In the fast-paced world of the internet, you have less than 15 seconds to make a lasting impression on your website visitors. This brief window is all you have to captivate your audience on your landing page. If you've invested time and resources to drive traffic to your site, it's crucial not to lose them in the blink of an eye. After all, your goal isn't just to increase site visits, but to boost sales. The only product someone might purchase within 15 seconds is a Super Bowl ticket at face value. With the rise of minimalist, quick-loading websites with fewer graphics, your headlines and content become your most potent tools during these crucial 15 seconds.
The primary purpose of a headline is to pique the visitor's interest and entice them to read the text. Without a compelling headline, visitors are unlikely to delve deeper into what you have to offer. Remember, your headline isn't meant to sell, but to spark curiosity and encourage the reader to seek more information.
Certain topics naturally generate more interest than others. Some of the most effective subjects include money, wealth, love, health, and safety. Try crafting three or four headlines around these topics.
There are also specific words that tend to attract more attention. Some of these include: Learn, discover, easy, new, proven, save, you, now, and free. Try incorporating these words into your headlines.
Many successful headlines often start with phrases like "How to…" or "How you can…".
Questions can be effective because they engage the reader. For example, "Where Do You Want To Go Today?" is a question that has resonated with many. Other ways to incorporate questions into your headline include phrases like "Have You Ever…?", "Do You Want To…", "Do You Think You Can…", and "How Do You…".
It's unlikely that you'll craft the perfect headline on your first attempt. Don't be afraid to experiment and gauge the response to each headline.
Ensure you have a system in place to track which headlines are generating responses and which aren't. An easy way to do this is to create multiple identical pages on your site, each with a hit counter. Assign each headline to a specific page and monitor the responses. The headline with the highest number of responses is the winner.
Once you've perfected your headline, it's time to craft your content. Your text should engage the visitor, describe what your product or service can do for them, and guide them towards a sale. Here are some tips:
People respond to benefits, not features. Therefore, it's crucial to translate your product's features into benefits. For example, people aren't interested in a car's six-cylinder, turbo-charged 280-horsepower engine (a feature). They are, however, interested in the quick acceleration and swift merging into highway traffic that the engine provides (benefits).
It's not about how much you say, but how well you say it. After writing your initial text, go back and make it tighter. Reading from a computer screen is harder than reading from paper, and with one hand on the mouse, your visitor is likely to click away as soon as they feel bored.
Most purchases are made on an emotional level. People buy what they want, not what they need. They buy based on how the product or service will make them feel. Your text should evoke these emotions and make them want the product, not convince them that they need it.
If your visitors are savvy enough to navigate the web, they're likely smart enough to see through hype. If your product or service is worthy, it doesn't need hype.
Don't use complex language in an attempt to impress your visitor. Your text should be easy to read and flow naturally.
Grammar and punctuation mistakes can damage your credibility. Use a spell check program, have friends or professionals proofread your site, and simplify your language when in doubt.
For additional help on website selling, consider resources like SiteSell, operated by Ken Evoy, M.D.
