Headlines are so important in web design because of the effects it has on people. If your headline doesn’t catch the attention of readers and make them want to click then it will be a tremendous waste of time.
The headline is the first thing people see when reading something. It acts as a hook to reel them in and engage or cause them to bounce. If the headline is boring, confusing, or irrelevant, readers may not even click on the page and just scroll past. A headline is a crucial part of receiving click through rates from all platforms which impact traffic and conversion rate. It creates a clear stage for what they will be reading.
A headline is a significant part of SEO. If the headline is relevant and has keywords it will make it easier to receive a higher rank. If your headline is compelling it will attract organic traffic and boost your content on your site and increase visibility.
It sets clear expectations of what your readers will be seeing and reading when they click on their headline. It provides a vivid idea of what they can expect. If you are misleading with your headline it will increase reader frustration and bounce rates.
With the digital world on the uprise people are constantly crowded with excessive content viewing so it is important to have a well crafted headline to stand out from the other competition and is not just a part of the other noise.
It drives higher conversion rates on a person's website, downloads, sign-ups, or purchases. If it speaks to the person and touches on their pain points can have a heavy influence to take action.
“Dolly Parton and Carl Dean didn’t have a conventional marriage and she loved that”
As I was scrolling through the CNN website looking at all of the headlines waiting for one to stand out I realized all I was seeing was Trump news. I, apart from many people, am uninterested in reading articles about him but that was all I was being shown. I clicked on this headline because it caught my eye and it was also the first thing besides Trump news and a single basketball article about Lebron James that was shown. My favourite artist happens to be Dolly Parton so I was naturally intrigued apart from the small selection. This headline made me want to learn a bit more about her.
It left a curiosity gap for my mind to wonder and guess why she loved not having a conventional marriage. I was intrigued by the opening photo of her and her husband on their wedding day and wanted to see more photos of her and him when they were younger. I clicked on this for no reason of it being a good or bad headline but because I know that her marriage was not a widely known thing and her husband was kept pretty lowkey from the world. Because of this knowledge, I was more intrigued to find out more.