Make no mistake about it. One of the most important activities when it comes to selling products online is getting the right website copy.

Copying is selling in print or by word of mouth, and as Zig Ziglar said, “Selling is the transfer of the enthusiasm you have for your product into the minds of your prospects.”

Whatever the website, you have virtually no face-to-face interaction with your visitors. Which means that your site’s copy is the most important means of communicating with people. If it looks boring, mediocre, or doesn’t offer obvious benefits, your business will lose customers and sales.

It is a common reason why websites fail.

Copy that invokes emotion and clearly clears the benefits of ‘What’s in it for me?’ it is an absolute necessity. It is the only way to sell online. Does your website offer create excitement? Are you giving your prospects something to believe in and is the information compelling enough to take action?

If you’re not sure, ask some of your visitors how they feel about your content. Also, visit three or four sites you’ve shopped at before and try to pick what those sites had that tempted you to open your wallet. Can you apply the learnings to your site?

When it comes to writing your website copy, there are two options:

• Learn how to do it yourself, or
• Hire a professional through Elance.com.

Trust me when I say this, copywriting is one of the most lucrative service based online businesses out there. It takes a lot of practice to get it right. It is both an art and a science.

Personally, I don’t think I have what it takes to string together some good-looking copy. That’s why I leave the writing of information products to the professionals.

Although copywriting may be part of the art, it also has a clinical side. Effective copy incorporates a number of key components, but there is one element that is especially important.

Here’s a hint: When you flip through a newspaper or magazine, what’s the first thing about an article or story that draws you in to keep reading?

The header!

A headline has one purpose: to get attention. An attention-grabbing headline will get visitors to read the content on your sales page or website. He gives her the opportunity to state her case.

The simple truth is that unless you grab the reader’s attention and get their attention, you have no chance of closing the sale.

A title can consist of up to three parts:

1. The prehead informs the reader about the target market or who the website is intended for. This can be addressed by title, benefit, or challenge.

For example, by title, “A Must Read for Doctors,” by benefit, “Want to Double Your Income in 30 Days,” and by challenge, “Are you struggling to keep up with rising medical costs?”

2. The owner You must promote the great benefit of your product or service.

For example, “How to build a two page website that sells information products like crazy.” You may need to test a few headlines to identify the most effective one. It is a trial and error process. I like to ask some people for their objective opinion. If they show interest, I’m on the right track.

3. The head of the post it gives you a little more detail on the benefits promised in the title.

For example, “A 150-page how-to guide for website owners who want to promote and monetize their own eBooks.” In short, your headline will have an impact on the response your marketing and promotions generate, and ultimately your bottom line. So you’re going to have to structure them the best you can.

Here are seven categories of headlines that work well for website copy.

1. The ‘As’ Headline is, in my opinion, the best way to grab someone’s attention. People love how-to, easy-to-use guides, especially when they’re available on demand, like with information products.

• For example: “How to create your own profitable information products in five easy steps.”

2. A headline that ask a question readers would like to see a response is a good way to generate interest. Begin your headline with “You,” “It’s you,” “It’s you,” “How can I,” or “How can I.”

• “Do you know how to generate a 103% ROI after costs in your online business? Try these three steps”

3. The ‘reason why’ Title is another effective category. If there are 101 good reasons why someone should use your product or service, let them know up front.

• “10 Reasons Why Investing In Property Is The Best Retirement Plan For Conservative Investors”

4. Use the words ‘mysteries‘, ‘tips’ or ‘tricks’ in the title, but be sure to explain in detail the number one benefit to the reader.

• “10 Dirty Little Secrets Why Men Should Drink Beer Before Sex” (I just made this one up, so guys don’t take me seriously)

5. Headlines that are direct, specific and/or use numbers that get right to the heart of the matter.

• “The 7-day program to double your website traffic, or your money back”
• “Internet Marketing Course – 50% discount”

6. The ‘Testimonial Headline’ uses what other people have said about your business or products and services. This approach builds credibility by giving you third-party endorsement of your offers.

• “This course helped me double my gains in three weeks!”
• “Simply the best book I’ve ever read on building wealth”

7. Complete the following: Here’s a quick way to [Solve a problem]. We all have problems, right? And I’m sure you’ll appreciate a quick and easy way to solve them, which is exactly what this headline provides.

• “Here’s a quick way to save fuel costs”
• “Here’s a quick way to whip up a three-course meal”

Whatever field you’re in, a captivating headline can make your site sell like crazy. It is the most important element of website copy. Spend some time formulating it, get feedback from a few readers, and have some fun with it.

Finally, to help your headline serve its purpose, I’ve included five more tips for you. Let me know what you think.

• Make sure your title indicates the ultimate benefit.
• Keep it short, simple and to the point.
• Use your headline to announce new and exciting news.
• Appeal to a person’s sense of curiosity by asking a provocative question.
• Sometimes it works to tell people what to do in your headline. For example, “Stop wasting time with landscaping. Use XYZ for a professional design in minutes.”