The subheads tell the story.
What if you could make a simple change to your Web pages that would boost performance? One that removed barriers so visitors moved quickly and easily toward conversion. Well, you’d make more money from your website…but how much would the upgrade cost?
Supercharge Your Website WITHOUT Costly Design Changes
I’ve been emailing Mohawk Valley Chamber of Commerce members to take me up on a free homepage content audit. That’s prompted me to look at lots of websites. I’ve found a common mistake in many of them…the text is too dense.
What do you do when you get to a site and see long, thick paragraphs of text? You probably click away. Who wants to wade through all those words?
But have you ever noticed how easy it is when the text is broken down into sub-heads? You get the site’s message quickly and easily. As you breeze thru the site, you might say to yourself, “My questions are getting answered quickly, I can definitely do business here.” Without sub-heads, you’re inviting your visitor to choose not to read your messages.
However, the sub-heads must be written right.
How to Move Visitors Through Your Site with Subheads
Subheads break up the copy into nice, readable segments. A serious reader will take in all of your text and read from the first line to the last. The quick one need just scan the subheads looking for points of interest. With subheads, you can please them both.
In fact, if you can work it right, just reading the subheads can sell your product or service. Take a look at this Product Sales Page from C & H Plastics, one of my clients. I’ve written all the benefits of the product in just the subheads. They’re really all you need!
From my American Artists & Writers Inc. Copywriter’s Cheat Sheet modified for the Web:
- Subheads are like miniature headlines that appear on your pages.
- Subheads keep the copy on your pages powering forward.
- Some of your website visitors will only read the subheads, so they must be enticing.
- Some people will only start reading the page at a subhead that interests them.
- The best subheads can be read in order to tell the whole story of the page.
Click on the screen shot above for another of my client’s pages, Computer Connection of CNY, and see the benefits in each subhead. See how easy it is to glide down the page to get the advantages of doing business with them.
One word of caution is that though the idea here is pretty simple, it’s not easy to write enticing subheads that draw the reader in and move him/her forward. You must think hard about the features and benefits of your product or service. And, stick to the topic of the Web page. As always, give me a call if you need help.
Until next time,
Nick
PS My offer is still open for a free homepage audit. I'll analyze the elements of content that make you money. Just get in touch, I'll complete the reveiw, and your don't pay a dime. There's a very good chance you'll get advice that's immediately actionable that will improve your site's performance.
Nick Burns specializes in SEO Web Writing, website information architecture, content marketing, consulting, and publishing. Face-to-face service in Utica, Rome, Syracuse, Central New York, Upstate New York, and the Mohawk Valley. Otherwise online and phone works well for clients. Phone Nick at 315.738.1890 (toll free 1.866.738.1890) or contact here.
