I really wish there was an easy, step-by-step recipe to write landing page headlines that automatically bring conversions. Unfortunately, effective landing page headlines do not follow a “one size fits all” principle. You must consider your target audience, the products you offer, and the type of business to make sure that it appeals to the readers and drive conversions.
Although there are no shortcuts or secrets to creating high-converting landing page headlines, there are some best practices and formulae that can help create that magic.
So, let’s get started.
Building Blocks of a Good Landing Page Headline
A powerful landing page headline follows certain thumb rules. You can tweak them according to the purpose of the landing page and your USPs.
Here are the key ingredients that make a winning headline recipe.
Impart a consistent experience to the readers.
Your custom landing page design is not a siloed component of your marketing campaign. Your PPC ad, social media post, email, and landing page must be in sync with each other. Draft a headline that establishes the connection between the source and landing page. For instance: If a user lands on your landing page from your email, there should be a link between the two.
Here’s an example to inspire you.
Moo sends this innovative email to promote their offer that’s revealed on the landing page. It piques the reader’s curiosity and makes them click through. Once the user clicks on the CTA “Push the lever”, they will be redirected to the respective landing page.
The headline “Those are some gorgeous toaster marks” is aligned with the email and tells a compelling story.
Use some formulae to create the headline.
You don’t need to open several tabs for inspiration while drafting the headline. Keep it simple and centered around your offerings.
It should revolve around three objectives:
- Highlight a benefit or agitate the reader by showcasing a challenge
- Overcome the problem
- Get the readers interested
The best headlines combine all the three objectives in a single statement. However, if that’s not possible, you can focus on one of them.
Take a look at this landing page by Email Uplers. The headline “Your reliable full-service email marketing agency” along with the sub-headline “We help you maximize your conversions with email” clearly define their USPs and what they offer.
Make it conversational.
Use first-person narrative in your landing page headline to make it about the user. According to Content Verve, first person pronouns in the CTA like “I” and “my” bring better conversion rates than second person narratives like “you” and “your.”
The same holds for the headline too.
See how Carnival has employed this tactic in their landing page headline to promote their VIFP club. It will instantly connect with the reader and encourage them to activate their exclusive offer.
Keep it short.
Long headlines ruin the essence of your copy. Keep it short enough to hook the readers and make them learn more about your brand. It should complement the CTA and prompt the readers to take action.
Take a look at this short and sweet headline by Zillow: “Renting just got easier”
It will compel the readers to type in the search bar and explore the rental properties. The image triggers their aspirational instinct and makes them curious to look around the website.
Add a bit of fun (and pun) element.
Once in a while, you can tread the road not taken. You can use pun and humor in the headlines to promote attractive offers on your website. Harry’s has added an element of pun in the headline by modifying the idiom “Put your best foot forward.” It is a great way to grab the reader’s attention and make them click on the CTA.
Such tricks work well during the Holiday season too. Here’s an example from Rue La La.”
Make it about the offer.
This tip is most effective for eCommerce industry marketers. Whenever you have a discount offer to promote, say it out loud through your landing page headline. Add a compelling copy to go with the headline and some attractive visuals to showcase what’s hot and the products available in the sale.
Check this landing page by TeeTurtle that highlights the products on sale through the headline. It is accompanied with a pretty image showcasing their products. They have created a sense of urgency by mentioning “Today only” in the sub-headline. The countdown timer at the end of the page helps generate instant conversions.
Track the performance and keep optimizing for better results.
Keep tabs on the analytics like click-through rate, click-to-conversion rate, and overall conversion rate. Based on these insights, optimize the landing page for better results. You can even A/B test different headlines and see which one performs better. Accordingly, you can revise and finalize the copy.
For instance: In the below example, Version A performed better than Version B as it was more in sync with the source PPC ad. It increased leads by 115% as the ad and landing page work in perfect sync with each other.
SourceWrapping Up
Landing pages are the gateway to conversions. If done right, they can boost your business growth and bring unmatched results for you. As your headline is the first thing that the user will notice on the landing page, you must pay special attention to it. The copywriting tips and examples shared here will surely help you create impactful headlines. I hope you won’t have to bank on those AI copywriting tools anymore.
Drop your views and experience in the comments below.
Kevin George is Head of Marketing at Email Uplers, one of the fastest growing custom email design and coding companies, and specializes in crafting professional email templates, PSD to HTML email conversion and free responsive HTML email templates in addition to providing email automation, campaign management, and data integration & migration services. He loves gadgets, bikes, jazz and eats and breathes email marketing. He enjoys sharing his insights and thoughts on email marketing best practices on his blog.
Landing page stock image by Eviart/Shutterstock
