Copyright © 2002 by Robert D. Boduch

Without a powerful headline, your message stands little chance of being noticed in an increasingly competitive marketplace. If your headline doesn’t capture attention and pull prospects into your copy, than your marketing effort is a total waste of energy and resources.

Nothing is more important to getting your message noticed than your headlines. If you’re not allocating a sizable percentage of your time and creative effort to headline used on each page of your website, you could be losing out on a large chunk of business.

Top copywriters understand this concept well. They know how essential it is to capture attention by literally stopping pre-occupied prospects in their tracks.

Following are five good reasons why your site headlines deserve greater emphasis and attention.

1) Headlines Are Natural Attention Getters. Most online prospects quickly skim web copy looking for a reason to stay or a reason to go. No one reads body copy of a page without first being pulled in by a strong lead, delivered by a compelling headline or sub-heading.

Headlines are first things your visitors see. They jump right out visually and command attention by being set distinctly above rest of text. Often typeface, size, and style used for headlines contrasts with that used in body copy. This proven approach naturally attracts eyeballs, virtually forcing interested prospects to grasp key message and to read on due to its magnetic appeal.

According to advertising legend David Ogilvy, 5 times more people read headlines than body copy. Although Ogilvy was talking about print advertising in general, observation is certainly applicable to websites as well.

With 5 times readership, headlines have power and capability to make any message much more successful.

2) Site Headlines Serve As Valuable Guides To Busy People. Headlines reveal key details. They tip off readers as to what follows. A strong headline provides clear signals to help readers decide whether they should stick around for full message, or dash off to something else – something better suited to their own special needs and interests.

That is, unless you give them a reason to stay.

Take a good hard look at your web site - is it optimized in your favor? What does a visitor first see when they arrive? Does headline make them screech to a halt? Does your sales letter's first paragraph hook them in? Tick, tick, tick.... remember, 10 seconds is all you have.

If your conversion rate is telling a dismal tale, it's time to make some changes. And, as unglamorous as it may be, it all comes down to your sales letter. If your sales are nonexistent, now's time to act. Fast. Before your business becomes one of 95% that fail.

Here's infamous 'Top 10' checklist - does your sales letter do following?

1) Does it engage reader on a personal level? Write like you're talking to your best friend, your grandmother, whomever your target market is. If it's not personal, it's useless.

Use words 'you' and 'your' whenever possible - try to forgo words 'I' and 'me.' After all, it's not about you -- it's about them.

2) Try to incorporate your target market into your headline. If you're going after car enthusiasts, say 'Car Enthusiasts Usually Disagree... Except On This One Thing.' If you're going after dog lovers, it would be 'Dog Lovers Usually Disagree...Except On This One Thing.'

Do everything possible to make your reader identify with subject matter, to hook them into reading more.

3) Always use KISS principle when writing (Keep It Simple Stupid). Don't get lost in your own words - this is not time to impress with your astonishing vocabulary - write for common man/woman. Don't bore them into clicking away.