Sometimes we get so bogged down in creating the perfect copy for a webpage that it’s easy to forget about your page headings – those titles that head up the page and sometimes individual paragraphs. In reality, these headings are one of the most important bits of copy on the page. They’re often the first thing people see when they land on your site. An effective headline will compel people to read through the rest of the page and maybe even make a purchase or get in touch, while a poorly-written headline can make people leave your site before they’ve even looked at anything else.
In the world of HTML, these headings are known as H tags, and are ordered in order of importance from H1 all the way down to H6. But when it comes to content, it helps if you think of your heading like a newspaper headline – its purpose is the same. Firstly, it should inform the reader as to what the page is about, whether that’s drain unblocking or the European economy. Secondly, it should grab the reader’s attention and make them want to read through the rest of the page.
Here’s a heading from a page about drain unblocking:
Professional drain unblocking in Nottingham
Okay, so it tells you what the page is about. But doe s it really make you want to read on? Is it engaging or interesting? Not in the slightest.
Now another heading that could be used on the same page:
Problem drains? Contact the experts for hassle-free unblocking
By starting with a question, the heading engages the reader by making them subconsciously answer it (“Why yes, I do have problem drains!”). It also uses positive words like experts and hassle-free, reassuring the customer that if they choose this company, the unblocking process will be quick and simple. And on top of all that, it still tells the reader what the page is about, using the words drain and unblocking, just like the first headline. But ultimately, it’s more likely to make them want to read on and find out more.
