How to Write Headlines That Convert: Key discoveries from a meta-analysis of 15 years of behavioral research
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How to Write Headlines That Convert:Key discoveries from a meta-analysis of 15 years of behavioral research
#WebClinic
Today’s speakers
Austin McCrawSenior Director, Content ProductionMECLABS Institute
Ben FilipVice President ofPartner Development,MECLABS Institute
#WebClinic
15 years of research
54%Conversion
330%Conversion
58%Conversion
109%Conversion
31%Conversion
124%Conversion
201%Conversion
29%Conversion
15%Conversion
100%Conversion
21%Conversion137%
Conversion
63%Conversion
816%Conversion
91%Conversion
24%Conversion
Background: A survey company offering to pay its members to take surveys.
Goal: To increase the amount of home delivery subscriptions.
Research Question: Which panelist registration page will have a higher conversion rate?
Test Design: Which page/process will generate the most subscriptions?
Experiment ID: TP1111Record Location: MECLABS Research LibraryResearch Partner: (Protected)
Experiment: Background
The experiment
The original page had no headline. Due to high site traffic, the team was able to test 10 different headlines.
Control Treatment
The Experiment: Headlines testedWhich headlines do you think generated the most response? The least??
ID# Headline Tested
HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money!
HL2 Get Paid to Take Free Surveys
HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes!
HL4 Get Paid to Fill out Online Surveys
HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE
HL6 Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions Count
HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys
HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion
HL9You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and Earn Rewards For Your Opinions
HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community
Ranking ID# Headline Tested CTR% Rel.
Change
1 HL2 Get Paid to Take Free Surveys 28.76% 10.44%
2 HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community 28.35% 8.87%
3 HL4 Get Paid to Fill out Online Surveys 27.98% 7.46%
4 HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion 27.92% 7.23%
5 HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE 27.52% 5.67%
6 HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys 27.37% 5.12%
7 HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! 27.35% 5.03%
8 HL9You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and Earn Rewards For Your Opinions
27.14% 4.24%
9 HL6 Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions Count 26.92% 3.36%
10 HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes! 26.81% 2.95%
Experiment: Results
WHY?
In today’s clinic, we will review five essential discoveries about what makes a headline effective.
Today’s focus
Headlines that convert
Key Discoveries
1. Principle #1: Effective headlines focus first on what the customer “gets.”
ID# Headline Tested CTR % Rel. Change
HL2 Get Paid to Take Free Surveys 28.76% 10.44%
HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community 28.35% 8.87%
HL4 Get Paid to Fill out Online Surveys 27.98% 7.46%
HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion 27.92% 7.23%
HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE 27.52% 5.67%
HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys 27.37% 5.12%
HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! 27.35% 5.03%
HL9You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and Earn Rewards For Your Opinions
27.14% 4.24%
HL6 Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions Count 26.92% 3.36%
HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes! 26.81% 2.95%
Focus first on what the customer “gets”
Top performing headlines focus on the “get”
[Newspaper Title]
Focus first on what the customer “gets”
To this
From this
The original headline is salesy and jumps immediately to the offer.
The new headline eases customers into the offer by prominently featuring a 50% off trial.
24%Conversion
[Newspaper]Home Delivery
[Newspaper]Home Delivery
[Newspaper Title]
Focus first on what the customer “gets”
To this
From this
The original headline reads like the title of an academic article and fails to focus the reader’s attention on the “get.”
The new headline immediately lets prospects know what they will “get” for proceeding down the page.
331%Conversion
To this
From this
The original headline asks customers to complete a difficult form without first orienting them or giving them a compelling reason to do so.
The new headline better emphasizes what customers “get” for signing up 816%
Conversion
Focus first on what the customer “gets”
Headlines that convert
Key Discoveries
1. Principle #1: Effective headlines focus first on what the customer “gets.”
2. Principle #2: Effective headlines align with the customer’s current motivations.
ID# Headline Tested CTR % Rel. Change
HL2 Get Paid to Take Free Surveys 28.76% 10.44%
HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community 28.35% 8.87%
HL4 Get Paid to Fill out Online Surveys 27.98% 7.46%
HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion 27.92% 7.23%
HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE 27.52% 5.67%
HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys 27.37% 5.12%
HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! 27.35% 5.03%
HL9You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and Earn Rewards For Your Opinions
27.14% 4.24%
HL6 Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions Count 26.92% 3.36%
HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes! 26.81% 2.95%
Low performing headlines ask too much, too soon
Align headline with customer motivation
Align headline with customer motivation
To this
From this
91%In Guide
Downloads
The original headline assumes that the customer is immediately ready to start the buying process.
The new headline understands that the customer is beginning a longer process of research and comparison shopping.
An [insurance advisor can help you find the right plan for your family
Align headline with customer motivation
The original headline promotes access to over seven million SEC filings, of which there are over a hundred types.
This new headline focuses specifically on annual reports, the type of SEC filing that customers are most motivated to download.
