3 seconds and your reader!
You’ve probably heard the saying, “ a confused mind always says “no”!”. So don’t let your website visitors get confused!
On a webpage, you have 3 seconds to engage your reader’s attention. This is the time during which they decide whether or not they should stay on your page.
The most crucial part of any webpage is the headline. It’s what makes people stay or leave the site. So it better be good enough to catch their attention and make them read onward to find out more.
But you are competing with other websites and your own past articles and posts on social media.
People usually have a short memory, so if they visited your page before, chances are they will forget about you in seconds!
So how do you create a great webpage that compels people to read and remember? Here are some tips:
Headlines -Keep it short: A short but catchy headline will be much easier to remember than a long one with all the details. The best way of making sure that your headlines work is by testing different variations.
One way to go about it is by writing a title based on how you think people might search for what you offer.
Focus on benefits: Don’t just tell what your product does — tell why it does something for users. For example, don’t say “we sell shoes” — say “we sell comfortable shoes”.
Be precise and to the point: Use short sentences. As mentioned above, you don’t have much time to catch their attention.
Include numbers: Numbers create authority and make people think, “Hey, if everyone is doing this, maybe I should too”.
Use questions: Questions are more likely to resonate with your readers than statements.
Use engaging language: Use the words that draw attention, like “Discounts” and “free”.
Don’t be afraid of negative words; they can boost engagement too (but don’t overdo it!).
Use conversational tone: It’s not only for blog posts. If visitors feel you are talking to them, they are more likely to stay and read on.
Use action words: They are generally more engaging and paint vivid pictures in your reader’s mind.
Format properly: It looks better visually when scrolling through your website.
Include a picture or a video: Tell a story through an infographic or a video if you have a story to share. But don’t leave the text without one — that will make your visitors pass by very fast.
Talk about yourself last: Your website is not about you. Don’t sell yourself — sell what benefits your clients! The best posts are those that show empathy for people struggling with the topic they’re addressing while giving them a solution at the end.
You need to write for readers first and search engines second. This way, you’ll maximize the chance of convincing people to stay on your page -and eventually click your link.
That’s it for now. Happy posting!