{"id":5004,"date":"2015-07-29T18:51:38","date_gmt":"2015-07-29T23:51:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/?p=5004"},"modified":"2015-07-29T18:51:38","modified_gmt":"2015-07-29T23:51:38","slug":"how-to-write-web-copy-that-sells-effective-headlines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.invespcro.com\/blog\/how-to-write-web-copy-that-sells-effective-headlines\/","title":{"rendered":"Writing Effective Headlines – How to Write Web Copy that Sells"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

If you\u2019ve skipped to Part 2 of this series because all you’re really looking for are\u00a0quick tips to help your web copywriting, and you\u2019re all \u201cyeah, yeah, yeah\u201d about the Preparation steps outlined in Part 1, please at least scan Part 1: Preparation<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s for a web page, a landing page, an email – any digital marketing copy – even if you write the world\u2019s most amazing copy ever, if it doesn\u2019t meet the criteria set out in Part 1, the effort could easily be wasted.<\/p>\n

For businesses, great web copy must be more than good writing. It must convert readers or at least carry the them along the path towards conversion. Without properly preparing to write conversion-focused copy, you won\u2019t. And then your page won\u2019t sell as much, or generate as many leads or ever be fully optimized to do either.Preview Changes<\/a><\/p>\n

Turn the Mountain into Mole Hills Part 2<\/strong><\/p>\n

As mentioned in Part 1, a major hurdle between you and a finished page of copy is the huge mountain of effort you see before you when you start out. It\u2019s discouraging, creates writer\u2019s block and turns writing into a chore; which it can\u2019t be if it is to reach its highest potential.<\/p>\n

AIDA on the Page<\/strong><\/p>\n

One way to segment the copy of your page, indeed all of the page’s elements, including graphics, images, videos, testimonials etc., is to imagine the entire page as a microcosm of your larger marketing model.<\/p>\n

Using our old favorite AIDA (Awareness, Interest, Desire, Action) as an example, your overall digital marketing campaign can be segmented according to the stages of the marketing model, and your web copy\u00a0can\u00a0do the same. If you think of this as you go through each of the writing steps that follow below and in Part 3 of the series, it will help you understand the role each step plays in the reader\u2019s cognitive progression towards conversion<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"AIDA<\/a><\/p>\n

To help you better understand this idea, we have listed the role\u00a0each writing step plays in the AIDA model beside the heading for each step. Even if you use a more modern marketing model than AIDA, you should still see how each step of writing can relate to a stage of the model.<\/p>\n

Without further ado, if you break down your web copywriting into the following steps, it will be easier to do and more successful too:<\/p>\n

1. The Headline – Awareness<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first thing you need to know about your headline is that it is the most important copy you will write. If it doesn\u2019t single-handedly grab the reader, they are unlikely to read past it. And move past it to the rest of the page is precisely what you want them to do. So it\u2019s not just an attention getter, but it must also trigger the desire to read on.<\/p>\n

“On the average, five times as many people read the headline as read the body copy. When you have written your headline, you have spent eighty cents out of your dollar.”<\/em><\/span>
\nDavid Ogilvy<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

But don\u2019t let all those herculean tasks stop you. Again, dwelling on the bigger picture of headlines reduces your chances of writing a good one.<\/p>\n

A good headline starts by writing one.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Try your best to write a clear, catchy headline. Use keywords and\/or a key phrase if you can. Don\u2019t worry about how good it is, just write it.<\/p>\n

You may have read advice elsewhere that tells you to leave your headline writing until you\u2019ve finished the body of your copy. That\u2019s excellent advice – but it\u2019s misguided.<\/p>\n

Your headline is so crucial, the overall process of writing it must continue throughout all your copywriting. Writing a headline off the top helps give you some direction for the body copy, which helps you get started.<\/p>\n

But you shouldn\u2019t necessarily let that first headline absolutely dictate the rest of the copy. As you write the body of your page, you might change your direction or discover a new trigger. If you want to keep it as the guiding light of your writing, adjust your headline after you write a certain paragraph, or even after a sentence. And you won\u2019t finalize your headline until you finish all the copy and have a crystal clear understanding of the role the headline must play in getting visitors to read it and stay on the page.<\/p>\n

Keep the following thoughts and tips in mind once you finish writing your body copy and you\u2019re ready to finalize your headline:<\/strong><\/p>\n