From this
To this
26%Leads
Headlines that convert
Key Discoveries
1. Principle #1: Effective headlines focus first on what the customer “gets.”
2. Principle #2: Effective headlines align with the customer’s current motivations.
3. Principle #3: Effective headlines make the strongest point first.
ID# Headline Tested CTR % Rel. Change
HL2 Get Paid to Take Free Surveys 28.76% 10.44%
HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community 28.35% 8.87%
HL4 Get Paid to Fill out Online Surveys 27.98% 7.46%
HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion 27.92% 7.23%
HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE 27.52% 5.67%
HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys 27.37% 5.12%
HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! 27.35% 5.03%
HL9You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and Earn Rewards For Your Opinions
27.14% 4.24%
HL6 Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions Count 26.92% 3.36%
HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes! 26.81% 2.95%
Make the strongest point first
Point-first headlines
ID# Headline Tested CTR % Rel. Change
HL2 Get Paid to Take Free Surveys 28.76% 10.44%
HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community 28.35% 8.87%
HL4 Get Paid to Fill out Online Surveys 27.98% 7.46%
HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion 27.92% 7.23%
HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE 27.52% 5.67%
HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys 27.37% 5.12%
HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! 27.35% 5.03%
HL9You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and Earn Rewards For Your Opinions
27.14% 4.24%
HL6 Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions Count 26.92% 3.36%
HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes! 26.81% 2.95%
Point-last headlines
Make the strongest point first
Make the strongest point first
To this
From this
The original headline places the point, “lower your payment,” in the middle of the headline.
This new headline leads with the point of value.
88%Conversion
Headlines that convert
Key Discoveries
1. Principle #1: Effective headlines focus first on what the customer “gets.”
2. Principle #2: Effective headlines align with the customer’s current motivations.
3. Principle #3: Effective headlines make the strongest point first.
4. Principle #4: Effective headlines seek to be clear, not clever.
ID# Headline Tested CTR % Rel. Change
HL2 Get Paid to Take Free Surveys 28.76% 10.44%
HL10 Here’s Your First Survey, and an Invitation to Join Our Research Community 28.35% 8.87%
HL4 Get Paid to Fill out Online Surveys 27.98% 7.46%
HL8 Get Rewarded for Your Opinion 27.92% 7.23%
HL5 Surveys – Quick, Easy and FREE 27.52% 5.67%
HL7 Win Cash & Prizes for Online Surveys 27.37% 5.12%
HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money! 27.35% 5.03%
HL9You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and Earn Rewards For Your Opinions
27.14% 4.24%
HL6 Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions Count 26.92% 3.36%
HL3 Take Online Surveys From Home and Win Cash & Prizes! 26.81% 2.95%
Experiment: Results
Clear
Clear
Vague
ID# Headline Tested
HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money!
HL9You’re Invited to Join the [Company Name] Community and Earn Rewards For Your Opinions
HL6Join the [Company Name] Community and Have Your Opinions Count
Experiment: Results
What kind of account is this? What do I have to do to earn the money?
What kind of community is this? What does it mean to earn rewards for my opinions?
How will my opinions count? Opinions about what?
Vague, Poorly Performing Headlines
Be clear, not cleverFrom this
The original headline utilizes a creative ask, but lacks specificity about the actual product.
This revised headline clearly describes exactly what is being offered.
To this
330%Conversion
Be clear, not clever
The original headline asks an empty, open-ended question.
The new headline clearly emphasizes specific points of value, encouraging the reader to continue down the page.
From this
To this
103%Conversion
Be clear, not clever
The original headline presents the ask in the form of a vague question, creating ambiguity as to what specifically is being offered.
The new headline clearly states the purpose of the offer, leaving no doubt as to what service is being offered.
Does a sexual offender live your neighborhood?
Identify Registered Sex Offenders Living Near You
34%
Headline #1
Headline #2
From this
To this conversion
Headlines that convert
Key Discoveries
1. Principle #1: Effective headlines focus first on what the customer “gets.”
2. Principle #2: Effective headlines align with the customer’s current motivations.
3. Principle #3: Effective headlines make the strongest point first.
4. Principle #4: Effective headlines seek to be clear, not clever.
5. Principle #5: Effective headlines are given graphical weight.
Give your headlines weight
Though the term “Dedicated Servers” was used several times in the existing headlines, none of the instances employed any distinct font treatment or attention-getting design.
This new headline utilizes more prominent typography, clearly establishing the credibility of the company.
From this
To this
188%Conversion
Give your headlines weight
The original headline is hard to read, and the description is in small font that is difficult to read with the background color.
This new headline possesses visual weight, and is easily readable on the page.
From this
To this
58%Conversion
Summary of discoveries
Key Discoveries
1. Principle #1: Effective headlines focus first on what the customer “gets.”
2. Principle #2: Effective headlines align with the customer’s current motivations.
3. Principle #3: Effective headlines make the strongest point first.
4. Principle #4: Effective headlines seek to be clear, not clever.
5. Principle #5: Effective headlines are given graphical weight.
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