares some easy ways to craft headlines that will grab people’s attention and increase your conversion rate by up to 40%.
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Here are 7 valuable ways to craft headlines that will grab people’s attention:
1. Avoid saying “Welcome to my website…”
I know it sounds strange—you want people to know that you appreciate them visiting your site, and it seems like a logical thing to do. However, you don’t want to waste those precious few seconds on a greeting that’s not going to convert into leads or sales.
2. Connect your headline with your SEO research.
Think about those keywords your target audience might type into a search engine to find you, research relevant SEO keywords and make sure your headline incorporates them. Not only is that better for SEO, it also ties together what someone is typing into Google with what they’re seeing when they land on your site.
3. Keep your headline short and sweet.
Don’t try to say everything in your headline; save some for the body copy! You want to focus on 6-12 words to capture visitors’ interest.
4. Get specific and descriptive.
It’s time to go beyond words like “great” and be a bit more creative. Using an online thesaurus can be the perfect way to come up with some different ways of saying things. Use emotionally-triggering words that will motivate your target audience to take action.
5. Watch out for dull words.
It seems like there are certain ruts marketers get into, whether it’s laziness or just thinking a specific phrase works because so many other people are using it! For example, so many headlines promise to “save you time”, but this term is so overused. While that may be true, brainstorm more powerful ways to communicate the same idea, like “seize your precious time.”
6. Don’t oversell.
Of course you want people to buy your product or service, but be careful about promising too much. It’s cheesy and it turns customers off. Is your product really “life-changing?” Can you guarantee a certain result? Make your headline and supporting copy positive yet believable.
7. Test and tweak.
You won’t know what headlines will work and which won’t until you start A/B testing. Play around with different wording and keep an eye on your analytics. By monitoring stats like your bounce rate you’ll be able to see what’s attracting/repelling your target audience.
According to online advertiser WordStream, retargeting ads are 76% more likely to be clicked on than a regular display ad.
I hope that’s given you some excellent ideas for headlines that will convert. So what are you going to do with your 5-7 seconds?!
If you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, or you just don’t have the time to do keyword research, contact us. We’ve helped many small business owners create headlines that convert.
To your business success,
Susan Friesen
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About the Author, Susan Friesen
Located in the lower mainland of B.C., Susan Friesen is a visionary brand strategist, entrepreneur, and founder of British Columbia’s premiere boutique web development and digital marketing agency, eVision Media.
With over 20 years of experience in the industry, she is an expert in helping businesses establish their online presence and create a strong brand identity.
Her passion for empowering entrepreneurs and small business owners to succeed in the digital world has earned her a reputation as a leading authority in the branding and marketing industry.
Visit www.BrandIdentitySteps.com and download your FREE guide: "Unlocking Customer Trust and Business Growth: Your 7-Step Guide to Defining a Compelling Brand Identity that Appeals to Your Perfect Clients".
