Header or no header on salespage - your thoughts?

8 replies
I am thinking whether or not I should put up a couple of hundred dollars to create a fancy-looking header for my salespage.

The school of direct-response and my instincts tells me not to, but on the other hand it could also make it all look a lot better and also a lot more credible.

I'm selling a home-study course on DVD, would you say I should put a photo of the dvd's in the header together with a great headline? Or should I hide my intentions until I've gotten their attention?

Looking at people like Dan Kennedy, he never uses any headers. Same with John Carlton and all the other old-schoolers. On the other hand, they might not know the internet stuff as well as many newcomers.

Thoughts? (I know I should test..but I'm a bit hestitant to spend a bunch of money on something that I have no clue whether or not will work)
#header #salespage #thoughts
  • Save your money.

    Because the only person who cares about your header is you.

    The good people who may buy your stuff only want the astonishing value you'll bring them.

    Now the "branding" experts may say it's important to have a fabulous logo and header.

    And if you are Nike or Adidas competing in a worldwide saturated market it might help.

    But if you don't need millions of buyers to make a tasty profit there's no need to waste your hard earned money.

    Let's say you do create an aesthetically pleasing logo, header and cover you position yourself at a price point like everybody else in you game.

    But go "guerrilla" style without the bells and whistles and you differentiate yourself from the masses and your price can reflect the extraordinary benefits you promise to bring.


    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author shawnlebrun
    I'm with Steve 100%.

    This is something I've tested extensively, and in many cases for me, adding a header actually lowered conversions.

    Without a header, the site visitor will see your headline first and hopefully it's good enough to draw them into the copy.

    But if you have a header, there may be something about it that puts the reader off.

    So, I say no header, but as in all direct response cases, test both and choose the winner.

    But there are better things to invest in other than a header.
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  • Profile picture of the author svedski
    Thank you Steve and Shawn.

    I got the idea in the first place when I looked into another thread here in the copywriting forum. Before that, it had never even occured to me to put a header on the salespage.
    This is how this guy's page looks:

    Art System Photoshop

    So you think that page would convert better without the header at the top?
    Because personally I think it raises the credibility of what it is he's selling. Makes it look more professional, and more valuable. The whole page came out really nice and it just wouldn't look nearly as good without it.

    (On the other hand, the headline used on that salespage could be a lot better. Also, he could probably increase the size of it and change color to make it stand out more, and thus, eliminate the need to the graphic header)
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  • Profile picture of the author shawnlebrun
    In all honesty, what I say or what Steve says is irrelevant because we'd just be guessing.

    I know that I've had sites in which I put up headers and it actually lowered conversion.

    but I'd think it's really site/niche specific... because some niches lend themselves to visuals more than others.

    For example, the header on that guy's site may indeed boost conversions, because it's a visual market with a pretty neat looking header.

    Anytime you put any picture or graphic on a site, you gotta ask yourself "does this help sell my product, or not"

    it's gotta lend to the sale if you're going to use it, if not don't bother.

    so, again, in some markets I'd assume that headers will work better if they are visual markets.

    but that's the thing, I don't assume anything anymore, I just test everything and take guessing out of the equation.
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  • No he didn't need the header.

    Because the examples were stunningly brilliant (you saw them almost immediately).

    They made the header completely unnecessary - because they eclipsed it x 100,000 (I doubt anyone scrolled back to the header and said "I'm gonna buy because it's so good").

    But as Shawn so rightly said we know nothing, apart from educated guesses.

    The audience knows exactly what they want.

    So always test.

    I would start making a pile of money without spending on the header and then test.


    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
    Originally Posted by stolpioni View Post


    Thoughts? (I know I should test..but I'm a bit hestitant to spend a bunch of money on something that I have no clue whether or not will work)
    Launch without the header.

    Once you're making sales, if you're not happy with the conversion rate, use money from sales to buy and test a header. If you are happy with the conversion rate, sit back in your easy chair, eat grapes, and live happily ever after.

    Alex
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  • A header is a bit like a fountain next to a showroom, it might look good but ask yourself do you don't really need it.

    Best bet, put a poster next to the showroom telling the good people how great the stuff is.


    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author website design
    There's conflicting info out there - sometimes it works and 98% of the time no header is better. Main reason it doesn't work is because it distracts the readers first impressions - it's all about grabbing attention. If you put picture of dvd in the header some readers might not want a dvd, they might want online info or a book... any reason to jump off the page needs to be avoided. I've split test tons of ideas and there's a couple cases where having a header has higher conversions... when the target market requires branding and professionalism or when the header is unique and grabs attention. For example having a comic strip in the header has done wonders on one of my sites.
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