10 Ways to Make Your Website Header Thinner

A website’s header is the rectangle, box, or band that appears at the top of a web page. It is typically made up of a large image or group of images and some text, which may also be styled in a contrasting colour or theme to set it apart from the body copy below.

Your header should fit the following traits.

• Be consistent with the type of content you provide. If possible, make the header reflect the type of content on the page. You can use a combination of images and text to achieve this.
• Make it easier for your audience to engage with your content. Create call-to-actions (CTAs) that link to other pages, forms, or even other websites. If possible, integrate your social media accounts and other links within your site so that your audience can follow you on other platforms.
• Make it relevant and interesting. If you have a funny, quirky, or interesting style, make sure that it reflects this through your websites’ design.
• Use common sense and good judgement when selecting your colours. The text and images on your page should blend into a harmonious and coordinated whole, rather than feeling like they were designed in isolation from one another.
• Be original and creative with your ideas. Don’t simply steal content from other websites. Instead, find a way to make it relevant to your own audience. If possible, you should also strive to make the content on your site as unique as possible.
• Balance new content with archival. Never put too much focus on one particular type of content. Instead, mix it up. In other words, don’t just post about cats, puppies, or funny memes – try to post about all of these things on a regular basis so that your audience does not get sick of seeing the same content all the time.
• Make sure that the text and images you use are high quality. This will make a big difference in your site’s overall look and feel.
• Avoid the use of text-heavy headers. Instead, use an image or two with a couple of brief paragraphs of text below it.
• Make sure that the copy on your page is relevant to your audience. If you can, test out different headings and see which one resonates the most with your audience. You can also use a tool like Google Trends to find the popularity of any topic.
• Use a tool like Unsplash to find free stock photos that you can use on your website. While it can be tempting to use photos of friends and family, these kind of photos often fall flat when used in this manner. Instead, use photos that are relevant to your website’s topic. For example, if you run a business blog, you might want to use photos of businesses or specific industries. If you run a blog about photography, you could use a photo of a sunset or an autumnal landscape.
• Make sure that the calls to action (CTAs) on your page are relevant to your website’s content and the products/services you offer. If possible, use an engaging call to action that will encourage the reader to click through to your website. You should also strive to have multiple calls to action on a single page so that your audience does not get overwhelmed by all the choices in one spot.
• Include a contact form or link to a blog with an about me page so that visitors can get in touch with you directly through your site. This could be a simple “Contact us” form or a more elaborate blog with an about me section, a gallery, and a comment section.
• Use an engaging lead magnet. This could be a case study, an infographic, or a free download. For businesses, consider using a tool like SurveyMonkey to gather feedback from customers.
• Use social proof to show that others are interested in your content. This could be based on your own social media networks, or other websites that are relevant to your niche.
• Display your industry’s personality. Instead of using a stock photo, consider using an image that is representative of your niche. For example, if you are in the financial services industry, you could use an image of a stocky male in a suit or a female in a pink suit.
• Use case studies and other forms of objective content to show your expertise. While this may not seem like a way to gain credibility with potential customers, these types of content can be extremely useful in establishing your expertise in a particular field. For example, if you are an expert photographer, consider using your photography skills as a way to illustrate your expertise – you could use the imagery to demonstrate how you used your technical knowledge to create a wonderful landscape shot or a sunset photo that would make anyone pause for breath.
• Include an About page that includes your contact information, a relevant photograph, and the relevant keywords. If you are selling a product or service, make sure that these keywords are relevant to your target audience’s search queries. For example, if you are selling sunglasses, make sure that the keywords “solarized sunglasses” appear in your about page’s content.
• Host a chatroom or forum on your site. This could be a place for subscribers to ask questions, or for you to engage with visitors directly.
• Consider hosting virtual summits or webinars on your site. Having an expert speak directly to your audience via a live video feed is a great way to draw in more interest from potential customers. Not only that, but you can also gather and engage with people outside of your niche, potentially expanding your reach and opening up new revenue streams. For example, if you are an ecommerce shop, you could host a virtual shopping summit where experts from various industries teach your audience about the importance of purchasing organic and ethical products, or why certain websites work better than others for ecommerce sales.
• Create a free PDF download with your contact details, a short bio about yourself, and an inviting offer. If someone is interested enough, they’ll follow the simple link to get the info they need. You can also use a tool like ConvertKit to easily send out free downloads in batches.
• Use your website to establish yourself as an industry expert. If you have a unique perspective on your industry, consider using your site to share this with the world. You could also include case studies, infographics, or other interesting types of content that you’ve found that are relevant to your niche. Ensure that your website is easy to navigate and that it provides a good user experience.
• Use your blog to set yourself apart from other content creators in your niche. Instead of simply replying to other industry experts on your blog, consider doing something different and using your comments to provide engaging content that is both educational and fun to read. You could also use your blog to link to other relevant websites, articles, or books that further expand your knowledge on the subject.
• Create a community within your industry. Whether you are a YouTuber, Instagrammer, or even a Facebook group founder, establish yourself as an authoritative voice in your field with relevant content and an engaged audience. The more you engage with your audience, the more they will return the favour by spreading the word about your content.
• Build a brand for yourself. If you are an expert in your industry, consider using your expertise to build a brand for yourself. Create a brand voice, logos, and visual identities for yourself that will make your audience recognise your name when you speak it. If possible, establish your brand across all platforms – both digital and non-digital.

To help get you started, check out this Google Chrome extension that can assist you in creating an engaging header on your website. Simply copy and paste your web address (URL) into the extension, and you’ll be taken to a landing page that will guide you through the process of creating a header for your website. From here you can choose the type of content you want to use and the colour scheme, and the extension will take care of the rest.