Webmaster Papers








Creating a Compelling Headline for Your Private Practice Website


Your home page is the most important page of your website. It is the one that will determine what your potential client or customer does after they arrive (i.e stays at or leaves your website).

Research on web usability shows that you only have a few seconds to catch the attention of your website visitors. One of the most important ways to do this is through your opening headline.

Your headline's main purpose is to attract attention and generate enough interest so that your visitors keep reading. It's a first step in a process where your goal is to eventually convince them to take action on your offer.

Here are a few tips for creating powerful headlines:

  • Let your readers know that your site is for them. People want to know immediately when they arrive at your site if they are going to get what they are looking for. Your headline should give someone indication that they are in the right place.

  • Make sure your headline focuses very specifically on the core problem of your target market or the key benefit that you are offering.

  • Choose interesting, meaningful and/or thought-provoking words. Ideally, your headline should jolt your reader into saying something like, 'Hey this is for me!"

  • Speak to your client's emotions. People typically make purchasing decisions based on their emotions so you want to be sure you illustrate to your potential clients and customers that you understand them and the feelings they are experiencing.

  • Your headline should be clear and to the point. Your reader should understand your message instantly. Do not water down or convolute your message so that the reader has to struggle to find it's meaning. One second of struggle could mean that your visitor is gone to the next site.

    • Writing attention-grabbing headlines can be challenging as there are many components to consider if they are to be successful.

    You might want to do some reading in this area or hire someone to help you create your headline. Your headline can make all the difference in determining whether your website is drawing, as opposed to repelling, potential clients and customers.

    © Juliet Austin, 2005

    Bio of Author

    Juliet Austin is a Marketing Coach, Consultant and Copywriter who assists coaches, therapists, alternative health professionals, and socially responsible businesses in marketing their businesses. She helps her clients overcome resistances to marketing, learn no or low-cost marketing strategies, create compelling promotional materials, and write attention-grabbing website copy.

    Sign-up for Juliet's free, ezine, Enlightened Marketing at: http://www.julietaustin.com or visit one of her marketing blogs: Marketing a Private Practice or Website Design and Promotion

    The author grants permission to reprint this article so long as the copyright and by- line remain intact. Informing her of where the article will be published would also be appreciated.

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