Did you know that the main job of any headline is to get the reader to keep reading?

This is true whether it’s a headline in a newspaper, advert, blog post, Instagram caption or (yep, you’ve guessed it) your website.

Why are headlines so important for your website copy?
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because⁠
⁠
people⁠
⁠
scroll⁠.
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When reading websites, people skim, scan and scroll. This means that when writing (and laying out) the copy on your website, you need to take into account how people read websites so that you can maximise the chance of your carefully written (and, let’s be honest, amazing) copy actually being read by your ideal clients.

This is even more important on your website homepage. Why? Because according to a study by Microsoft, you have only 8 seconds to grab someone’s attention before they will bounce away.

8 seconds?! (according to the study that is shorter than the attention span of a GOLDFISH!). Talk about a challenge.

Luckily, you have a powerful weapon to fight against losing your website visitor‘s (i.e. your ideal client) attention: your homepage headlines.

On your website homepage, your main page headline acts as the hook to draw in your ideal client and make them go to the next line…and then the next…and the next…⁠

This is what you want! You want them to read your copy because that is where you are going to be hitting on the reasons why they need your services and how you can help them overcome their problems and achieve their desires.

⁠Here are 3 quick tips for writing more eye-catching headlines for your homepage so that your ideal client keeps reading (and then runs to work with you).

1. Make sure your main homepage headline (the one at the very top) makes it clear what you do, for whom + to what end. Hit on the BENEFIT of your services⁠:

e.g. “I help you [what you do] so that [the benefit to your ideal client]”
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2. Avoid jargon, technical terms or puns – think about the language your ideal client is using about what you do/their problem.⁠

e.g. if your ideal client doesn’t know what a SEO-manager does, don’t just say you are a SEO-manager. Break it down for them so that they understand.
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3. Draw your reader to the next line by leaving a question unanswered or being mysterious – pique their curiosity so they just HAVE to keep reading.⁠

e.g. “Making yourself visible on Instagram doesn’t have to be difficult”

This type of headline will make your ideal client want to know how this is possible, and so they will keep reading!

Need more tips? Listen to Episode 16 of The Copy Coach podcast where I share the 3 types of headlines I consider to be a must-have for your homepage.