Avoid These Common Website Headline Writing Mistakes
Having a strong headline and header on your website is essential for attracting your target audience and retaining site visitors. Not only do they serve as the first thing that visitors see when they land on your page, but they also provide a snapshot of what your website is about and what value it offers.
However, it's easy to make mistakes when crafting your headline and header, which can lead to confusion and a high bounce rate. In this blog post, we'll explore the importance of having a clear and compelling headline and header, the key questions that they should answer, common mistakes to avoid, and tips for creating an effective one.
By following these guidelines, you can improve your website's chances of attracting and retaining visitors, and ultimately converting them into customers by writing better headlines.
The Importance of a Strong Homepage Headline and Header for Your Website
Having a strong homepage headline and header is crucial for the success of your website. These elements serve as the first thing that visitors see when they land on your page, and they can either entice them to stay and explore your website further or cause them to bounce and go elsewhere. That's why it's important to craft a headline and header that clearly communicates the value of your website and what it offers to visitors. Effective homepage headlines and headers should be able to answer three key questions that visitors will have when they arrive on your page: what do you do, how will it make my life better, and what do I need to do to buy or get started?
By answering these questions clearly and concisely, you can keep visitors on your page and guide them towards taking action, whether that be purchasing a product or service, filling out a form to receive more information, or signing up for a newsletter.
Without a strong headline and header, visitors may become confused or unsure of what your website is about, leading to a high bounce rate and a decreased chance of converting them into customers. So, it is essential to invest time and effort into writing effective headlines and headers that will help your website achieve its goals of making money and collecting leads.
The 3 Questions Your Homepage Headlines and Headers Must Answer For Your Target Audience
When visitors land on your website, they will have certain questions that they want to be answered in order to determine whether or not your product or service is a good fit for their needs. That's why it's essential when you write headlines and headers to clearly and concisely answer the following three questions:
What do you do? This question is all about explaining the value of your product or service and how it solves a problem for the customer. It's important to be specific and succinct and to highlight the main benefits of your offering.
How is this going to make my life better? Once a visitor understands what your product or service does, they will want to know how it will benefit them. This question is all about outlining the ways in which your product or service will make the customer's life easier, more efficient, or more enjoyable.
If this is exactly what I'm looking for, what do I need to do to buy now or get started? If a visitor is interested in your product or service, they will want to know what steps they need to take in order to make a purchase or get started. This could be as simple as clicking a "buy now" button or filling out a form to receive more information. By including clear and concise calls to action in your headline and header, you can guide visitors toward taking the next step in their journey with you.
By answering these three questions in your homepage headlines and headers, you can effectively communicate the value of your product or service and guide visitors toward taking action.
Homepage Headline Examples Using This Framework:
Headline example from my homepage:
(How will you make my life better?) Grow Your Business & Dominate Your Industry
(What do you do?) Storytelling Marketing That Makes You Better Connect With Customers & Standout Online
(What do I need to do to get started or buy now? CTA) Schedule a Call
Headline example from RestoreU Wellness
(How will you make my life better?) Get Back To Feeling And Performing Your Best.
(What do you do?) A Telemedicine Practice Specializing in Hormone Replacement and Functional Medicine.
(What do I need to do to get started or buy now? CTA) Get Started
Headline example from CMM Financial
(How will you make my life better?) YOUR COMPLETE FINANCIAL TEAM TO REACH YOUR FINANCIAL GOALS
(What do you do?) Accounting | Bookkeeping | Tax Planning | Financial Strategy
(What do I need to do to get started or buy now? CTA) Schedule a Call
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Crafting Your Homepage Headlines and Header
Crafting the best homepage headline and header for your website requires careful consideration and attention to detail. Unfortunately, it's easy to make mistakes that can confuse or mislead visitors, or fail to effectively communicate your value proposition.
Some common mistakes that people make when creating a headline and header include:
Including too much text: It's important to keep your headline and header concise and easy to scan. While you want to provide enough information to give visitors a sense of what your website is about, you don't want to overwhelm them with too much information. Aim for fewer words and clarity. The best headlines are the clearest.
Using poor image choices: The images you choose should be relevant to the problem or product/service you offer, and should visually communicate your value proposition. Avoid using images that are unrelated or that don't effectively convey the benefits of your offering.
Failing to clearly articulate your value proposition: Your headline and header should clearly communicate the benefits of your product or service and why the customer should choose you over competitors. Be specific about what makes your offering unique and valuable, and make sure to highlight any key features or benefits.
By avoiding these common mistakes, you can create a headline and header that effectively communicates your value proposition and guides visitors toward taking action.
How to Test the Effectiveness of Your Headline and Header
It's important to regularly test the effectiveness of your website's headline and header to ensure that they are effectively communicating your value proposition and keeping visitors engaged. There are a few different ways you can do this:
Show your headline and header to someone and ask them to answer the three questions we discussed earlier (what do you do, how will it make my life better, and what do I need to do to buy or get started?). If they can't do it quickly and easily, it's a sign that your headline and header may need some work.
Analyze your website's bounce rate. This is a measure of how long visitors are staying on your page before leaving. A high bounce rate can indicate that your headline and header aren't effectively keeping visitors engaged.
Use A/B testing to compare the performance of different headline and header variations. This can help you determine which version is most effective at attracting and retaining visitors.
By regularly testing the effectiveness of your headline and header, you can identify any areas for improvement and make adjustments to increase the chances of converting visitors into customers.
How to Write a Good Website Headline: Tips for Creating a Catchy Headline and Header for Your Website
Creating a great headline and header for your website can help attract and retain visitors, and ultimately convert them into customers. Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing headlines and headers:
Keep it concise and easy to scan: Aim for brevity and clarity when creating headlines. Use simple, direct language and avoid using too much text.
Use relevant and visually appealing images: Choose images that are relevant to the problem or product/service you offer, and that visually communicate your value proposition. Avoid using unrelated or low-quality images.
Clearly communicate your value proposition: A good headline and header should clearly communicate the benefits of your product or service and why the customer should choose you over competitors. Be specific about what makes your offering unique and valuable.
Use actionable language to encourage the visitor to take action: Include clear and concise calls to action in your headline and header to guide visitors towards taking the next step in their journey with you.
Test your homepage headline and header to ensure they are effectively answering the three questions and keeping visitors engaged: Regularly test the effectiveness of your homepage headline and header to identify any areas for improvement and make adjustments to increase the chances of converting visitors into customers.
Your homepage headline and header are crucial elements that can make or break the success of your online presence. If you're struggling to craft a headline and header that effectively communicates your value proposition and keeps visitors engaged, it's time to take a stand and make a change.
At Sean Garner Consulting, we understand the importance of having strong and engaging headlines and headers, and we're here to help you create one that will make you stand out as the go-to leader in your industry.
We will work with you to create a complete StoryBrand brand script that not only covers your perfect headline and header, but all of your marketing materials as well so that your business grows and you DOMINATE your industry.
Don't let a weak headline and header hold you back any longer. If you're ready to take your website to the next level and start attracting and retaining more visitors, it's time to schedule a call with us.
We'll work with you to create a headline and header that clearly communicates your value proposition, keeps visitors engaged, and helps you convert more visitors into customers. So don't wait – take control of your online presence and schedule a call with us today!
