The headline is the most-read sentence on your whole site. Most are vague (“Welcome to our website”) or full of buzzwords (“Innovative solutions for modern businesses”). Here is a better way.
A simple formula
What you do + for whom + the result they get.
Not every headline needs all three, but if yours has none of them, it is not doing its job.
Before and after
- Before: “Excellence in landscaping.” After: “Gardens that look good all year, with no weekend work for you.”
- Before: “Strategic legal solutions.” After: “Clear legal advice for small business owners, in plain English.”
- Before: “Welcome to Studio North.” After: “Pilates classes small enough that your coach knows your name.”
These are illustrations of the technique, not real clients.
Rules that help
- Be specific. A number, a place or a person beats an adjective.
- Talk about them, not you. “You” should appear more than “we”.
- Say it out loud. If you would not say it to a friend, cut it.
- Match the button. The headline promises, the button delivers: “Book a free call”.
Common mistakes
- Clever puns that need explaining
- Jargon your customers do not use
- Stuffing in every service you offer
Test it
Show your headline to someone outside your industry for five seconds, then ask what you sell. If they get it right, you have a winner. If not, simplify and try again.