What To Put In The Header of Your Website
The header is the most important real estate on your website. I’m not talking about that little line at the top that includes a bunch of links. Nope- I’m talking about the HEADER. The big section everyone sees first when they visit your website.
Your website is your most important marketing real estate, and an essential part of your foundational sales funnel.
You can only make a first impression once and your header is where that happens. This is where website visitors decide whether they are going to stick around and see more of what you offer. Or if they’re going to bail.
So with that much at stake, what do you put in your header?
A picture of your building?
A clever line that inspires curiosity?
One of those headshots you just got?
The entire story of everything you do and all that your product can accomplish?
Nope. Nope. Nope.
A header needs to answer 3 essential questions. If you don’t answer these off the bat, you are losing the business that should be yours for the taking.
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What do you do?
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How does it make my life better?
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How do I get it?
That’s it? Yes, that’s it. Your website header needs to be crystal clear in answering those three questions.
Let’s put it another way - Any website header needs to pass The Grunt Test.
Meaning, it’s so simple, a caveman could understand it. So, let’s go Encino Man on this thing.
#1
What do you do?
Really, what do you do? What is the thing customers come to you for? What are they Googling for that will lead them to you?
This isn’t an SEO conversation, but I’ll guarantee you that they’re not searching for “Start the Journey.”
Or “Observation Meets Innovation.”
Or “Build the Future.”
(These are real examples I’ve seen on websites.)
They are searching for “Class scheduling software for small businesses” and “The best teeth whitening technology.”
We have a ton of clients that are worried about differentiating themselves in the header. But the header is not the place for your key differentiator. That’s the place for clarity. As you build out your brand story, there are other places to differentiate yourself. Plus, the fact that you are clear will also make you stand out from the competition.
Don’t be sexy here. Be obvious. What do you do? Now, say that in your header.
#2
How does it make my life better?
Your customers are only coming to you because they need you to make their life better in some way. Tell them what that looks like.
Will you give them peace of mind with clean bookkeeping? Tell them.
Will you increase their bottom line with flawless IT? Tell them.
Will you free them up to focus on their most important work with a world-class Virtual Assistant? TELL THEM.
Don’t assume your customer knows how you will make their life better. Tell them, up front, in your header.
#3
How do I get it?
This is the biggest missing element in most websites we see. Your call to action is your cash register.
If I walk around a department store with a new outfit in my arms and can’t find a cash register, do you know what I do? I lay it down and walk away. That’s what’s happening when your call to action is unclear, or worse, missing.
Identify how customers should do business with you. And create a simple clear call to action. Then put that in your header, right in the middle.
Before you put a ton of money into designing a beautiful website, take some time to be really thoughtful about what goes in your header. Make it very easy for customers answer these questions:
What do you do?
How does it make my life better?
How do I get it?
Do that. Your website traffic will increase. Your business will grow. At Decoded Strategies, we call that, “A beautiful thing.”
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