How to Write Headlines That Convert: Key discoveries from a meta-analysis of 15 years of behavioral research

How to Write Headlines That Convert:Key discoveries from a meta-analysis of 15 years of behavioral research

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Today’s speakers

Austin McCrawSenior Director, Content ProductionMECLABS Institute

Ben FilipVice President ofPartner Development,MECLABS Institute

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What makes a headline effective??

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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%


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]


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]


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



Key Discoveries


2. Principle #2: Effective headlines align with the customer’s current motivations.










27.14% 4.24%



Low performing headlines ask too much, too soon

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


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


Key Discoveries



3. Principle #3: Effective headlines make the strongest point first.










27.14% 4.24%



Make the strongest point first

Point-first headlines










27.14% 4.24%



Point-last headlines



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


Key Discoveries




4. Principle #4: Effective headlines seek to be clear, not clever.










27.14% 4.24%



Experiment: Results

Clear

Clear

Vague

ID# Headline Tested

HL1 Set Up Your FREE Account Today and Start Earning Money!


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


Key Discoveries





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





5. Principle #5: Effective headlines are given graphical weight.

Live Optimization

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Tune in on September 24 at 4 p.m. EDT

In this interactive webinar, you will: • See how principles and takeaways from MECLABS behavioral research (with over 20,000 path experiments) can be applied to real websites and emails • Offer interactive feedback on material submitted by fellow attendees • Gain valuable advice for your own campaigns (if selected)

http://www.meclabs.com/live-opt

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Live Optimization: TremendousMaid.com

Primary Audience: B2B/B2C

Page Purpose: Direct bookings, lead generation

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Live Optimization: CubSnacks.com

Primary Audience: Parents

Page Purpose: To sell individual or subscription healthy snack boxes

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Live Optimization: Culligan Orlando

Primary Audience: B2C

Page Purpose: Lead gen

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How to Write Headlines That Convert: Key discoveries from a meta-analysis of 15 years of behavioral research

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