How many times have you been to a site and, at a quick glance, you’re not even sure what it’s all about? Maybe the site uses a whole lot of technical jargon you don’t understand, or maybe they’ve decided to forgo a headline altogether and just use an image rotator instead. Whatever the case may be, the lack of an attention-grabbing headline is a missed opportunity in helping to connect with and draw in your visitors.

Today, I want to chat a bit about what makes a killer headline and call-to-action that helps convert site visitors.

When working on your website’s headline, consider the following:

  • A good headline will grab your visitors’ attention: the idea is to stop them in their tracks and actually make them take pause for a moment before continuing to scan your site.
  • A good headline gives your visitor something to resonate with: maybe you’ll do this by calling them out on their biggest pain point, or maybe by offering them up a solution they know for sure they need.
  • A good headline gives your reader a basic understanding of what your site is all about: because vague = bad!

After you’ve created the perfect headline for your site, you’ll want to give your users something that they can immediately take action on, in case they choose to do so. Our goal as website creators is to make taking action as simple as possible for our prospective customers, so you’ll never want to be without a primary call to action.

A good call to action:

  • Has a clear and compelling message: you’ll want to avoid vague and generic call to actions like “sign up” or “download now.” Instead, you’ll want to use something more specific and compelling like “Try it Free for a Month” or “Sign Up Now and Receive Your Free Guide.”
  • Creates a sense of urgency: whenever possible, it’s always a good idea to provide some urgency with your call to action, as people in general put off what doesn’t seem pressing. Something as simple as “Sign Up Now” versus a plain “Sign Up” can help increase your conversions.
  • Is the perfect companion to your primary headline: you’ll want to ensure your call to action makes sense in relation to your primary headline. If your headline is encouraging users to take advantage of a free offer, you (obviously!) wouldn’t want your call to action to direct users to a different web page entirely.