Writing headlines is hard. A great headline can get you clicks, which can lead to higher conversions. But, you’ll come across more bad headlines than good – especially on social media. You have seconds to make an impression before people leave your website. So, we broke it down for you in this step-by-step guide of how to create attention-grabbing headlines.
How to Write the Perfect Headline
When writing copy, the headline matters a lot. Because they’re the first line your customers read, it’ll create the first impression that either draws them in or pushes them away. If your headlines don’t draw the attention of your readers, they probably won’t continue reading and they’ll go somewhere else.
Create headlines by thinking about the following rules of thumb often called the four U’s:
- Your headlines should be unique: Stand out from the crowd with copy that doesn’t come off as boring and robotic.
- Your headlines should be ultra-specific: Provide your readers with enough information to let them know if they’ll want to continue reading. You can use specific numbers and data in your headline to create a bigger impact.
- Your headlines should convey a sense of urgency: Compel your readers to keep reading so they don’t miss out.
- Your headlines should be useful: Communicate the value and benefit to your customers immediately. Focus on the value you bring to people and avoid using ‘salesy’ language because a hard sell is going to not motivate users to keep reading. Instead, focus on incorporating relevant keywords to help your Search
- Engine Optimization (SEO). (Don’t forget to deliver on your promise too or else you’ll come off as click-bait!)
Here are some examples that use the four U’s to create strong attention-driven headlines:
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3 Easy Headline Strategies
You may not be a copywriter, but writing a great headline doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Copywriters use these winning strategies when creating headlines that convert: social proof, a threat, or a gain headline.
1. Social Proof (Piggyback) Headlines
95% of people age 18-34 read reviews before they make their purchasing decisions. Consumers want to see that other people like that product or service before they spend their money. So, by putting social proof in your headlines, you can make it easier for them to make that decision.
Here are some great examples:
- 10,000 Digital Marketing Agencies Used This App to Optimize Operations
- Why Project Managers Are Obsessing Over This Project Management Tool
- $10k+ Drop Shippers Are Shipping This Automation Tool and Here’s Why!
- 5 Tips to Write Blog Introductions From a Copywriting Pro
2. Threat Headlines
A threat headline isn’t threatening your users but shows them how to avoid pain points by reading your content. Some examples would be:
- Read This Checklist Before Moving to a New Country
- The 10 Most Common Website Mistakes Made By Businesses
- 13 Things to Do so You Don’t Lose Your Customers
- 15 Facts About Digital Marketing That You Didn’t Know
3. Gain Headlines
The formula is pretty simple: benefit + promise: your gain headline. What is the benefit of clicking on the social post, and what’s the promise you’re making to them in return for clicking.
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One homepage headline, rewritten three times
Formulas are easy to nod at. Watching a headline get fixed is more useful.
Say you run a bookkeeping firm for dental practices, and your homepage headline reads "Financial Solutions for the Modern Practice." It could sit on any website in any industry. A dentist reading it learns nothing.
First pass, name the reader. "Bookkeeping for Dental Practices." Better. The right person now knows they are in the right place.
Second pass, add the gain. "Bookkeeping for Dental Practices That Closes Your Books by the 5th of Every Month." Now there is a promise with a number in it.
Third pass, add the pain it removes. "Closed Books by the 5th. No More Guessing What Your Practice Made Last Month." Same firm, same service. One headline describes the company. The other describes the dentist's Tuesday.
Every pass removed a vague word and replaced it with a fact. That is the whole job.
Simple Ways to Improve Your Headlines
Besides the obvious of making your headline stand out by being prominent with the right color, font, and graphics, there’s a lot of simple ways you can improve your headlines. Here’s just a few of them.
- Add the words “How to” to your title.
- Communicate a time frame for when people will receive the benefit they’re promised in your headline.
- Add fascination that’ll stop the scroll and have your reader’s saying, “That’s interesting.”
The headline alone can make or break your level of success when it comes to your content. It sets the tone for your copy. With an attention-grabbing headline, you can boost your traffic and ultimately your sales. With the wrong headline, you may be left wondering what went wrong.
The five-second test you can run this afternoon
You have read your own homepage two hundred times. You cannot see it anymore. Borrow someone else's eyes.
- Find a person who does not know your business well. A neighbor works. Your spouse does not.
- Show them the top of your homepage for five seconds, then close the laptop.
- Ask three questions. What does this company do? Who is it for? What would you click next?
- Write down their exact words.
If they cannot answer the first two, the headline is the problem, and no button color will save it. If their words are plainer than yours, steal them. Customers search and think in plain words.
The clever headline trap
A headline with a pun in it feels great in the meeting. Everyone laughs. Then it goes live and the bounce rate climbs, because a visitor who has to decode your headline will leave before they finish.
Our rule: clear beats clever every time on a page that has to sell. Put the wordplay in a social post or an email subject line where a miss costs nothing. On your homepage and service pages, say what you do, who it is for, and what they get. If you want more places where visitors quietly give up, read the top 5 reasons why your website doesn't convert.
Frequently asked questions
What is a website headline that converts? A website headline that converts is the main line at the top of a page that tells the right visitor what you do, who it is for, and what they gain, clearly enough that they keep reading or click. It is specific, useful, and honest about what the page delivers. Clever wording matters far less than instant clarity.
How do I write a headline for my homepage? Write a homepage headline by naming your customer, stating the result they get, and adding a specific detail such as a number or time frame. Start with a plain sentence that describes what you do for whom, then cut every vague word. Test it by showing the page to a stranger for five seconds and asking what you sell.
How do I test whether my website headline is working? Test a website headline by running a five-second test with someone outside your business, then comparing page results before and after a change. Ask the tester what the company does and who it serves. After you publish a new headline, watch bounce rate and clicks on your main button for a few weeks against the old version.
What is the most common website headline mistake? The most common website headline mistake is writing something vague or clever that could appear on any company's site. Lines about solutions, excellence, or innovation tell a visitor nothing in the seconds they give you. Replace abstract words with the customer's name for their problem and a concrete result, and never promise more than the page delivers.
How long should a website headline be? A website headline should be short enough to read in one glance, which for most pages means roughly six to twelve words. Use a supporting line underneath for the detail that does not fit. If you need to choose, keep the specific number or outcome and cut the adjectives, because specifics are what make a reader stay.