5 Things Small Business Owners Should Do Online Today to Improve Website ROI: Revise Web Site Content.
Chris Brogan had a great blog post titled, "5 Things Small Business Owners Should Do Today Online." I blogged about my own ideas and have slowly been following up, recently discussing the importance of setting website goals.
Today, we'll talk about presenting better content; specifically headlines.
It's all about conversion. You have your list of measurable goals for your website, so now is the time to make sure that you're talking to your visitor's needs on every page. Most people who visit a website are looking for a solution. Does your website convey your solution in an easy to read manner?
Website visitors make a judgement within seconds as to whether the site or page is what they are looking for. Tests show that about 80% of your visitors read headlines while only 1 in 5 will read the rest of the page. Make it easy by displaying your offer at the top of the page and probably in the headline. Make sure your prime message is obvious and above the fold.
Headlines should express the benefit, using keywords, in an attractive way. Which headline is most captivating?
Men's Winter Coat – Save 25%
or
Men's Waterproof Fleece Jacket With Hood – Save 25% For a Limited Time!
Don't welcome visitors to your website with something like, "Welcome to our website." That message does nothing for your site's conversion rate and ROI. The headline on your Home page should say something like, "Expert Commercial Roofing – 10 Year Guarantee" or "7 Tips to Save Money on…." or "Create the Low Maintenance Yard Your Neighbors Will Envy."
Create Swipefiles to Generate Attention Grabbing Headlines
If you're not a great writer and don't want to hire someone, you can Google "swipefiles" or "headline swipefiles" to get some ideas. And here's another tip, magazine headline writers know how to get people to open up their publications. Use them for inspiration by going to the library or tossing covers into your own swipe file.
Always ask the question, "What's in it for them?" Then encourage them to take action! To do this you need power verbs in your calls to action. I'm sure you can find a great list of power verbs online. Here's a partial list from something I downloaded:
Accelerate, Achieve, Avoid, Boost, Build, Capture, Change, Clobber, Conquer, Create, Develop, Discover, Explore, Finalize, Generate, Identify, Improve, Increase, Inspire, Lead, Learn, Master, Motivate, Overcome, Persuade, Prevent, Profit, Reduce, Replace, Save, Simplify, Solve, Stimulate, Take, Unleash, Use, Win.
Looking for other ideas to make your website better? I've posted, "The 5 Biggest Mistakes Most People Make With Their Websites." Maybe that will give you additional insight and ideas!
– Kurt Scholle
I agree that decisions are made in seconds: should you tease so they go deeper into the site or should you be upfront with what people need to know?
I’d side with the tease, but it’s a matter of opinion I guess. What do you think?