In an earlier post, I covered what to test on a sales page – your headline is perhaps the most important as it is the first thing your visitors see. And it is not just for sales pages. Learning how to create and test different headlines will also help you when you write a blog post or an email message.
You must write a headline that will get clicks from your ideal audience. If you craft the headline wrong, you may get clicks from the wrong audience. The wrong people clicking through will not increase sales. Therefore, you need to ensure your headlines match the intent of your audience that you want to come to the sales page (or other pieces of content).
The best way to fix your headlines is to test them. After considering your audience and who you want to see the sales page or landing page, after brainstorming at least 20 to 50 headlines for each sales page, choose three to five headlines for your sales page to test.
Essentially, you’ll have three to five different headlines, but the sales page will be exactly the same otherwise. Testing them at the same time is usually best, but you can also just do one at a time while tracking to see what works and what doesn’t work.
When you write your headlines, throw out the lessons you learned in English class, and focus instead on marketing. The fact is only about two percent of those who read your headlines are going to click through, but you can improve it over time as you learn how to create and test different headlines.
Use Pronouns to Talk Directly to Your Audience
It’s okay to use words like “you” in your content and especially on your sales pages and in headlines. You want to talk directly to your audience just like I am doing right now when I mention you in this sentence.
Promise a Valid Solution to Their Pressing Problems![how to create and test different headlines offer solution]()
Your audience, as much as they may love you, only cares about what’s in it for them. What problem will you solve with your solution? Tell them right in the headline. “Use This Method to Sleep Soundly Every Night.”
Give Your Customers Hope for a Better Future
Tell them the results of the solution you’re offering to them in the headline. “Lose 20 Pounds by Christmas” is straight forward and tells them their future will be better.
Tell Them How to Do something Better or Best
Studies show that when an audience sees words like “better” or “best,” they tend to click on the link more often. However, don’t trick them. Make sure your headline matches what you deliver to them.
Provide Evidence for Supporting Your Assumptions
If you can put any proof or stats in your headline that is always interesting to your audience.
Give Advice
When you give advice and are an expert, people often listen. “Why You Should Stop Doing This One Thing Now.” Insert the one thing you want your audience to stop.
Get Personal
Share your experience with your audience in the headline. “What I Learned About Weight Loss the Hard Way.”
Keep Your Headlines Simple
You only have so much space for your headlines to show up in search results appropriately. Keep your headlines to the right length. This will require that you keep it simple.
Be Very Specific
The more specific you can make your headlines, the better. Leave out words that you don’t need to advance the meaning of the headline.
Don’t Be Passive
When you are writing any type of content, it’s best to avoid passive voice. Instead of worrying about this as you write, use your editing software like Grammarly or Word to help you locate and eliminate passive voice.
Brainstorm Every Headline![how to create and test different headlines brainstorm]()
When you create a sales page, a blog post, or anything that needs a headline, try writing at least 20 to 50 of them for each page. The reason you want to write so many is that it will take time to get the right one, and through brainstorming, you’ll find it.
Finally, consider using technology to help you learn how to create and test different headlines. One such headline analyzer is at Advanced Marketing Institute. (https://www.aminstitute.com/headline/)
In the meantime, read many headlines and practice writing them. Notice how they make you feel. Create a “swipe file” of headlines that you feel work well with you (ie. made you want to read more). Use them as examples to create your own and then test them using Google Analytics to ensure they work for your needs.
