Here’s Exactly How I Decide What to Write for a Headline

Your headline is the book title of your story, the aisle label sign in a grocery store and the neon sign pulling you off the street. It's the thing that tells the reader, This is worth my time, because they even see what your product is. The headline is about being so intentional that it makes a reader not care to read any other part of your website. I am going to walk you through exactly  how I think about headlines, the steps I take, and why I make certain choices, so you can see the process behind the final words.

Client Onboarding

Let’s start with the basics. When you hire me to be the website copywriter for your CPG or Food & Beverage brand there is an onboarding process. I gather information about your brand through a questionnaire and kick-off call. This is where I learn all the things I need to know to understand the language your customer speaks. This process allows me to conceptualize ideas that convert lurkers to buyers.

Message Strategy

I look for the common denominator of your customers' problems. The conversations we’ll have will enlighten me on what issues they have. I use this information to learn how to effectively communicate how beneficial the results of your product are. I often have clients who DIY their own copy run into this issue which leads to their website not converting because they didn’t hire a copywriter to begin with.

Brainstorming & Drafting

Before I get to the good ideas, I have to get the bad ones out. Nobody’s first idea is ever a good one. As a website copywriter for CPG, Food & Beverage brands you don’t know how many headline drafts I have gone through. This is where I like to dip into my pool of inspiration. I am always staying up to date with what’s going on in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry to ensure I’m up to date with my messaging. Sometimes It can take up to 30 Headlines before I find the right one.

Testing for relevancy

Now it’s time for the taste test. I have to ask myself a series of questions before I really double down on my decision. Would this make me click? Would this make me more interested in the brand? Does this sound like the most cliche or corny headline I’ve ever read? Would someone unfamiliar with the brand and product get this quickly ? If the answer isn’t a hard yes to any of these questions then we’re back to square one.

Final elimination: America’s Next Top Model Style

I have two headlines before me. One will be sent to my client and one will be sent into the google drive abyss. This is where I ensure there aren’t any necessary words. Keep in mind people skim through websites, It’s very unlikely someone read every word of your website before hitting check out. So I want to make sure a dummy can read it, no shade.

Final Sign-off

The winner has been chosen. Now it’s time to send off to the client and defend my decision like I’m presenting a new bill to congress. 

A headline is not going to get you sales… without strategy.

You deserve a website copywriter that ensures your brand is as irresistible as what’s inside the package. 


Lucky for you I have the perfect service. My Top Shelf service ensures every word on your website goes through this exact same strategy process.