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Journal · The Clarity Series · Convert visitors

What is a value proposition?

By Nicholas Cabel The 60-second version lives on Instagram

A value proposition answers one question for a visitor: why buy from you, and not the business in the next open tab? It is not a slogan, it is the specific reason you are the right choice.

In plain English

It is the answer to the question every shopper is already asking silently. If your page does not answer it fast, they will just go find a business whose page does.

Three things make it work

01

Placement above the fold

If a visitor has to scroll to find your reason to buy, most will not.

02

Specificity only you can claim

Generic promises anyone could make do not persuade anyone.

03

Plain language, no jargon

A confusing sentence works exactly like a slow page: people leave.

Worth remembering

Nielsen Norman Group found visitors leave in 10 to 20 seconds, so make yours clear in ten and you hold attention for minutes.

That is the entire window you get to make your case before most visitors have already decided to leave. Ten seconds is not much room for a confusing headline.

What to do about it

If a visitor cannot tell what you do and why it matters within ten seconds, the rest of the page never gets read. Get a free website audit and I will tell you whether yours lands in time.

About the author

  • Nicholas Cabel

    Written by

    Nicholas Cabel

    Founder of MakeAndUpdate, a one-person web studio in West Chester, PA. Hand-codes fast websites for local businesses and builds in public.

    @makeandupdate