I'm seeing a lot of focus on the headline of the landing page. I'm having a hard time swallowing that it is really as important as people make it out to be. Can someone show me with some data (even anecdotal evidence) that the headline is really important?

I have one written. Is it working? *sigh* who knows? I'm just wondering if I should invest some major time into redoing it, or let things go the way they are?

I have data, but will have to take some time to dig it out. Basically, yes. The headline is THE most important part of your copy. It's the first read and the single thing that can cause your reader to keep reading or pack it in and go elsewhere.

Marketing Sherpa's Landing page report shows heatmap studies (that follow web surfer's eye movements) that prove the headline is read first and that it holds attention the longest.

My own studies on my sites have proven that changing the headline can (and has!) raised conversion rates by impressive rates.

Is your headline working? Don't guess... find out! Do an A/B split test (http://www.smallbusinessbrief.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3564) and find out for sure.

Wow, you're response was so fast you'd think we were talking over lunch :)

Karon, thanks for the link to the A/B testing, I'd never even heard of it before. That should be very useful!

side note - dont forget the headline of a webpage is often used in the title tag of the page which can impact search engine ranks and the headlines of an email is also often used in the subject line which impacts CTR

Headline quickly and most effectively establishes the subject matter of the page. Scanning process is much more efficient for a reader with established subject matter. It's not the headline itself that has a great impact, but more so of how it impacts the rest of the text.

Another point to keep in mind is the position of the headline on the page. Headline can alter the focal point of field of view on the page. Generally, focal point is initialized near the upper left corner of the page. Then it moves horizontally across to upper right corner (this process is establishes the field of view width which locks a number of prominent focal points).

Scanning process of the page is not done in "T" format but in more so of "Z" format. Depending on where you place your Headline, you can alter the scanning process of the reader (this resets and repositions prominent focal points). (Note: in assumption of rest of the page components are appropriately utilized, i.e. minimized clutter/ads).

"T" format scanning process better reinforces data gathering/scanning in sequential matter than the "Z" format. As you write means to achieve an end, you will want to use P.R.E.P (Point Reason Example Point) style of writing, and headline, again, strengthens your P.R.E.P style of writing.

Most importantly, as mentioned in the beginning, headline establishes the subject matter of the page. It becomes much easier to convey a message to a prospect when he/she understands the subject matter as he/she can build anticipation (this is an emotion...conversion starts with an emotion, not logic). Anticipation sets base premeter for expectations, and effective copy, then, would find a fit to satisfity those expectations.

Your Humble,
visitor

Thanks for the insight visitor. Once I've settled on which layout is best, I'm going to begin testing the headline. A month of data should let me know which layout to settle on. I'm pretty anxious to get started on the headline writing though!

It was the headline that drew me here to respond.

The very first thing seen is the headline. You have a very limited time to capture the visitor's attention and the headline tends to make the first impression. It is as important as the tag-line of any other commercial ad.

Unless it's teflon, it has to stick.