Your words · First screen
Your headline is too long to take in quickly
People only glance at headlines. A long one gets skimmed and your main point gets lost.
- Applies to
- homepages, landing pages
- Typical severity
- medium
- Effect on conversions
- medium
- Effort to fix
- Quick to fix
What to look for
The main headline runs to roughly 12 or more words or wraps onto three or more lines on desktop, or the hero carries several paragraphs.
What good looks like
The headline can be read in one glance and the hero has at most a short supporting line or two.
How to fix it
Cut your headline to one idea in under 10 words. Move the rest into the line underneath.
Based on
- Writing-for-the-web research
Related checks
Your wordsPeople can't tell what you do at a glancePeople decide in seconds if they're in the right place. If your headline doesn't say what you do, many will leave.Your wordsVisitors can't tell if you're for themPeople look for signs they're in the right place. If you don't say who you help, the right customers may not stay.Your wordsThe line under your headline doesn't tell people moreThis line is your second chance to keep people reading. If it repeats the headline, that chance is wasted.
Does your site pass this check?
AgoraScan checks this and the rest of the checklist on your pages, with screenshots of anything it finds. The first scan is free.