When was the last time you picked up the newspaper, looked at the front page, and saw the above the fold headline “Welcome To Our Newspaper”?
That’s right, never. It didn’t happen.
So why do I see this headline on a lot of websites?
Welcome To My Website
This may earn you an “A” for manners, it does nothing to satisfy my curiosity about your company. I clicked. I visited. You showed me nothing.
Lets pretend for a second I’m your average website reader. I’m the one you want to win over, to get more online business.
Tell me why I’m there. Who are you? What do you do? Are we a good fit? I won’t know with a headline like that. Lets face it, I’m only hanging around for a couple seconds, so you better make things snappy.
Like any other website visitor you may attract, I have the attention span of a gnat. Your home page headline is the equivalent to the above the fold headline on the paper.
Show me what’s important.
The headline is your opportunity to grab a reader. It’s that nugget of info that readers will use to decide whether or not to commit.
It’s also a bit of precious real estate that Google and the other search engines use to determine the value of your site. Keywords in your headlines are particularly useful when it comes to SEO.
So stop trying to make me feel all warm and fuzzy by welcoming me. Instead, tell me how I’ll benefit from reading on. Make me a promise and keep it.
How To Write Copy That Wins You Business
See where that might appeal to a business owner looking to increase his bottom line in the digital age?
How To Lose 20 Pounds In 20 Days
There’s a headline that tells me exactly what to expect.
Both of these may be better blog headlines, so lets go back to the home page. The first one is a good blog title for a copywriter. Remember, this is the first exposure people may have to your business. A good copywriter headline would be:
Corporate Writing Services To Increase Your Revenue
Right there, right away important questions are answered. A lot of small businesses might be skeptical about hiring a copywriter because of a shrinking marketing budget. This headline (and hopefully ensuing copy) would help put customers at ease. It also has the added benefit of including a keyword.
The second example seems good for a health club owner. A good potential home page headline might be:
A Fitness Center Committed To Helping You Lose Weight
Again, a strong promise.
So, to recap: Enticing and riveting beats out polite and welcoming every time. Make me a promise. Tell me what you do, and I might just stick around.
Matt Brennan is a Chicago-area marketing writer and copy editor. He is also the author of Write Right-Sell Now.
