How to write the perfect landing page headline
Did the article title capture your attention?
You’re reading this, so I’d say that’s mission accomplished.
And that’s why the headline is the most important part of any article. It’s the key to your store. It’s the password to your sale.
Without an attention-grabbing headline, readers will simply click away to the infinite other offers available.
If you want to discover everything you need to know about writing a magnetic headline, read on. You’ll discover how choosing the perfect handful of words has the power to bring customers tumbling onto your landing pages.
So, how do you write the type of headline that will turn readers into customers?
Make an impact
Research has shown that eight out of ten people will read the headline, but only two out of those ten will go on to read the rest. That headline has to pack a punch. Like a crafty crocodile lurking beneath a lake, it has to jump out and grab your reader by the throat.
Keep it brief but keep it interesting. You need to hook your readers in.
A good headline is easy to understand and draws readers in at the first glance.
The perfect headline length is six or seven words, and certainly under 10.
Use power words
Great landing pages are uncluttered, laser-focussed and provide the essential information your customers are looking for. Confident and well-written content encourages readers to trust you and your product.
Don’t waffle, get to the point. And quickly. Use power words. Here are five power words you can’t ignore:
Forget ‘them’ – It’s all about ‘you’
When we read ‘you’, our brains respond in a similar way to hearing our own names. It’s a little word with a huge impact.
It makes your reader feel individual and special. We all need to feel special! Don’t bore your readers by talking too much about yourself. The truth is we’re all looking out for #1. If your readers can quickly see how they’ll benefit, you’ll keep them interested.
Easy
Let’s face it, human nature is largely lazy. That’s why offering an ‘easy’ way to solve your prospect’s problems will always be popular.
Secret
This word inspires your readers to find out more. It’s intriguing, and taps into our curiosity. We want to find out more.
Save
Offer to save your readers effort or money. Maybe both.
Results
No-one wants to waste time or money on something that may not work. This little word promises to deliver.
Be a problem-solver
You need to get your prospect’s attention before you can persuade them to act. And the best way to do this…?
Poke their emotions.
People don’t want to buy stuff; they want something that will solve their problems. Here are four formulas for creating emotional headlines:
Problem / Solution
What problem do your customers have that can be solved by your product or service?
A good landing page uses the main headline to confirm the offer and a sub-heading to add value and more detail. In other words, your headline has to demonstrate why your offer is the answer to their problems.
- Here’s a Quick Way to (Solve a problem)
- Here’s a Quick Way to Find Your Perfect Job
- Here’s a Quick Way to Prevent Hair Loss
- Get Rid of…(problem) Once and For All
- Get Rid of Frizzy Hair Once and For All
- Get Rid of Ants Once and For All
How To…
This is an eternal favourite because it promises to teach you something. Who doesn’t want to learn how to do something better?
How to Make Money Doing Something You Love
How to Learn Chinese Cookery the Easy Way
Testimonial
Looking for an easy way to write an attention-grabbing headline? Get your customers to write it. Picking out a glowing or amusing quote will often result in an original and memorable headline. Plus, of course, it demonstrates your product / service works. Word of mouth is an invaluable marketing tool.
Did I mention the benefits?
As we’ve already established, what your readers really want to know is ‘what’s in it for me?’.
Show the value your product / service will bring. And how that will bring even more benefits.
Introduce an emotional hook by tapping into the prospect’s emotions. Think about how your product can solve their problem right now. How signing up for (insert your service / product / webinar) will bring about (this benefit) even if you have this (listed problem).
- How…(product) will cure (problem) ….
- How Snow-Be-Gone Shampoo Banishes the Shame of Dandruff
- The Quantum Accounting System Has Successful Business Owners Raving About Their Improved Cash Flow
Focus most of your attention on the headline
Creating great landing pages is easy with software such as Landing Page Monkey. But generating headlines is trickier. The headline should stimulate curiosity, promise something powerful and seize the reader’s attention. You need to tease their inquisitiveness so they can’t stop reading your page.
Above all, highlight your main point in the headline.
Are you confident your customers really understand your offer? You should spend more time on your headline than any other part of your page.
Don’t forget the sub-headline
Spend more time creating your headline than anything else, then turn to your subheading – the text just below your headline that expands your message.
Use sub-headings and bullet points to ensure your message hits home. Creative use of fonts and colours will guide your customer through the page.
Last of all, check your headline’s pulling power with the use of AIDA. Has your headline seized their ATTENTION, has it focussed their INTEREST, stimulated their DESIRE and most importantly, will it motivate them to take ACTION?
A landing page is only as good as the conversion it motivates.
And for the over-achievers out there, don’t forget to split test. Set up a test to see which headline produces the most click-throughs.
Software such as Landing Page Monkey offers a super-easy way to do this. It’s integrated with HitsConnect so your landing pages can be turned into powerful tracking campaigns with a single click. You can take advantage of Landing Page Monkey’s clone feature and HitsConnect’s rotators to split test countless headlines, fonts, and color variations quickly and easily.
Once you have a winner, come up with a new challenger and try to beat your best conversion rate.
Follow these guidelines and you’ll be writing headlines like the pros in no time. Then sit back and watch the clicks mount up.