When should you use graphical header?

15 replies
I have just seen an amazing sales page for a $77 product with great copy, but no graphics, not even a header or a footer. It looks clean cut and everything. Would this be better than an eye catching header?

When would a graphical header be nessesary?

If I product a low end product with say, a $17 price tag, should I still get someone to do proffessional headers and footers and webpage graphics for it or only for more expensive products?
#graphical #header #option
  • A number of gurus have split tested this and found that clean copy, without headers, converts better than the same copy with headers. Many people just use headers because that's what the market expects. Of course, you should split test this for yourself, as different niches can show different results.
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  • Profile picture of the author xohaibx
    No matter how well a plain sales letter converts, graphics do make a difference. The fact is, people can leave your site even before they start reading it if it doesn't look attractive enough.

    Yes the headline CAN grab their attention if it's really good but having a well designed website creates an attractive package and people do find it enticing when they see graphics that go hand in hand with theme of the site.
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    • Profile picture of the author aaallday2010
      It all boils down to the niche you're targeting.

      People in the IM niche come to expect a site with lots of graphics. However, someone in the financial niche would leave your site immediately if you used too many graphics. It all just depends.

      I personally prefer no graphic header as it can distract from the main headline.

      Just split test and you can't go wrong.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alex Mensah
      Originally Posted by Mustafa Khundmiri View Post

      No matter how well a plain sales letter converts, graphics do make a difference. The fact is, people can leave your site even before they start reading it if it doesn't look attractive enough.

      Yes the headline CAN grab their attention if it's really good but having a well designed website creates an attractive package and people do find it enticing when they see graphics that go hand in hand with theme of the site.
      I agree with mustafa on this. headers really make the site appealing and capture the viewers attention. Thus, i would use a header as well for almost every scenario!
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    • Profile picture of the author Kris Turner
      Originally Posted by Mustafa Khundmiri View Post

      No matter how well a plain sales letter converts, graphics do make a difference
      You can't make that kind of claim, because it's impossible to back up. Yes, graphics will make a difference to any site they're added to, but it could just as easily make a negative difference.

      Adding graphics doesn't mean you increase conversions.

      I've got sites where headers increase conversions, and I've got sites where they decrease conversions. The only way to know is to test.
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      • Profile picture of the author Jeremy Morgan
        I would say do tests and rely on your own personal results. I haven't noticed much of a difference in my products.

        One thing to keep in mind though, if you're trying to brand a company or product you definitely need your logo in view.
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  • Profile picture of the author NinjaTech
    As long as your content is good and its worthy. Have bold and css style font you dont really need graphics. You may want a video everyone has those and you know it really help with conversions.
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  • Profile picture of the author jazbo
    For me it depends on the product. If it is an ebook then a simple sales site works, if it is a tech product or membership site, people nowadays expect a high level of visual quality and their perception of this quality can really sway their decision.
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  • Profile picture of the author quench8
    No headers. I've seen too much data that shows they don't work. Not worth the money either.
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    • Profile picture of the author Gary King
      Agreed that it depends on the market.

      Several other posters say they don't matter to them - I would politely suggest that they are probably not brand new newbies... the glitz still sells that crowd in general (IMHO).


      Quench8 - you say they aren't worth the money - I hope that comes from the data that you have reviewed - you can get killer graphics from many warriors as well as other sources for a song.

      Originally Posted by quench8 View Post

      No headers. I've seen too much data that shows they don't work. Not worth the money either.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jim Gillum
    Although I do not argue with testing,
    I believe that is is dependent on the product and the target market......

    For instance, a decorator type niche site would not be attractive to the "average" prospect....
    A stock quote site would not be attractive to a serious investor with a wild colored header...

    I try to put myself in a potential customers shoes....
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  • Profile picture of the author bertuseng
    When I reach a sales letter without any header or graphics, it seems cheap to me. As if the owner didn't have enough money to even invest in a proper web page.

    Also, all the fastest selling big clickbank products have amazing pages with graphic headers and footers etc, so basically this tells me I should have one too If want to sell a similar product.

    It all comes down to what you are selling though.
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  • Profile picture of the author Don Schenk
    Think about the sales letters you receive in the mail. Do they have headers? Especially consider sales letters you receive over and over. Multiple mailings indicate that letter does work. Does that letter have a header, or does it begin with the headline?

    I am thinking about effective sales letters I have received from people like Ron LeGrand, Dan Kennedy, Jay Abraham, Ted Nicholas, and ones from the late Gary Halbert. (Yes, obviously from before he was "late." Gishhhh!) None of these ever had headers... just a headline and sometimes a photo of the sender.

    I have received snail-mail letters from John Carlton, and I even bought his Kick-A$$ Copywriting course - no headers anywhere in the book, in the samples, or in examples.

    I found my headers were getting in the way of the sales message because the eye goes first to a visual, then (hopefully) to a headline. I want full attention on the headline.

    :-Don
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  • Profile picture of the author bertuseng
    Yeah, but remember snail mail is a lot different to modern online sales letters.
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